Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-12
tfF,EE-sAVING SERVICE
PAPER READ BEFORE coNaREaAr
TIoNAL CHURCH CLUB.
Major Horace Z. Piper Describes Work
Of observation-disclosures Of
Great Bravery.

The Mems Club of Mount Pleasant Con-
gregational Church held a meeting last
night with program appropriate to ladies'
night, and the auditorium of the church
was filled with tho members of the club ana
the ladies of their households. The speaker
of the evening was Major Horace L. Piper,
assistant superintendent Of the United
States life saving service. who talked about
1.-The Storm Warriors of the United States
Life Saving Service" The musical part OF
the program was furnished by Mr.. William
e. Green, violinist, with Mrs. Green as
accompanist and Mr.. Otto Luebkert soloist.
with Mrs DR.. Charles Bliss, accompanist.
Major Piper gave realistic narration OF
the wonderful deeds of heroism performed
by the life savers amid the bewildering
terrors of the night and the fury of the
storm One of the most notable was the
story of mighty leap into the dark mace
by Surfran Fred Hatch OF Cleveland, VINO
swung off from the main boom OF wreck
one night to reach the mizzen shrouds and
save two sailors who were there heloiesS
and almost frozen. Hatch was alone, ana
failure would have been certain death, out
Drawing all he put up his own life In De
half of the shipwrecked. By dint Of cour-
age, extraordinary physical power and mar
velous skill, he succeeded In reaching the
men, whom he sent ashore in the breeches
buoy, while he remained upon the wreck
until rescued by his comrades.
The Patrol System.
The patrol system, the speaker declared
to be one of the chief glories of the service.
Much opposed at first, but stubbornly en-
forced, 1t is one of the features which make
the service pre-eminent The crews are
divided into four watches, and come what
may, they must patrol every inch OF the
beaches from sunset to dawn. This sort
of guard duty makes that of the soldier
around the camp seem like mere pastime.
The patrol makes his gloomy march alone
and when overtaken by disaster mas no
friendly comrade to aid him. Instances
were named, merely as samples of many,
where the men have been permanently dls-
abled or have lost their lives. In terrible
northeast snowstorm on Cape Cod patrol
man totally lost his bearings, being obliged
to feel his way on hands and knees. al
most smothered, his eyes pelted with sleet'
and from that day to this he has been
practically blind On the Jersey coast
party was sent out to search for missing
patrolman, who was found frozen to death
In the snow. In ore Icy hand was his check,
to be exchanged with the other patrol, and
in the other hand his lantern. Only Few
weeks ago on Long Island patroiman,
while crossing a stormy inlet, which he
was bound to do miles away from his sta
ton, lost his life. No outcry coulj summon
a comrade, no wall could reach a human
ear.
Christendom 100 years ago. England and
our own country, the pioneers in this great
work which nobody seemed to have thought
of until almost 1 800 years of the Christian
era had rolled by began about the same
time. England has never established gov
ernmental service, and the United States
did not do so until 184S Prior to that time
the Massachusetts, Humane Society, organ
lied in 1856, took the lead and practically
held the field. In England life-saving work
is in charge of the Royal National Lifeboat
Institution, and is mainly supported by con-.
tributions. In 1S4S Congress made a trivial
appropriation for volunteer lighthouses on
the coast of New Jersey, and during SUBJ
sequent years authorized a few on Long
Island. After some twenty odd years, how
ever, that service had practically failed OF
such results as were requisite to the condi-
lions and to the responsibilities of a ma
tional establishment.
System Recognized.
In 1871 Mr.. Kimball, the present general
superintendent, was appointed chief of the
revenue cutter division of the treasury, and
soon discovered that he was incidentally
the custodian of the little lifeboat houses.
With a quick comprehension of the i'm
investigated the conditions and discovered
such decentralization that he resolved upon
a thorough reorganization, and went to
Congress with an appeal for 500. 600. The
service was thereafter SO developed that in
1873 Congress organized 1t into a bureau,
and the Senate, without reference to COM
mittee. unanimously confirmed the nominal
ton of Mr.. Kimball to be general superin-
tendent. One of the first steps was the
difficult and then politically dangerous re-
solve to make the establishment non-parti-
SAN 1t was SO conducted as thoroughly as
possible without provision of law until 1852,
when Congress placed it firmly on the bed
rock of non-partfsanship. Under that act 1t
continued to increase in Importance and in
the public estimation until it came to enjoy
the cordial support of all parties and the
love and confidence of all the people
Thirty years ago 1t was limited to the
Long Island and New Jersey coasts, and
consisted of few decaying boat houses,
without crews. and almost bereft of what
day." said Maj Piper, cit comprises 213 sta
tons, splendidly equipped with every
known life-saving device. manned by 1000
sturdy storm warriors, who dwell in the
station houses. patrol every inch of the
coast within their limits during the night.
and during the day also in thick weather,
respond to every wall of distress, and fear
Iessly ride the unbridled waves in quest of
imperiled lives. In the last thirty years
these devoted men have attended more than
14,000 wrecks. involving the lives of more
than 100000 persons. of whom only one in
100 has been lost. and during the same
period, out of $210 100000 worth of property
imperiled, they have saved or assisted to
save S166OO0.00O. an amount sufficient to
maintain the service on its present basis for
more than fifty years to come"
Reception and Refreshments.
The formal part of the meeting was fol-
lowed by an informal reception, with re-
freshments, held in the church parlors,
which were tastefully decorated for the oc-
casion.
The success of this club has been some
what remarkable. It's membership is now
in excess of $780, Six new members were
admitted at last nights meeting. The high
standard the club set at the beginning has
been steadily maintained, and it's field Of
usefulness has gradually expanded. 1t has
numbered among its speakers Secretary
Shaw. Gen. Leonard Wood, Senator Depew
Senator Dolliver and many others In
sense last nights meeting was sort of
climax 10 the club year Prof. Charles