The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-08-25
ssCED.4R ISLAND" THE PLACE
FOR THE TIRED AND WEAKLY
Where Gen Fitzhugh Lee and Capt. Savage Kun
|, the Life Saving Station, Where the ourf zones
Ea JJnbroken Where Fish Stories are True.

CEDAR ISLAND, VA, August a.
Out in the Atlantic Ocean, seven miles
from tho main land off the coast OF
/, Virginia. Is a small pleasure resort
known ns Cedar Island, which appea :
IN avery one who, fond of sport and
outdoor life, desires rest and recfca :
tion and surcease from business cares
Those who were wont to rustcate AZ
cobbs Island pleasant but vanish
Ing memory, will find Cedar Island iust
such n place as Cpbbs was before nun
cry waves devoured It's sandy shores
and put it out OF commission. Ont at
Cedar Island one finds prattIoali,s
everything one cares to anluse ones
self with in the summer; that Is, to
battle, to fish. to sail and to rest on
the broad beach always cooled BY the
sea hreezes and free for the most
part from the inNidious presence OF
the mosquito. The island Is shaped
something like a toboggan slide, seven
miles long and $50 yards broad. which
gives 1t the appearance of II huge
yellow knife.
Life Saving station.
Here the United States government
has placed lfesaving station. in
command Of the veteran Captain j, y.
D. Savage, probably the oldest actiNelE
employed life.saver in the service OF
the government
For the whole year Captain Savage
looks out for ships and vessels passing
along the dangerous coast between the
capes and the point of the Delaware.
He has under him staff of eight men
-Messrs, Core, Watson, Cobb, Tom
Fosque, Burton, Johnson, Byrd and
Hargis--not forgetting General titz-
hugh Lee" the enormous bay horse
which drags the lifeboat from the eta :
ton into the surf and knows his BUS
mess as we'll as any of the crew. 1t
is a pleasure to watch the l!fe- savers
and "the General" at practice; to see
them handle the gigantic lifeboats and
to rescue those adventurous persons
who desire sensations, from imaginary
wrecks by means Of the breeches buoy;
to observe them going through the
practice of life-saving by resuscitation
and wigwa gging messages of com
fort and help to imaginary wrecks
Tar out at sea.
Wrecks of the Past.
This is the routine Of those days
when human life Is not in danger, but
the staff has played its part in giving
succor in times of distress.
In the twilight visitor can spend
many pleasant hours at-the station. lis
tening to Captain SaNage's tales of the
wrecks that have been cast UP near
Cedar Island: of the great English
tramp that ran her nose upon the reef
five miles out, all the crew of which
was safely brought ashore; of the
yacht that absolutely poked her prov
on the beach not 100 yards from the
life saving tower, and whose crew ant
passengers made the trip shorewarc
bS means Of the breeches buoy; of the
lost Spanish bark that, having been a
sea for ninety days. finally ran in be
hind the island and was wrecked II
the quiet waters of the bay, ever.
man being saved by the men from
Cedar Island service. Captain Savag
delights to tell the story of the Span
ish bark and to describe the queer an
tics OF the Spaniards none of whol
could speak a. word of English, and a
OF whom stayed two weeks in the dea
OF winter at the station on the islam
On the beach now repose the hulls
three great ships lost at sea and ca
up by the angry waves, and these gil
silent testimony to the wisdom of II
government in maintaining life station
on this dangerous coast.
Sixty Dnys of Danger.
It is remarkable that the govern
nlent, however, should discontinue SCI
vice for two months In the year.
is said that this is done for the sal
of economy, but the fact remains thu
for the months of June and July t.
station is desolate except for the pre-!
ence of the keeper and the big ba
horse, the men being discharged fc
sixty days without pay. II seen
strange that for the sake of fe
dollars the sea- going public should
!, w.
to save mere pittance to the go'
eminent, for between the Norther
Virginia line and Cape Charles the
are not less than ten life-saving ST
tions scattered among the islands /
the coast, and every one of these a
out OF commission for the months
june and july !.
&s No Tensions for Savers.
Another fact seems strange, a,
that is that these faithful men. wi
certainly risk their lives as much
do the men Of the army and nav
are not allowed a pension on accou
OF old age, nor are they allowed b
two years pay in case of being di
atled in active service.
This seems unfair, and certain
keeps many good men from apply
for positions in the Life Saving Sc
vice.
Captain Savage is one Of the Of
timers who takes great pride in
work and keeps his staff up to I
very highest mark Of excellence. !
together with five or his brothe
served In the Confederate Army, a
allaof them, ran the blockade, cross
the, Chesapeake Bay on a wild mis-
and in a small canoe in order to
active service with the Souehern troo
Wild Ponies aud Cattle.
Just across a narrow channel fir
Cedar Island to the South IS a lar
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