Middletown transcript., 1898-03-26
HEROIC LIFE SAVERS.

At o uf inet VI uoSGuui OtuU III NOW
York Major Horace L. Piper, Assist
ant Superintendent OF the United
States Life Saving Strvice, told these
stories of heroic rescues:
I'm the first dull gray Of morning, on
January 20, 1892, there were discov-
cred by the aid of strong glasses from
the gallery of the Sankaty Lighthouse,
on Nantucket Island, the top masts of
a vessel just above the horizon in the
direction of the Rose and Crown shoals.
Word was sent to the captain of The
ife-saviDg station near by. You must
know that the Rose and Crown shoals
is one of the most dangerous places on
the globe, and over fifteen miles
from land. A twenty-three-foot surf
boat was Iun out and manned by a
crew of seven men. The partings were
short between the men and their fam
lilies. Away flew the little boat; they
could not see the ship. They must find
it. The thermometer registered twenty y
degrees below freezing point. After
long hours of search they found the
wreck with seven half-froZen men
clinging to the rigging. They had been
there for fifteen hours in the peltiDg
rain and sleet. There were seven in
the boat. Could she carry seven nore2
There was no debate in the mind Of
Walter Chase on that point. She must
carry them.
"The boat was made fast to the
wreck, and then panic arose among
the shipwrecked men. they grabbed
the rope that held the lifeboat along
side and attempted to pull it closer,
SO that they could all jumpiu at once.
That meant the capsizlng of the boat
and death to all. "Hands off" cried
Walter Chase, as lie took out his CLEAN.
ing sheath knife. Now, If another
man lays a finger on that line, I'll cut
it and leave you TO your fate. | am
master here, aud you viii obey my
commands At last all were aboard,
and then the homeward struggle be-
gan. Three hours hard work found
them only one mile. away from the
shoals. Another start was made, and
at 10 O'Clock at night it was no longer
possible to keep headway, and down
went the anchor once more. For seven
tnore weary if6tirS they sitiiifffs siffg ct He
bending oars. When the brave fellows
reached the station after thirty-six
hours Of toll the first person to greet
the stalwart keeper was his aged mother.
Did you save them all, WalterP 'Ay,
mother, all, thank God!' said the
keeper, as be embraced her. He then
turned to his men and said, well, boys,
let's get the house in order and Start
out the patrol, thus coming from the
heights of heroism down to the dull
routine of duty.
''In closing let me lell you one of the
most remarkable cases recorded in the
annals Of the world. 1t occurred on
Lake Superior in November, 1886
On the morning of the 18th day of that
month two ghostly figures, which
proved to be two ships in distress,
were discovered off the town of Mar
quette, Mich. The storm was one of
extreme intensity, having destroyed
the lighthouse tower on the breakwater
during the night, and was still raging
with relentless fury. There was no
life-saving station at Marquette. The
people in the neighborhood devoted the
whole day trying to rescue the forlorn
mariners. Boats, steam tugs, mortars
and life lines all had failed. Night
came. There was no hope in Marquette,
none. The nearest life saving station
was at Ship Canal, 10 miles away. A
telegram was sent thither at 8 O'Clock
at night, telling of the situation and
asking, Can you help us?' The answer
from the captain of the crew was, 'Ay,
we come.' A special train, with a
brave engineer at the throttle, left Ship
Canal with the crew and their appara-
tus on board. The track was Gle ired,
and it fairly flew over the distance to
Marquette. Before the midnight hour
the crew was at the scene of the wreck,
and, after eight hours battling with
the storm, they safely landed the two
crews of twenty-four persons"