The San Francisco call., 1896-11-29
Nine Vessels Lost on the
Jutting Rocks Within
Thirty Years.
Lives Sacrificed Because of the
Absence of Life-Saving
Apparatus.
Citizens Will Appeal 10 Congress for
the Establishment of
Station.

POINT ARENA, CAL, Nov. 2S.-With-
in the past thirty years there have been
wrecked and completely destroyed on the
north side of Point Arena the following
vessels: Bark Hyack; ship Elizabeth b
Buckley, two lives lost; schooner Phoebe
Fay; steamer Eastport, three lives lost;
schooner James Townsend. crew rescued
with difficulty; steamer San Benito, six
lives lost. All of these vessels were lost
in passing.
In Arena Cove, on the south side, the
steamers Constantine and Point Arena
went onto the reef, but were got off
badly damaged. A number of schooners,
whose names cannot be recalled, have
been lost in the cove. a little to the
south of the cove the steamer West Coast
went onto the rocks and eight lives were
lost. A mile south the steamers Point
Arena and Alcazar went on to Saunders
reef. but succeeded in getting off badly
damaged. At 1versens Landing, FIVE
miles south, the schooner Ida Florence
broke from her moorings and foundered
with all on board. A large number OF
lives have been lost in the immediate
vicinity of the point by the capsizing OF
small boats.
The citizens of Point Arena are agitat-
ing the subject of bringing the great
necessity of a life-saving station here to
the attention of Congress through the
California mem bers. In the recent wreck
of the steamer San Benito, north of the
point, in which six lives were lost and
nearly forty men were left exposed to
hao oli - e
two days, if only a surf boat or rockets
capable of carrying lines to the wreck
had been at hand the lives would have been
saved and the suffering avoided. But
there was not suitable boat to be had
while the peril of the crew was watched
by crowd ashore helpless to aid them.
Captain Brown of the life-saving station
and Others. who composed the voluntary
crew which distinguished itself for
bravery in attempting to reach the
wreck and save the crew in ships boat,
failed because the boat was not the kind
that could ride the heavy surf.
Indian Bill was one OF the members of
this brave crew. He did not seem TO think
any more OF risking mis- life than he would
OF accepting an invitation to dinner. The
hat was passed around Oh the main street
the other day and total of 81 went into il
Tor Indian Bill. He was very proud of
the gilt and proceeded to dispose of the
money in true Indian fashion.
Manuel Lazarus. an Austrian, was an
other memb Der of this volunteer life-saving
crew. A story is told of Lazarus which
not only illustrates the metile be is mad e
OF, but the mettle of the entire crew. Two
wears ago a little steamer, said to have
been the Point Arena, became disabled in
a beavy sea off the point. A hawser had
shifted overheard and became coied
around the propeller, stopping it. While
the steamer pitcned and rolled in the
tempest Lazarus took off his clothes and
climbed down over the stern with a
hatchet. Clinging with one hand to the
rudder post between seas, which alter
Dately engufed him and brought him in O
sight, he whackeu away az the line until
he cut The wheel free. His bravery was
SUITABLY rewarded