The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-02-03
LIFx SAVING sEnvucE
History Of the Serviee-Deveioped by
The Governmens-Deeds OF Brave
Men-Results OfTheir Work

II the Governmens-Deeds OF Brave
II Men-Results ofTheir Work
II U. s. Life-Saving Service,
Washington, d. c., Jan. 81. 1899.
Editors of the Messenger, Wilmington,
N. c.
Dear Sir:-Tour able editorial on the
United States Life-Saving Service,
published In The Messenger Of the
18th instant, has suggested to me the
propriety Of sending you some facts
and figures relating to the organiza-
tion you so justly and wisely praise
a skeleton history of this noble ser
vice." simply an outline of its growth
and work. 1t was natural that the
bleak cost of New England with its
treacherous shores should have been
the birth place of the first organized
effort in America to save mariners
from the perils Of the sea, and that
tn liberty-lovin. state Of Masachu-
sets should have been the pioneer in
this philanthropic movement. AS
early as 1889, a association or gen.
tlemen incorporated for general pur-
poses of benevolence" and known as
the Massachusetts, Humane Society"
built a few huts on Lovelrs island,
and other dangerous points, near Bos-
ton, for the benefit Of the unfortunates
driven by storms On that inhospita-
BILE coast; and later, in 1877, "estaD-
lished the first life boat station al
Cohasset." This life boat station was
tn, modern life saving station in en-
bryo, the crude beginning of an enter
prise that today forms a complete
chain of stations from the eastern ex-
tremity Of the coast of Maine to Gal
weston harbor, from the gulf state OF
the lone STAR state to the golden
gate of the Pacific, and from the
falls of the Ohio river at Louisville
across the Great Lakes of The north,
embracing twelve districts with two
hundred and sixty-four stations, and
extending over ten thousand miles or
coast lire. Prior to 1871 (the date OF
the organization Of the present life
saving system), the operations OF the
service were confined to he coasts OF
Long Island and New Jersey, and were
badly hampered for want of means
and the absence of intelligent manage
ment. The appropriations OF congress
had been desutory and meagre. In
deed, but for the aid of Humane So
cieties and benevolent individuals,
and the assistance of the life saving
Benevolent Association of New YORK,
the service in all probability would
have fallen into ruin. But in 1911,
there having been several fatal dis
asters along the coast professedly
guarded by these stations, which ex-
cited popular Glamour, Congress,at the
earnest recommendation of Mr.. Sum
ner I. Kimball, of Maine, then CHER
of the Division Of Revenue Marine
(who had recently visited the most
dangerous localities on the Atlantic
~seaboard), made an appropriation OF
$500, 900, and the fostering arm OF the
government was given to the support
of an Institution that during the last
quarter of a century has paid the high
est dividends in saving human life and
property of any similar institution on
earth.
Il The system having been placed on
y a permanent basis by national legisla-
ton. the next step was to find a man
with executive capacity leader of
men, a disciplinarian who could bring
order out of chaos, instill new life and
l energy in the personal, and revive the
morale of the service. Such a man
was found in Sumner I. Kimball, the
present general superintendent of this,
the most modern, the best equipped,
: and the only governmental l~ife-saving
. service in the world; for it is the
only one that is exclusively a part OF
e the machinery of the government, all
v others being supported by private do
: nation.
The situation that confronted Gen
. eral Superintendent Kimball at the
= beginning of his work of %rehObilita-
ton and expurgation would have dis
couraged a man of less determination.
But the same indomitable courage
e | and tenacity of purpose hat success
:, fully landed the Maylower on Ply
! mouth Rock, when there were no life
: savers near, and "coston lights" were
unknown, enabled him to meet and
overcome the almost insuperable OBJ
> stacles that beset him on every side.
He realized the impossibility of the
existence of a practical and efficient
d life saving service if party utilization
and nepotsm were allowed to dictate
II appointments; and the abolition OF
. this pernicious custom, that for years
had impaired the usefulness of the
= service, first engaged his attention
n That he vanquished such doughty
S knights of the "spoils system" as Gen.
d eral b. F. Butler and General William
Malone, is sufficient to show the ma
ture of the combat that was waged ant
{ emphasizes the Importance of his vic
tory, the fruits of which are seen to-
,e day in every appointment made. The
t. law and regulations of the service
d now require appointments to be made
SOLELY with reference to fitness fol
n the position and without reference 4
,'G political or party affiliations" A visi
-" to any one of the six stations situated
k between Cape Hatteras and Cap
al Fear, and in easy reach of the beauti
$ full City of Wilmington, will show TIL