The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-09-01
POOR RECOGNITION FOR HTRoIsM.

POOR RECOGNITION FOR HERoIsM.
Horatio Drinkwaser was life saver. He vas
coast and served witt cons picuous bravery and
adellly until his healtn became SO impaired that
he unfit fer service Through tile storms
of the winter be stood at his post earning but
scan. recompense t.U faithful to the call OF
duty and caring for the OF the wrecked
and stranded ships. whose lives would have
been swallowed up In the raging sea hut for
this man and his companions. who stood be.
tween them and death.
One conspicuous act of heroism stands out
In the life of this man and was recognized by
the government in the bestowment of gold
medal. In the winter of 1893 the schooner Jen-
ME Hall was blown ashore near Virginia Beach
and breaking TO pieces upon the bar when
the crew OF the life saving station came to her
rescue. II was dark and cold and blizzard
was sweeping In from the Atlantic. The spray
turned to cicles rs 1t dashed upon the and
the wind GU, like a knife through their stout
clothing.
Out in the raging waters two masts alone
were dscernible. In one two forms we're seen
clinging 10 the rigging. IN the other three. The
life line was thrown. attached to the first mast
and the two men brought TO shore In the life
buoy. boat somehow launched and rush
ed through the surging seas 10 thu schooner. But
two of the remaining three men had dropped
frozen into the ocean and to their death, Only
one remained. 1t was impossible To attach life
boat to the mast Of the schooner. but Horatio
Drinkwa3er climbed into the rigging. where,
more dead than alive the sole survivor elung.
The life boat turned its Prov toward the shore
and Drinksater was left alone to rescue the un.
conscious sailor. He swan with the man to
the mast where the life line attached,
placed him in the life buoy and sgnaied to his
comrades on shore to haul the almost hfeless
man to safety Upon It's return he crawled In,
caked with ice. and himself hauled ashore
He received gold medal for his exhibition
of heroism, but he lost his job when his wear
ing labors had undermined his health md rem
dered him unfit for further service. His death
left five motherless children to be provided for
whose sole inheritance gold medal.
The fact that Congress has steadily refused
to pension the life reflects shame upon
our nation No men required TO endure
more hardship nor subject themselves to great
or danger and risk Of life. Their compensation
D Ia small and their tenure of service short They
give their strong manhood TO the protection OF
life and then. when soon the ravages of time
and exposure to the weather has rendered them
unequal to the demands Of tho service, they are
cast aside with sometimes a gold medal Tor
conspicuous bravery. but with no pension 10
marx the nations recognition and appreciation
al their ljalnng hdellty 70 duty
II In nothing short OF shame that these men
should wear out In the service of the nation
and then worn out. be cast aside. Millions Of
dollars are annually expended in provision FOL
veterans Of wars many of whom were never ex
posed to battle, some Of whom are Fraudulent
claimants and none Of whom are more deserving
Of recognition than the men OF the life savint
stations The time should come when this pen
sion business will cease to be political meas
pre. when pensions VIII no longer be distrio
uted for the benefit Of party supremacy ba
where merit shall determine the bestowment
No man will say that when this basis prevails
~. the life saver wild be fosgotteR~and omitted