The Nome nugget., 1902-10-15
LIFs.:: {: SAvIhG
It. Iiam'et'S Letter tc
 tie Grand Jury.
Submits Suggestions Which May PrOmctC Efficiency of Local
 Life Saving Station.

\ matter of interest to every citizen Of Nome is the maintenance of an eli cicut life saving station. This is a mat ter WI ich k touched upon by the grand jury in it's final report to thc court which is puhlishod elsewhere. Follow ing is the letter of Lieut. II. c. Hamlet. in charge ot the life saving station. which was forwarded to the jury by their equc~t. It covers the question fully, and j> hcre with published in full:
 To the gentlemen of the grand jury: -Complyira with your verbal request to Go so, respectfully submit d few general suggestions. the adoption of which migh, promote the efficiency of the life sav,"% station at this port.
 The main consideration is obviously to imprc~, upon the honorable secre- tarv of the treasury the vital import aucc of havi-E the station manned dur ing the open season. by regularly con- -ttuted lifc saving crew, and if possible, to construct another station at or near Cape Nome. thu, protecting that part of the coast most freqoented.
 In this connection it can be said, that nowhere el-r on the sea coast of the United Sta'c, is the necessity for life saving station, more urgent than at Nome. Here are carried, in small beat, and lighter, in all kinds of weather, to and from ships lying in an open ruad-tcad. often the distance of d milo from shore: some coco people and thC s-duds of t0I> of freight. during the open season, all cf which must be load surf which often break, half mile from tho shore. Here are sepn the most hagrat' instances Of the ineXreri- cnced VoutGring in the sea in all kinds Of overloaded trustworthy boats. with utter Gi~regal I for the quickness with which wcatErr conditions change in tiering c9. and the danger of landing 1 through the short broken surf peculiar ! to the Nome EeHch Here is the ren- deztous of all kinds of sea going craft. They must l&y in an open roadstead, ! touaS,c beca Grc of the shCalneSs of the water. strength of current and bad hol ling er0ttd. These conditions often ari-o almost without warning and very suddenly, lea;in% poorly found and badly managed small craft no opportu- njty to get an ofing where the water is deep and the sea regular, and they | founder or pound in through the broken ! water to the beach.
 When life i> endangered within the scope cf opera ions of the station vol unteer crew would doubtless be scat tered and ii present could not use the apparatus with the skill and success attained by well drilled and dis ciplincd crew. Nor could they ever be assembled for drills or required to maintain the constant vigilance of beach patrol and station lookout, a prime factor in the efficiency of reg Nlar crew.
 Tic present station could be built up one story to provide quarters for a reg ular crew.
 From the nature of the beach most of the casualties will doubtless occur in attempting to land in small boats. When an accident happens to a small boat the iir-t inspiration of it's people is to get to land. to accomplish which they must enter the broken water, "hich i, generally fatal. In order to be sent to such cases there might be maintained, either by the federal or municipal government two or more refuge rafts solidly constructed and se- curcly moored, 50 placed outside the broken water that the current. which alwaN, set, along the shore, would in .ail probability drift any unfortunate near enou Lh to enable him to take
 refuge on it until help could reach him.
 These rafts could be arranged to serve
 the very important purpose of spread ing oil over the surface of the water in
 bad weather which would drift in tC
 the beach, making it alway, possible tC Z launch a lie boat.
 The suggestions are taken from de tailed recommendation which will be submitted lothe honorable secretary o the treasury with my report.
 Respectfully,
 H.G. HAMLET. 2nd It. l.. $. +. C. s l In charge L. $. Station, Nome.