The Jersey City news., 1898-06-15

WORK or LIFE SAVERS.
How the Dangers Along Our
Coasts Are Lessened to
Those Who Sail
the Sea.
MOST STATIONS IN NEW JERSEY
How a Jerseyman Caused
the Service to Be
Inaugurated.
MOST STATIONS IN NEW JERSEY

An interesting document just published
by the Government Printing Office is the
annual report of the operation of the
United States Life Saving service for the
year ending June 3d. 1897. At the close
of the year there were 259 stations in the
service; 1s9 on the Atlantic and Gulf
coast, fifty-five on the Great Lakes, four
teen on the Pacific. and one at the Falls
of the Ohio at Louisville KY. The SER
vice is divided into twelve districts, the
largest Of which is the Fourth, which
comprises the coast of New Jersey and
contains ffty-two stations. The total
number of disasters In the entire twelve
districts was 500. involving property
valued at s7,S29570, Of which s., IT'S was
saved and s2,o8S. 1856 was lost. The total
number of men involved in these disasters
was 4.443- of whom only fbfty-three were
lost. Fifty-four vessels were totally lost
and the various stations succored 1859
persons. The forty-two stations of New
Jersey did excellent work during the year
The stations are located at Sandy Hook.
Spermaceti Cove, Seabright. Monmouth
Beach, Long Branch, Deal Shark River,
Spring Lake. Squan Beach. Bayhead,
Mantoloking, Chadwick Toms River,
Island Beach. Cedar Greek. Forked River.
Barnegat. Loveladies Island, Harvey
Cedars, Ship Bottom Long Beach, Bonds,
Little Egg, Little Beach, Brigantine.
South Briganttne. Atlantic City, Absecon.
Great Egg, Ocean City, Pecks Beach,
Corson Inlet. Sea Isle City, Townsend In
let, Avalon, Tathams, Hereford Inlet,
Holly Beach, Turtle Gut. Cold Spring.
Cape May and Bay Shore.
There were ffty-seven disasters in the
district formed by the New Jersey coast,
involving vessels valued at 800 and
cargoes valued at $53s. 7c0. On these vessels
there were $40 persons, all of whom were
saved. Five vessels were total loss,
which, with their cargoes, represented a
loss of $399,270.
The report of the service includes a
large number of tables containing many
valuable statistics concerning disasters to
vessels along our various coasts, the
causes thereof the condition of the YES
sells and other matters relative to the sub
ject. A large space is devoted to detailed
accounts of the various wrecks which oc-
Cured during the year. Many of the
rescues made by the members of the life
saving crews are thrilling and show that
no Drawer or more daring men can be
found than those who compose the life
saving crews along our cbasts.
1t is matter for pride to every citizen
of New Jersey that this excellent service,
which does such an excellent service every
year in saving scores of human life and
thousands of dollars of valuable property,
was originated by Jersey man. The
New Jersey coast has always been a most
dangerous coast for shipwreck. There ap-
pears to be some irresistible influence
which draws vessels of all sizes and de-
scriptons upon it's treacherous sands.
Scientists say there Is a streak of iron
running along the coast which affects
ships compasses and lures vessels out of
their course. Old salts, however, will
look solemn. shake their heads owl-lilSe,
as they shift their guilds and hint at some
mysterious diabolic, indistinct power of
most malignant disposition which drives
the ships on the shore so that it can revel
in the wreck and ruin which it creates.
But be that as it may the New Jersey
shore has long been noted for its wrecks.
In fact in the early years of the present
century the chief industries of the few
inhabitants of the sand banks were fish
ing and gathering wreckages. The stories
of the great wrecks in which hundreds of
lives were lost are familiar to all who
visit the shore today, and big stone at
Asbury Park marks the spot where one
of the big packets came ashore and
large number was drowned.
1t was this latter disaster which led
Ex-Governor William H. Newell. then in
Congress, to begin the agitation which
resulted in the organization of the ex-
cellent life saving service which is one
of the glories of the United States.