Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1895-01-17
HEROES OF THE SURF
SOME OF THEIR DEEDS RELATED IN
A aoUvENlR VOLUME.

ing service the New York Herald makes
extracts.
While no effort has been made to
fill the volume with narratives of the
life savers heroic exploits, the book
contains several stories simply told
which are interesting and may we'll be
quoted as illustrations of the self sacri-
ficing heroism of these coast guardians.
One of the most touching is the mar
rative of the death of Keeper Atkins
and Surfmen Taylor and Mayo of the
Peaked Hill Bar station:
"On the morning Of Nov. 30, 1890,
the sloop Trumbull was discovered by
tie patrol ON the inner bar. The life
boat was quickly manned by Keeper
Atkins and Surfmen 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, were
safely landed ON shore.
1.-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 swinging
boom and capsized. The same sea that
caused this calamity struck the vessel,
and she f1oated from the bar and sailed
away. The surfmen clung for awhile to
their overturned boat, but finally at
tempted to swim to the shore as 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 were 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
their comrades bodies might be recov-
cred. After many weary hours of
watching, as if 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 great
advantage. At the stranding of q
schooner in the night on Lake Ontario
last year in sea which would not ad-
NIT of the use of the boat a shot line
was fred over her with the intention
Of setting up the lines for the use of the
breeches buoy. The sailors hauled the
whip line on board, and when the tally
board, on which the directions for the
method of procedure are printed in Eng
lish on one side and in French on the
other, was received the captain attempt
ed by the light of lantern to read
them. Pulling over them for some time,
he at length contemptuously threw the
board down on the deck, finding it i'm
possible to make anything of it, having
seen only the French side. Not know
ing what else to do, therefore, he simply
made the line fast, but in such a man
ner that it could not be worked from
the shore. The surfmen vainly endeav-
ored to convey the instruction by signs.
In the meantime the destruction Of
the vessel and the loss Of all board SEEM
ed imminent. In this dilemma one Of
the surfmen put on the life saving dress,
and after gallant struggle succeeded in
hauling himself along the line through
the breakers to the vessel, where he re-
mained and took charge of the opera
tions until all were safely landed.
Here is bright little extract which,
as the souvenir volume says, will recall
Sir Edwin Landseer's celebrated pic
ture, "a Distinguished Member of the
Humane Society"
cat the sad disaster to the steamship
Metropolis on the coast Of North Caro-
lima, while the life saving men were en-
gagged in rescuing the crowd of passen-
gers thrown into the sea by the break.
ing up of the vessel, large Newfound-
land dog belonging to gentleman re-
siding in the vicinity seemed suddenly
to comprehend the situation, and join
ing the throng of rescuers plunged into
the surf, seized drowning man and
dragged him safely ashore. Shortly aft
erward he left his master and went to
the station of the crew with whom he
rendered his first service in life saving,
and there he still remains, steadily re-
sisting every induoement to return to
his former master. Every alternate
night he sets out with one Of the first
patrol and accompanies him until the
patrolman from the next station below
is met, when he joins the latter and
proceeds with him to that station, where
he remains until the first watch of the
next night, when he returns to his own
station in the same manner. These self
assumed duties he performs with the Pc
culiar gravity of demeanor that distin-
guishes his species, changing his station