Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-12
UNHERALDED HEROES
Who Brave the Furies of
Coast and Storm.
THRILLING STORIES
UNCLE SANS LIFE SAVERS AND
VOLUNTEERS.
One Station Has Not Had Wreck
in Twenty
Years.
Written for The Evening Star by Anthony R.

Written for The Evening Star by Anthony R.
Wheeler.
George A. Jameson, lighthouse keeper
on Sandy Neck, in Barnstable bay, Massa-
chusetts is typical of the unheralded he
roes Of coast and storm who are now bus
lily engaged the length ofthe Atlantic sea-
board, rescuing men and ships from the
anger Of the ocean,, Many of these matter
of-fact heroes, who would look uncomfort-
able If told they were heroic are members
Of the government coast guard, whose sole
occupation is to succor seamen in distress.
These men are assisted by great body of
volunteers, of which Jameson is one.
Jameson was pretty busy all last winter
keeping numerous wives from being made
widows, but for all that his rescues never
get into print, and now are told for the
first time.
Sandy Neck forms a protecting break
water to Barnstable bay. On last Decem-
Der 20 Jameson saw that two schooners
had sought refuge from a nasty gale, and
were anchored in the bay just below his
lighthouse. Toward evening the gale
abated and he saw one Of the schoOners set
Next morning when he went up in the
tower to care for his light he saw sea
OF vapor about him, covering the water and
shore completely, the tower of the light
phere above. Further out he saw two
sticks protruding above the billowy mass
of white mist His experienced sailors eye
told him at once what the trouble was.
He hastily descended. and single handed,
pulled out in boat to the schooner still
remaining in the bay. Here he obtained
the help of one Of her crew. The two men
rowed ashore, dragged the small boat
across the narrow neck Of land, and put out
to sea toward the stranded schooner.
r. Takoa Skill
Few people know just what 1t means to
launch boat through surf. That these
two men did so successfully was probably
more by luck than skill. Once they were
capsized and the boat was hurled up on
the beach. They tried again. and finally
managed to get outside the line Of break
ers. When they had pulled out to the
wrecked schooner they found some slight
protection in the lee of a big rock, other-'
wise they could never have done 1t. They
dared not approach within less. than fifty
yards; then the schooner's crew sprang
overheard and swan to the boat. Coming
in the breakers again capsized the boat.
but all the men got safely ashore
The four shipwreeked sailors found tenn
porary shelter with the lighthouse keeper,
while the man who had aided Jameson re-
turned to his schooner. That night the Sec
Ond schooner put out to sea.
Next morning revealed to the lighthouse
keeper and his four guests the other schoon-
er ashore several miles down the beach.
They at once manned the lighthouse tender,
and with even greater difficulty than the
lighthouse keeper had experienced the day
before. for the storm had risen over night,
they put out to the wrecked schooner. one
of whose crew had helped rescue jamie
sons four assistants. Again the crew had
to jump overheard to reach the boat, and
again the return trip was attended with
much danger. When the lighthouse was
finally reached all hands remained there
until the sea went down enough for them to
go ashore at Barnstable.
A Real Hero.
A few weeks later Jameson saved the
lives of some cottagers living below the
lighthouse The water had risen in the bay.
blown in by an easterly gale. and partly
submerged the cottages. By paying out
long rope from boat, one end of which
was fastened to the lighthouse dock. he
drifted down to the endangered cottagers
and rescued them just before their homes
were demolished by the waves But first
upper windows and roofs Of their houses
into the water. Those who could swim
made the boat without further assistance,
but those who could not swim were pulled
to safety by Jameson and those already in
the boat.
When 1t was all over and Jameson had
returned to the lighthouse he was averse
to receiving even thanks. He took 1t all as
a matter OF course, as he still does when
visitors to his eyrie ask him to tell the story
Of his winters many rescues.
Brave Unto Death.
The simple heroism of Urcle Sans life
savers are known to all. Here is the story
of a crew that was brave unto death.
Two years ago a email brig went ashore
on Monomay Point, on the southern end
OF that strip of beach which terminates in
Cape Cod. A fierce northeasterly gale was
blowing in gigantic rollers that burst on
the rocky short like shells from big caliber
gins. The brig was just outside the break
ers. The life savers saw the danger OF
her crew and launched a boat to save them.
With the exception of one man, the crew
of the lifebOat were all excellent swimmers.
The boat pulled out, her nose ducking
into the big combers. But by some acct
dent the steering oar became fouled and
the life boat preached. In one second she
was buried under gigantic roller. and the
life savers rose beyond, swimming. One
of them, the best swimmer of them all, had
grasped an oar. Then he saw that his
nate. he who could swim only a little, was
sinking, SO he showed the oar to him. This
man held to the oar and thus kept afloat.
The refiux' carried him out to the brig,
where a wave washed him aboard. The
crew OF the brig rescued him.
But all the others, those who could
SWIM were drowned In the surf Next day
their bodies were found on the beach,
brctally mangled by rocks and wreckage.
The men on the brig, including the one
life saver who could not swim, were taken
OF next day after the gale had abated
Another member Of the stations crew also
escaped: he was on leave Of absence at the
time the brig went ashore.
Not Always Monotonous.
or such incidents the lives Of the life
savers along the Atlantic are usually made