The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1911-07-14
"AngeIS In OiISkinS," Who
Offer Their Lives For
Others.
ny JAMES a. EDoHRToN.

M NGELS in oilskins," saints In
N sou'westers" and "heroes of
k2 the surf" are some of the
pet names applied to the life
saving crews along our coasts, but not
by the crews themselves They detest
the word "hero," as does every real
man worthy OF wearing 1t, and, as for
angels and saints. the life savers may
have vague notion that there are
such beings, but not among seafaring
men. To refer to the average sailor
as either an angel or saint would
strike that worthy as about the most
absurd thing ever. AS well look for
transcendental coal heavcrs or the
Hod Carriers Association For the Ad-
vancemcnt of Fine Arts.
Nevertheless the life savers are
"angels I'm ollskins," whether they
want to be or not That Is too good
phrase to let go. We will not insist on
their being heroes or saints, as the
hero business is rather overdone any
way, and the saint proposition Is rath-
cr too puritnnical to fit any kind of
seafaring man. But an angel is diff
fercnt. We think of an angel as q
rather vigorous being who goes about
doing good. That is your life saver all
over again The name fits him like n
glove, or rather Ike his oilskns. He
may use language and do other things
that red blooded sailors do, but what
of that? He risks his life for others,
and we are told on the highest au-
thority that greater love has no man
than this. Therefore an "angcl in oil
skins the life saver must and shall be.
The United States life saving Serv-
ice consists of 2S1 stations distributed
along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts,
the gulf and the great lakes. At each
station are keeper and a number of
surfmen. The business Of these men
is to patrol the coasts. especially at
danger points, and to rescue those i'm
periled by the sea, whether they be
the passengers on wrecked liner or
some venturesome swimmer that goes
too far.
Along Every Coast.
The 2S1 life saving stations are
grouped in thirteen districts, as fol
lows: First district, the coasts of
Maine and New Hampshire; Second
district, Massachusetts: Third district,
Rhode Island and Fishers island: ::
Fourth district Long Island; Fifth
district, New Jersey; Sixth district,
from Cape Henlopen, Delaware, to
Cape Charles, Maryland; Seventh dis
trict, from Cape Henry, Virginia, to
Cape Fear, North Carolina; Eighth dis
trict, South Carolina, Georgia and
eastern Florida; Ninth district, gulf
coast; Tenth district, Lakes Erie and
Ontario; Eleventh district, Lakes HUI
ron and Superior; Twelfth district,
Lake Michigan; Thirteenth district,
Pacific coast. In addition to these,
there is a station ut the falls Of the
Ohio river at Louisville and another at
Nome, Alaska.
The report Of the life saving service
for 1910 is just out From this we
learn many interesting and thrilling
things. The details Of this dry report
are as fascinating as a story by w.
Clark Russell or Laura Jean Iibbey.
In 4 perfectly matter Of fact manner
1t recounts tales Of daring, heroism
and adventure that would make a
wooden Indian Quiver with excite
ment
For the whole year the number OF
vessels reported as seriously disabled
or wrecked was 1,463. OF these only
seventy four were lost The number
~ nrlr
flfty-three, or less than one In a hun.
dred, lost their lives This is re.
markable showing, and much Of the
credit is due to the life saving serv.
ice.
Money to Destroy Life, Not Save It
During the last congress an effort
was made to increase the pay Of the
keepers and men; also to pension those
who had grown old in the service
Strange as 1t may seem, this attempt
failed. Millions were voted for the
construction OF new battleships with
which to destroy life, but mere pit
tance In comparison was refused fol
the saving of life. During the months
of June and July of each year the
surfmen are laid off. Only the keep
ers remain at the stations. In effec
the entire coast is unguarded during
these two months. Ostensibly thu
men are on a vacation. Yet no money
is appropriated to supply their places
So far as Uncle Sam Is concerned
anybody can drown or any ship cal
be wrecked during June or July. Ie