Evening journal., 1906-08-01

conclusively their own fault
The barges Wadena and Fitzpatrick
went ashore on the night OF March II,
during a northeast gale and Leavy sea. I
few hours later the life-savers took Oh I
the crew. When the weather moderated
wreckers were engaged to tighten the
barges, and of and on the work was car.
ried on until tho night Of March 1e. when
the weather became so threatening that
the wreckers, with the exception Of Eve
on the Wadena and three on the Fitz.
patrick. abandoned the work and sought
harbor
The next morning about O'Clock the
keeper saw a distress signal flying from
the wadena. although the weather was
thick, rain was falling ann a-rrFsh south
east wind was kicking up an ugly sea. the
barge did not seem to be Ia any danger.
Notwithstanding there was the signal,
and the keeper said 10 his crew, 1--WE
must go. There Is a distress Gag in the
rigging
The lifeboat was manned and the trip
begun. The sea was running nasty on
the shoals and the boat shipped great
quantities OF water, adding TO the dis,
comfort Of the men. The boat, however,
reached the barge and the I'VE men
jumped In. AS the boat was cut adrift
and the oarsmen we're trying to turn her
q sea broke over them nd poured con-
siderable water into the boat.
In an instant the Eve men became panic
stricken. They stood up, clung to the
surfmen and impeded them so they could
| not manage the boat and a huge wave
struck the little craft and turned II over
| Twice the life-savers rlghted II. but each
time the seas upset II. The water was
bitterly cold. and the foam Of the break
ers almost suffocating. while the terrible
buffeting caused the men one by one 10
lose their hold and they sank until but
one was eft. He. too, would have per-
Ished had not Capt Elmer r. Mayo. who
was on the Fitzpatrick nearby, at the risk
OF his life. launched a dory and rescued
the half dead surfman. thus. Of a dozen
men, but one survived, and the lost seven
life-savers represented one OF the most
fearless crews along the dangerous coast.
The Wadena remained safe several days
after the disaster, and the general con.
viction is that the men were practically
a sacrifice: on one hand 10 the needless
apprehension an. senseless panic OF the
men on the barge, aud on the other tc
their own high sense OF duty, which
would not permit them TO turn their
backs upon a signal OF distress.
The surfman IN his vigil along the
shore keeps a lookout for small as well
as large crafts On the night OF Sep.
tember 25, 1901, the patrolman from
Gay Head Station, Massachusetts,. saw
feebly aickering light waving through
the darkness a few hundred yards Oh
shore. He promptly burned his coston az
a signal Of encouragement and called out
the boat crew. Within half an hour Mr..
Edward II. Raymond, d. d. s., OF Sum-
NIT, n. Y, and his son we're taken. more
dead than alive, from a small yacht.
Mr.. Raymond later gratefully acknowt
edged the service rendered by writing e
the department the following letter;
summit. N. Y, October 8, 1901.
Dear Sir-I wish to praise the keeper
and crew OF the Cay Head Life saving
Station for their promptness and efficiency
IN rescuing my son and myself from possi
bic death on September 25. While cruis.
ing In the small yacht Natica we were
caught In a sudden northeast gale at
night. and after battling with 1t for i've
hours without making any headway, and
getting numb with wet and cold, and ex'
hausted with hard work, we were obliged
to cast anchor on a lee shore Just outside
Of a dangerous bar. We swung a Lantern
a few times, and received response
through the darkness from the patrol on
the beach by the burning OF a red light.
In due time the lifeboat was alongside,
and we were rescued, more cead than
alive. with good care and attention
we soon revived. They put crew
on board afterwards and saved the yacht
1 cannot commend their services too high
ly. fully appreeiatlng their noble rescu'
at a time when hope was almost gone.
(Signed)
EDWARD II. RAYMOND. D. d. g."
The above IS but one Of the many let
tiers received annually by the department.
In similar vein the writers pay their trib
ute 10 the brave and self-sacridcing mer
who, by their energy and fearlessness
have placed the United States Life-savinf
Service on a pinnacle around the base OF
which all nations stand and look upward
to with envy. THOMAS WILSON.