The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1902-07-23
HER0INEs OF THE SURF.
What Women Have Done in the Work of
Saving Lives.

Norwegian vessel, ran ashore not fal
from Pensacola, Fla. At that season
the crews OF the life saving stations
are on duty, so few wrecks occurring
and thus it happened that there were
only two men in the nearby station on
Santa Rosa Island.-the captain, whose
name was Broadbent, and one assis-
tant. Fortunately, however, the cap
tain had three daughters, who prompt
~ volunteered. helped 70 bsui Inc life
saving apparatus distance OF two
miles, fred tho life line from the shore
over the stranded ship, rugged the
breeches buoy and rescued all of the
crew.
Seven years ago three young women
happened TO be staying for the sum-
mer at Point Lookout, on Long Is
land Sound. They were the guests Of
the wife Of the keeper Of the life saw
ing station at that place, and their
names were Jennie Rhodes, Mrs. Gel
ia Rsynor>and Mrs. Rene Switzerland.
A gale sprang up and vessel came
ashore ahout>a mile west Of the sta
ton. AS subsequently ascersained
she was the Martha P. Tucker, bound
from Port Tampa to Carteret, N. j.,
! With cargo Of phosphate rock. Ow-
Ing to the season the station was
shozshanded and the twelve men on
board would have all been drowned in
evitably but, for the efforts Of the
young women, who helped in trans-
porting and operating the apparatus,
thus saving eleven Of the crew. The
twelfth was swept overheard and
drowned.
In January, 1892, a vessel was
blown ashore at night on the coast of
Washington State, in lonely region
where there were no life saving sta
tions. 1t was terrific storm and all
night long Mrs. Martha White. the
wife OF local settler, patrolled the
beach with a lantern. She thought
she heard guns at intervals and when
day broke she saw the wreck. Taking
off her petticoat she waved it as sig
nal, but the situation of the vessel
was evidently hopeless. Nearly all of
thoseron board were lost, but three
men she succeeded, though herself q
very little woman, in pulling out of
the surf, afterwards restoring them to
life. For this service she received a
gold medal.
Only three years ago, in April, 1899,
the steamer Chilkat, laden with lum-
Der, went to pieces on the bar in trying
to enter Humboldt Bay, Cal. A life
boat was sent to her assistance from
the life saving station couple of miles
away, but it was 100 late, the shin
having capsized. There were twenty
people on board, including half doz-
en- passengers, aud most of them were
lost; but three were saved with the ut
most difficulty, and under circum-
stances of the greatest danger, by wo-
men from the station, Mrs. Hennig.
the keepers ) wife; a girl named Shum.
way, and Mrs. Mclean, who was the
wife of surfman. The women dashed
into the surf and dragged the unfortu-
mates ashore. all three Of them being
afterwards resuscitated.
ShipwIecked persons are apt to
come ashore almost if not entirely
naked, owing to the fury Of the ele.
ments, and hence the necessity Of
having on hand plentiful supplies Of
clothing for them. No sooner are
they fetched to the life saving stations
than they are put to bed and furnish
ed with every possible comfort by the
women, who in this way contribute
very importantly to the beautiful
work. If they did nothing else their
services wonld deserve to be consider
ed most beautiful,sbut, as already ex-
planned, they often take an active
part in the actual business of saving
lives. 1t is fact worth mentioning
incidentally that the first life boat SER
vice on the Atlantic coast Of North
America was established by q woman.
Dorothea Dix, who built and equip.
ped q station on Sable Island, off the
shores of Nova Scotia.-Rene Bache.
in News and Courier