Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-12-29
HEROES OF THE SURF
SOME OF THEIR DEEDS RELATED IN
A SOUVENIR VOLUME.

0op0tc ueoeh Os the Wen Oe "Peaked Hill |
nsr" ssasscn-A Gallant Rescue IN Lake
Oussrio-volunteer Member of the scrv-
iss On The South Carolina Coast.
From q souvenir volume prepared to
sell for the benefit fund Of the life saw
ing servics the New York Herald makes
extracts.
While no effort has been made To
fih the volume with narratives Of the
life savers heroic exploits, the book
contains several stories simply told
which are interesting and may well be
quoted M illustrations Of the self sacri-
ficing hcroism of these coast guardians
One Of the most touching is the mar
rative Of the death of Keeper Atkins
and Surfmen Taylor aud Mayo of the
Peaked Hill Bar station:
ION the morning of Nov. 30, 1890,
the sloop Trumbull was discovered by
the patrol on the inner bar. The life
boat was quickly manned by Keeper
Atkins and Surfnen Taylor, Mayo.
Kelly. Young and Fisher and rowed to
the helpless craft. The crew, excepting
two. who positively refused assistance
and remained on board the vessel, We're
safely landed ON shore.
The gale continued To increase in
fury. The sea was running high, and
Keeper Atkins, realizing the danger
that threatened those who had refused
assistance, again started out with his
brave band to save them from what
seemed certain death.
1.-The darkness was intense, and in
their attempt to get nearer the sloop
the lifeboat was caught by q swinging
boom and capsized. The same sea that
caused this calamity struck the vessel,
and she fioated from the bar and sailed
away. The surfmen chung for awhile to
their overturned boat, but finally at
tempted TO swim to the shore MS their
only chance for life. Surfmen Young
Kelly and Fisher, apparently more
dead than alive. were rescued by Surf
man Cole, who had remained on the
beach, and they We're cared for by him.
while one Of the sloop's crew was sent
TO the town for medical aid.
1.-The remainder Of the capsized
boats crew, including Keeper Atkins
and Surfmen Taylor and Mayo though
excellent swimmers, were fighting for
life against fearful odds. Their dying
cries, mingling with the shrieking
winds. were soon silenced, and they
were swept by the waves beyond the
reach of help and swallowed by the an
cry sea
Eager, watchful ones patrolled the
shore. hoping. praying that though dead
fbatv enn,pudosf hr.l,aa trphf l,x,v
cred. After many weary hours of
watching. rs IL to make amends for its
cruel work. old ocean gave back each
lifeless form and laid it gently on the
frozen beach. The whole village turned
out to do these brave men honor, and
when they were carried from the church
to their last resting places few eyes
were dry. Small mounds Of earth and
marble slabs now mark the places
where they sleep"
There are many appliances auxiliary
to the principal means employed in the
operations Of the service. The life saw
ing dress, which has been made familiar
to the public through the exploits Of
Paul Boyton, has been used with grea,
advantage. At the stranding Of 8
schooner in the night on Lake Ontario
last xear in n son which would not ad
nit of tine u.e of tine boat a shot lin,
was fired over her with the intention
of setting mn the lines for the use Of tn,
breee,e buov. The sailors banIed Tn,
whip line on board, and when the tall,
board, on which the directions for thu
method of procedure are printed in Eng
lish ON one side and in French ON tn,
other. was received the captain attempt
ed NV rhe light of n lantern to rea,
Them Pulling over them for some time
ne at length contemptuously threw tin
board down ON the deck, finding it i'm
possible In make ANYTHING of il. hayin
seen only the Frcpcb side Not know
inc what else 20 do. therefore. he simpl
made the line fast. hut in such a man
ner that IL could not be worked fror
Che shore The surfmen va;nlv epdeay
ored 10 convey the instructiop Inv signs
In the ueant;ms tho destruction =