Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-24
WRECKING BOATS EQUIPPED
Plans to Render Help to Vessels in
Distress.
APPEALS FOR COOPERATION
John Arbuckle Will Try to Have
Congress Pass Bill Further
ing His Unique Scheme.


NEW YORK. February 23-John Ar
buckle is about to embark in the life-saving
business along the Atlantic coast, and has
interested President Roosevelt to the ex-
tent of obtaining from him letter to Rep
resentative Cocks of New York. saying that
the Arbuckle scheme seems to be excel
lent" and suggesting that If Mr.. Cocks
investigation verifies it the representative
will Introduce bill to secure federal CO.
operation. Mr.. Arbuckle went to Washing
ton last week and talked the matter over
with Mr.. Roosevelt
Mr.. Arbuckle has purchased the outfit of
the North American Wrecking Company.
consisting of the wrecking boats Helen NJ.
Field and North America and sea-going
barge. His plan is to rescue the lives of
those on stranded steamers from the sea
and not from the land. He cites the case
of the Cherokee, which was stranded at
Brigantine Beach, in January of last year,
two and half miles from shore, when the
hfty-six persons on board were compelled
to remain seventy hours before the life-sav-
erS from shore could reach them. Mr.. Ar
buckle says that many vessels are wrecked
so far out that it is impossible for life lines
to be shot to them, and often the surf is so
high that lifeboats cannot be launched.
Mr.. Arbuckle's Plan.
The Arbuckle plan is to keep a fleet of
boats ready at Sandy Hook with steam up
to go at once to any wreck within, say, $50
miles. He asks for the cooperation of the
life-savers to the extent that they be re-
quired by law to send word by wireless
telegraph as soon as wreck is discovered
and then to guide his boats by rockets at
night and detonations by day, in case of
fog, to indicate the exact place of the
wreck. His boats will then approach the
ship on the ocean side of the wreck, spray
the water with oil, fire a life line across the
wreck and take off the people with the
breeches buoy.
Mr.. Arbuckle has his vessels at one of
his Brooklyn docks finishing their equip
ment. The North America is ready for
business now and the others will be ready
in a few days. There will be thirty men
employed when the boats go down to the
Hook. Mr.. Arbuckle feels that the life-sav-
ing corps, while jealous in it's work Is in
something of a rut especially in regard to
notifying the authorities and others Of
wrecks. He says that the pubic is in
formed of these accidents by a bulletin on
the beach and a telegram to the Maritime
Exchange, and that evidently there is no
desire on the part of the lfe-saving service
to keep up with the times"
Was Not Encouraged.
Mr.. Arbuckle did not receive a cordial
Endorsement from the life-saving authori-
ties in Washington of his plan and he has
therefore asked for the passage of bill
requiring the life savers to notify his COM
pany. and any other life-saving company
Immediately by wireless telegraph when a
wreck occurs. His boats will be fitted out
with the wireless apparatus. all kinds of
devices and electric searchlights.
In speaking of his plan, Mr.. Arbuckle said:
I'm our fire department a minute may
mean the loss of lives and thousands of dol
lars. Why is it not more important to
notify by wireless telegraph the vessels that
are able and ready to rescue the people on
the wreck? l feel that unless Congress
comes to my relief I will get no assistance
from the life-saving department from the
spirit that was manifested when 1 asked for
their assistance"
Mr.. Arbuckle says that if his plan of hav-
ing vessels with steam up and ready to go
at once to wrecks proves success he hopes
that the plan will be taken up either by
private or public enterprise, all along the
coast, so that there will be stations OF these
ships at intervals of about 100 miles.