The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1907-09-26
U. 5. Government Holds an In.
vsstigation Of the Sinking
Of Sand Sccw Root
LOCAL CREW PASSES MUSTER
Inspector Baliinger of the Twelfth Dis
trict Makes His Annual Examina-
ton of the Life Saving Grew
and Gives Good Report

The United States government to-
day made an investigation into the
death of August Miller and John
Cobey, the two men who lost their
lives IN the sinking of the sandscow
H. A. Root in the Kenosha harbor on
Sept. 10. The investigation was held
at the life saving station and Lieut..
~. G. Ballinger of the United States
revenue cutter service, who is in
charge Of the Twelfth live saving SER
vice district as inspector, conducted
the examina alton. 1t was stated that
the examination was not necessarily
to find the cause of the disaster or the
loss caused by it, but to ascertain if
every member of the Kenosha life
saving crew did his duty II seeking TO
aid the men imprisoned in the sinking
boat.
The investigation is one of the
routine programs Of the department.
and a similar investigation is held
whenever loss of life occurs on the
lake within a certain distance of
life saving station. 1t is no reflection
on the Kenosha crew, but on the other
hand it is most probable that when
the findings of the inspector are sent
to Washington the crew will receive
letters of comr.endation and spraise
from the department. Ali Of the men
on the scow were called to Kenosha to
testify in regard to the sinking of the
boat and the investigation began
early this morning.
Inspector Bal1inger !reachedaKeno-
sha late Wednesday afternoon and
during the remainder2of the afternoon
he made the annual inspection of the
crew. The men were called out and
went through the usual drill and the
inspector spoke highly Of the work
done by them. The Kenosha station
has always had one of the best drilled
crews on the lakes and the present
crew has lost noneaof the discipline
instilled into the former life savers
by Captain Cameron.
Lieutenant Ballinger spoke in high
terms Of Captain Cameron, calling
him one of 'sthe grand old men of the
service" captain Cameron said
Lieutenant Ballinger, ''has to his
credit the saving of more than two
hundred lives and he is certainly
worthy of high credit. The Captain
could be retired on pension for the
services he has given if he desires to
give up the work at the station, but
he is still capable of doing excellent
service
In speaking of the proposed new
station for Kenosha Lieutenant Ball
niger stated that no new steps had
been taken by the government to Sc
cure the erection of the station. He
admitted that the present station was
old and badly located to secure the
most efficient work from Hfe,saving
crew but insisted that the port of Ke-
nosha was pretty quiet one and that
there was not great deal for crew
to do here. However the plans for
the station have been in the hands Of
the government for several years and
it is possible that the, station will be
ordered as soon as some of the more
urgent demands Of the department
are taken care of. The Kenosha sta
ton is now one Of the best equipped
stations on Lake Michigan and the
department has shown tendency to
furnish the local crew everything that
is brought out in the way of life saw
ing apparatus. The new motor surf
boat is to arrive al the station ia a
short time and it will be the first boat
of this design sent to any station on
Lake Michigan.