The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-08-24
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With the beginning OF this month the
winter season OF the United States Life
saving Service is inaugurated. Through
out the coming months of bitter cold
weather. when the wind howls in fury
and the air upon the beaches is laden
with flying snow and sand that cut the
face like knife. and those who live in
country and city hurry home, thankful
that there is warm fire awaiting them,
band Of gallant men. muffied in oil
skins, are stumbling along the Atlantic
Coast in ceaseless patrol, ever and
anon casting their eyes beyond the line
of foaming seas that break In thunder at
their feet, watching for the approach of
lights that may Indicate that some vessel,
manned by a half-frozen crew, is In
danger of being wrecked on the treacher-
GUS bars that lie. unseen. awaiting their
prey.
At the breakfast table In the morning
brief dispatch may tell the story OF
the nights work of the lfe-savers. 1t
may merely state that d vessel was
wrecked on such and such a bar and her
crew was taken off. by the life-savers;
and the reader, II he lives inland, passes
over the item with a glance.
Only those who live within sound of
the beating waters realize the Importance
Of our governmental life-saving service.
They alone know the peril and hardships
undergone by the humble men who couI
pose the station crews. In order that her.
and there few lives may be snatchetl
from the hungry sea. 1t makes no diff
ference whether the endangered persons
be the crew of a coasting coal barge or
the company miilionaire's yacht. the
lfe-savers are at their post of duty IN
the interest Of humanity, ready to rescue
the unfortunate, whoever they may be,
OF whatever race or cline. The distress
signal is to them mute appeal to be
answered. though everyone lay down his
life In the attempt.
In carrying on the work OF this great
Humanitarian service the live-saving
crews receive invaluable cooperation
from a private society roswn as the
Women's National Reilly Association,
having it's headquarters IL he State of
New York. This organizre N supplies
delicate foods and service Sc clothing
for the use Of the shipwre nd persons
succored at the stations. lis humane
work Is most timely aud of far-reaching
benefccnce. for in many cases of ship
wreck, particularly during the night, the
disaster comes without warming giving
those on board no time to secure their
clothing or other personal effects, and
upon reaching shore they are absolutely
oeStiiIlt- IL luSlGHNeS lLclT COIL
dition is rendered even more pitiabie
from long hours of exposure before their
plight is discovered, and from injuries
sustained by falling wreckage. Before
this association formed the life
savers often had to deprive themselves
OF clothing they could Ill afford TO spare
In order to render comfortable and decent
the sufferers they had rescued.
With the exception of Denmark the
United States is the only country In the
world having a life-saving service sup
ported and directed entirely by the gov
crnment. There total of PIT sta
lions distributed along our coasts, 100 on
the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, 81 on the
Great Lakes. 1 at the Falls of the Ohio,
Louisville, KY. and 16 on the Pacific
COAST The number OF men employed at
these stations is something like 1000.
u or men to station. The active sea-
son. on the Atlantic Coast fwhen the
station crews duty is from August
/ to May 81; on the Lakes from the open
ing to the close of navigation usually
from April ] TO November 30l. The sta
lions on the Pacific Coast are manned tie
year around for the reason that disasters
that coast are likely to occur at any
season. -
During the inactive season only the
captain (called the keeper of the station
crew remains duty, the men (called
surfmenl, who in most cases are natives
of the neighborhood. having a two-month
vacation. They are, however, BY the |
terms OF their enlistment, subject to the
cali OF the keeper for Iife-saving daty dur
ing this period, and are paid So for each
occasion of service. The keeper may also
employ volunteers during the inactive !
season when necessary
Included In the number of stations |
above given there are on the eastern |
coast OF Florida 10 houses OF refuge, eacl |
in charge OF keeper during the entire !,
year. No crews are employed at these |
stations, as the coast Is generally pre- |
cipitous, and the places of danger to |
navigation are In most cases so close In
shore that the crews of iInperiIed vessels /
usually manage TO reach land unassisted |
The keepers maintain a patrol, however. |
and that their services are Indispensable
was illustrated upon the occasion of the
wreck OF the italian bark Georges valen-
tine. which, during the great storm of |
October, 1904. went ashore during the /
night on the Florida Coast. one-thlrd of !
a mile east Of GilbertS -5ar House of /
Refuge.
The vessel struck with terrific force. |
her three steel masts falling almost 1
simultaneously and killing 4 member of |
the crew. The others on board. number |
ing Ii, finding that the could not Ie- |
main on the vessel, which was rapidly |
going to pieces, plunged In the sea and