The San Francisco call., 1896-05-12
A Bill Now Before the Senate
for a Station Near Point
Bonita.
IT WILL COST OVER $4,000.
Major B1akeney Gives Some Interest.
ing Facts About the Stations
on This Coast.

Rodeo Lagoon, Immediately north of
Point Bonita, is to have life-saving sta
tion fitted with all modern appliances for
handling boats, including launching-wa
At least, bill authorizing a station at
that point has passed the lower house of
Congress and is now before the Senate for
consideration. The mea sure was intro
duced by Senator Perkins April 90, and
there is little doubt of its ultimate passage.
"The need of station at this point IS
obvious" said Major 4. ]. Blakeney of the
United States Life-saving Service yester-
day. "This side of the Golden Gate is
well protected, but there is absolutely
nothing in the way of lifeboat on the
other side nearer than Point Reyes. Under
the present condition, if a wreck occurs on
the northern shore it is necessary for a
boat to pull across the channel. Quite
often it is impossible to do so, owing to
the heavy winds. / recall the wreck of
the Elizabeth, when the life-saving crew
lost man on, this very shore. and
later, in the wreck Of the Simpson, only
merciful God prevented whole boatload
OF brave fellows from going to the bottom.
1t is not every one who knows just how
the life-saving stations are distributed on
this immediate coast. At Fort Point, for
instance, we can get out boat at any
time. This station is inside the Preside
reservation. Just back of the lighthouse
IS lookout, where constant watch is
kept. The station is fitted with signal
flags and pyrotechnica signals to be used
only when vessels are in distress. In the
blight, near the mouth of Point Lobos
Creek, there is boathouse containing all
necessary gear. This is available when it
IS impossible to launch a boat south of the
Cliff House. On Point Lobos there is an
other lookout where constant watch is
kept. In southerly direction, one and a
half miles, is the Golden Gate ife-saving
station with full crew. Three and a
half miles south of this is the Southside
station, and three quarters of a mile fur
ther on is a lookout station.
"The5e stations and lookouts are all con-
nected by telephone with each other and
with the district superlntendent's office.
Any vessel requiring the services of a tug
or otherwise in distress would receive
prompt attention should they signal to
that effect.
''To the northward of this harbor, as
stated before, there is not life-saving sta
ton nearer than Point Reyes. Some years
ago the station at Bolinas Bay was burned
down, but the location not being desir-
able, it was not thought wise to rebuild it.
ga station near Point Bonita is espe-
clally desirable, because 1t Is lee shore in
all southerly winds. The proposed station
will be connected by telephone with the
| life-saving system on this side of the
Golden Gate, thus perfecting the service
which guards the entrance to the harbor OF
San Francisco"
The station at Rodeo Lagoon. near Point
Bonita, will cost betwee 10000 and S12,.
600. Congress appropriates every year
$4,000 for new hfe-saving stations, and as
soon as the present bill passes the Senate
work will commence on the Point Bonita
station.