Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1907-08-25

and rubber boots, and equipped with
lantern, congreve rocket and Coston
light for signaling in case of wreck, he
leaves his comfortable quarters at the
station and starts out on his lonely tramp
In the darkness and the storm. His peat
extends about two miles to point where
he meets the patrol from the next sta
ton with whom he exchanges checks,
which proves that h has been over the
route.
One routine which occupies a portion
of the time is the drill. Nothing short of
wreck interferes with this, and the ef-
fciency of the service is to great extent
maintained by the daily practice of the
work which would be demanded IL a yes
sci were in distress. part of four days
In week is devoted to this drill, In
which all of the crew must participate
On Mondays and Thursdays is the
beach apparatus drill, in which with the
exception of an actual wreck all the
work of rescue is done with the lfecar,
the shot and line and the breaches buoy.
Tuesday is set apart for the boat drill.
The lifeboat is wheeled from the house
to the surfs edge and quickly unoaded
from the wagon. The crew adjust their
life preservers, the two bow men get on
board and place their oars in the row.
locks, while the remaining men give the
boat all the Roadway possible, then leap
aboard and all give way together through
the breakers to the imaginary wreck.
On Wednesday is the flag drill with the
general service signal code, popularity
called the wig-wag system, and also with
the international code. BY the former
method of signaling all necessary CONVEX
sation can be carried on with vessels at
sea that come within the focus of tel
escope 1t was also formerly used for
communication between the stations until
the introduction of the telephone made 1t
unnecessary.
Signaling Instru ,'ions
1t may be that on account of an error
in reckoning, thick weather or from
other causes a vessel finds herself en-
tangled among the shoals or nearing some
dangerous point on the coast When day.
light reveals her to the men 1t the sta
ton, the American ensign is hoisted on
the Flagstaff with the code flag under 1t,
the signal that communication is desired,
after which, from the assortment of let
tered flags which constitute the code the
necessary ones are hoisted. X. x. con-
veys to the crew of the stranger that
she will be aground at low water. L. T.
says in the code language keep close
in under the land" M. B. mot room
to wear" M. ]. "Steer more to port"
K p. "Hold on till high water" and
so, through this elaborate arrangement
of signals. warnings and directions are
given that have sent many vessel on
her course in safety.
Friday, the last day of the actual drill,
Is for resuscitation. in which the MEM
bers of the crew are required to practice
reviving the apparently drowned, accord
ing to the instructions given in the book
of rules. The week ends on Saturday
with general housekeeping, when the
station is scrubbed swept and secured
until it is immaculate in its neatness.
Sunday, In the words of one of the crew,
Is spent in thinking of the work which is
to be done in the coming week in order
to earn the $50 a month which Uncle
Sam, or rather, his secretary of the treas
ury pays each of the crew for the life
saving service like the lighthouse and
buoy service of the coast is in the jur-