Daily Kennebec journal., 1894-01-22

CN~%Y> ,
THROUGH THE WOODS
ing ND and down the beach, mile after mile,
clambering over rough headlands, wading
through snow and slush. facing the
storms and stumbling in the darkness.
For the night patrol there are four watches
from sunset to o'clock, from till mid
night, from midnight to and from TO
sunrise.
Where the stations are SO far apart that
the patrolman cannot meet his neighbor,
he carries a clock which has dial that can
he marked only by means OF a key. This
KEY is hung to post at the far end OF his
beat, and thus he must go to the post In or
der to secure this automatic certifcation
of having performed his duty. The clock
also registers the time at which the patrol
man reached the end of his beat.
Each patrolman carries lantern and
number of red hand lights. If he discov-
ers wrecked vessel in distress or ship
running dangerously near the shore, he ig-
mites his light, which sends forth brilliant
red flame, thus warning the people on the
ship that they are too near the coast, or II
they have been wrecked that help Is COM
ing. The lookout at the station often sees
the red flame and gives the alarm to the
life saving crew without any loss of time.
Dangerous Places.
In this way the Atlantic coast is patrolled
every night for an aggregate distance Of
about 500 miles, or more than one-half of
all the coast line. There are on this coast
1866 life saving stations. nearly one-half of
these being OH the shores of Long Island
and New Jersey. Here, within distance
of $50 miles, are 80 life saving stations, and
they are as rule busiest of all the 230 sta
tions maintained by the service in the
United States. These two coasts extend
nearly at right angles from the great port
of New York, where centers the commerce
of the western hemisphere. ,-,.s.. s.., ,~ .,,
This coast line throughout nearly its
whole length consists of narrow strip of
sand beach, varying in width from quar-
ter Of mile to five miles, and separated
from the mainland by narrow water open
ingsthat sometimes extend into broad bays
At distance of from 400 to 500 yards from
the shore it is bordered by outlying sand
bars, over which in violent storms immense
walls of surf continually break.
These shores, exposed to all easterly
storms, are constantly skirted by vessels
bound to or from the ports of New York,
Philadelphia and Wilmington, and by the
craft of the coasting trade. Their sands
have always levied a fearful tribute upon
passing commerce, and are literally strewn
with the half buried and decaying skeletons
of wrecked vessels, while the graveyards of
the coast villages and settlements abound
with unmarked mounds which tell q sad
tale of destruction of humanlife.
Medals of Honor.
Along this coast the recent storms of
which you have read in the telegraphic dis
patches found many victims, but not q
tenth part as many as they would have
found but for the presence and gallant
efforts of the life saving crews.
Month after month the life saving service
performs rescues whose accounts deserve
to be celebrated in song and story. Few of
these narratives find their way into the
newspapers in anything like adequate form.
One of the latest medals of honor granted
by the secretary of the treasury for heroic
life saving was awarded to Keeper Chase
of the Coskato station. Nantucket. The
story of that rescue, told even in the SIM
plest language, reads like page from
romance.
In the middle of winter, during fright
full storm, the three masted schooner Kirk.
ham stranded on Rose and Crown shoal.
The sea was running almost mountain
high 1t was night when the vessel struck,
and within an hour her bow was torn to
Iseces. The crew took to the rigging. Next
morning the wreck was discovered, but she
was Is miles from land. But what could
be done? Could any boat live in such sea?
Was it not madness to attempt rescue Is
miles from the shore, amid such turbu-
lent torrent OF breakers?
Fifteen Hours In the Rigging.
Keeper Chase did not stop to consider
these questions. He promptly launched
his surfboat-an open boat, only % feet
long and 2jl4 feet deep-and put to sea. At
last he neared the wreck and saw that the
men were still hanging to the rigging. On
account of the roughness of the ocean it
was impossible to aid the schooner. If this
had been attempted, the surfboat would
have been dashed to pieces. So Keeper
Chase dropped down near to the schooner
between seas, anchored his craft and threw
a small line attached to heaving stick ON
board the wreck.
The sailors, though nearly dead from ex-
posure, managed to attach a larger line to
this one, and it was pulled aboard the surf
boat. Thus the keeper and his crew were
able to draw nearer the wreck in her lee.
A sailor tied line around his body and
jumped overheard. No sooner had he been
hauled aboard than another followed his
example. Taking advantage Of lulls in the
storm and pulling up between seas, man
after man was taken of in this manner till
all seven Of the sailors weie rescued, after
being Is hours in the rigging. In an honr
the wreck went to pieces. The life savers
were in the rick of time.
Now came the struggle for the shore. |
With "A men on board the little 'cat was |
so badly crowded it became necessary to |
throw mast and sail overheard. Darkness |
came on. Six hours had elapsed since the |
boat left the wreck. and only one mile Of |
the Is that Lay between them and the shore |
had been traversed. Though the mercury |
stood ak % deorreez bel0v zern thu man