Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1896-12-24
UNCLE SANS DOCUMENTS.
Tales of Heroism and Daring Buried In q
Government Report.

Tales of Heroism and Daring Buried In q
Government Report.
Public documents, as general thing,
are rather a neglected form of litera-
ture and seldom read by any except the
seeker after information. The public
at large has an idea that the reports
of the various government bureaus are
a mass of facts, cold and dry. This is
true to certain extent; yet some very
interesting reading is turned out of
Uncle Sans print shop, says u Wash
ington letter. Mr.. Maxwell, the fourth
assistant postmaster general, in his an
nual report this year almost touches
upon the novelesque. His accounts of
the pursuit and capture of train robbers
and other depredators upon the United
States mails would do credit to a writer
for one Of she New York weekly sensa-
tional sheets. One of. the most impor-
tant and probably most neglected publ
cations of the government, however,
is the annual report of the operations of
the United States life-saving service.
The report of 1895 has recently been
issued, and tells of deeds of daring
that in any other sort, of publication
would be classed as good fiction. 1t
is probable that this interesting docu-
ment will be read by but few people
outside of those Immediately connect
ed with the life-saving service and
those to whom assistance was rendered.
During the year 1895 251 life-saving sta
tions were maintained, the greater num-
Der located along the Atlantic coast
line. There are a number of stations
ON the great lakes, and one on river
that at the falls of the Ohio near Louis
vile.
There were CTS disasters reported
during the year 1895, involving property
valued at over $10,000000. Nearly nine.
tenths of this was saved by the life.
saving service, with the assistance Of
salvage companies and wrecking tugs
There were 5,S23 lives threatened by
these disasters, and but 26 were lost
Out of the CTS vessels that were in
jeopardy but 10 were totally destroyed
The New Jersey coast proved to be mos
dangerous, as it has in the past. This
coast is guarded by 40 stations, ant
while 1000 persons were on board yes
sells, but one life was lost, and out o.
the 100000 worth of property il
peril, considerably less than $100,00I
worth was lost. This does not take into
account the vessels and lives saved by
the warning signals of the patrolmen
1t is estimated that several hundred
vessels were warned from perilous pc
sitions by lights and other signals.
The report states that the average
annual loss of life by disasters at SET
from 1877 to 1895, inclusive, has beer
one out of every 107 persons on boarc
the vessels in danger, and the average
loss of property % per cent. Of tn
amount involved.
The life-saving service has been II
operation for about 25 years, and dur
ing this period the number Of disaster
on the coast of the United States ha
been $500, involving property val
ued at $133,641,074. The estimate,
value of the property lost was $31 200
OPT. There were 67,320 lives in leopard
and but $50 were lost. This service cos
the United States during the year 1870
81 ,2s5, 577-an infinitesmal amount whe
the service rendered is taken into cor
sideration.-St. Louis Republic.