Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1899-04-20
A ~tlfE.SkVInC SHOT.
History of the First Ever Fired Here For
That Purpose.

Ahn afHoS
4 twentv-four-pound shot, with a
short chain attached, now lying on the
table OF General Superintendent Kim
ball OF the l~ife-saving service, recalls
! q noted occurrence long since forgot
ten 10 many people. The Washing
tom Star says that this ball is the first
ever fred in the United States for the
purpose Of saving life. After perform
Ing its noble service it Icy for more
than twenty wears al the bottom OF
the sea.
On,Decemher %, 1912, she British
ship Ayrshire sailed from Ireland,
bound for New York. with two hun
| dred and two persons on beard, most
" immigrants. seeking homes and
fortunes in the States. In those days
transatlantic steamer. were not nu-
merous, the first regular line, the Gu
narders. having been established only
nine years before. and thousands Of
immigrants were transported III sail
ing packets.
Six weeks later the Ayrshire was Of
the port Of destination in a northeast
tempest, which rolled and pitched her
about with great fury.
About midnight Of January II, 1886,
she struck bottom with terrific force,
heeled over toward tie beach, and the
sea began TO sweep over her sides.
Many OF her passengers were women
and children, who were either crowded
into one Of the small Lighthouses, or
dashed to the bulwarks and rigging to
prevent their being swept away. The
night was dark and bitter cold, and
despair reigned on board.
However, about two hours after she
struck, the half-fraIt:c company be-
held q flash OF light inshore. Then
they heard a sound as Of q mutiied
cannon, and q moment later a heavy
iron ball came crashing OIL board.
That was the bali above referred to.
Attached to it was a lifeline.
\ larger line was soon drawn to the
ship by the sailors, and then came the
llife-car-at that time a new and un-
tried device. It was a small iron
boat, covered over, 50 that it was very
nearly alike on both sides, and hay
ing III the top an opening through
which persons TO the number Of six
could crawl and shut themselves in.
70 some Of the more timid the rem
edy seemed almost as bad as the dis
ease, but all save oue were taken to
land without the smailes mishap. The
person lost was a Mr.. Bell. whose sis
ter aud her daughters had been placed
IN the car, when he insisted on &C
campaigning them. As there was nc
room inside the car, lie undertook te
cling to the outside Of it, and as II
matter of course, was washed of and
drowned
Soon after the storm was over the
hulk of the wreck began to settle il
the sand and was finally covered
There it lay for twenty-three years.
till a heavy gale set up a strong cur
rent along the shore that dug away
the sand. and once more exposed thu
skeleton of the wreck. 4 party 0
wreckers were soon on board. and IL
searching the cabin, they came acros!
the old mortar ball.
There was no doubt Of its identity
aud it was returned to the compan
ionship Of the little mortar which hat
sent II whizzing seward on its erranl
of humanity more than twenty year
before. Since the recovery ofthe ball
it and the mortar have been Oh exhibi
ton at ali the great interstate and in
, ternational exhibitions.