Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-08-03
VIEWS APPRECIATED
Stereopticon Slides and Moving Pic
lures Of the Storm Heroes and
= Their Work Witnessed by
Largest Audience Of Week.

rocks to take it's own time to beat
them to pieces by hurting the billowy
mountains Of water in ceasless crash
ing, broadside of the doomed vessel
the illustrated lecture Of Hon. Arthur
X. Peck last evening at the chautau
qua met with the warmest reception
and was eagerly followed throughout
by the hundreds Of people.
The attendance last night far sur
passed that of any other afternoon OF
evening of the chautauqua. Fully
three hundred more people were gath
cred under that great canopy to hear
this lecture than any preceding pro
gram. Folding chairs were in the
greatest demand and the entry ways
were soon occupied by the late ar
rivals.
The Clarke-Bowers Co., Of must
clans greatly increased their favor last
evening in their musical offering. Mr.
Clarke rendered several beautiful solos
rounding out the melody In deer
baritone voice. Miss Bowers was
forced to encore every selection SO
pleased was the audience.
Mr.. Peck's Lecture.
Illustrated by moving pictures as
well as stereopticon views, Mr.. Peck
gave an interesting description of the
coast line life savers which the gov.
eminent has established at q great
cost. He gave descriptions Of various
wrecks of the coast of the New Eng.
land states and showed the wonderful
life saving work of the government
crews. He depleted their dangers and
their continual toying with death,
their exhaustive battling to defeat the
exultant ocean in its clamoring for
the wretched lives on board the wreck
ed vessel In concluding his lecture
he told Of the recompense Of the life
savers, their monthly wage, their re-
Enumeration for rave deeds and the
poor protection the government pro-
vides for their families should they
lose their lives.
Give Statistics.
In opening his lecture Mr.. Peck gave
number of statistical facts regarding
the life saving system. In the United
States, he stated, there Is 10000 miles
Of coast line to be patroled by the life
men. This great system was estab-
lished by the treasury department
thirty years ago and since that time
the storm heroes have saved and been
instrumental In saving no less than
100000 lives from . watery grave.
With the saving Of these lives came
the destruction of ships and property
in the sum Of $4,000, 900, represent
ing the carnage of $4,000 disasters.
He told of the treacherous sand dunes
of Cape Cod and the sunken sand bars
that extend far out into the bay-the
destruction Of any ship that falls
within their meshes. BY map fash
ed upon the screen Mr.. Peck showed
the record Of Cape Cod. Little round
circles encircling the cape showed
where q vessel had gone down. There
were 1,10O Of those circles, each sig
n1fying disaster. Those little dots
gave forth An awful story Of death and
destruction. Thousands OF lives were
lost in that circle Of death. Untold
agonies were suffered by the passen.
gers on the Inflated crafts. The
heroes of the coast saved many q life
but mere handful compared with
those who were lost.
On Cape Cod there are thirteen life
saving stations, that keep up q con-
tinual night patrol Of the coast line.
Mr.. Peck stated that the men in
charge began their weary vigil at sun
down and continued 1t until daybreak.
II the day was foggy and stormy they
continued their patrol throughout the
remainder OF the twenty-four hours
One man leaves station at a time
and makes his patrol Of the coast to q
certain point where he meets the life
saver from the next station. They
exchange little pieces OF brass to sig
nifty that they have completed their
patrol and to show the officers that
their vigil has been faithful.
Florida Coast Houses.
The lecturer then went on to des.
cribe the protection afforded by the
government on the Florida coast
where 1t is impossible to maintain a
life saving station. Should an Ill
fated vessel be tossed upon the coral
reefs OF this coast and escape alive
they must needs suffer the agonies of
hunger and thirst. But this was In
the days gone by. The government
has established houses Of refuge, unin-
habited but stored with food, cloth
ing and drink for the wrecked beings.
salarIss OF the Savers.
The speaker then turned from the
sea to the lives Of the heroes. "They
receive but $66 per month for this
risking Of their lives every moment.
What protection do their families get
should they perish In their noble eff
forts? They do we'll II the govern
ment allows them = years salary.
There is no such thing as yet as pen
sioning these widows and orphans.
Congress is too thickly populated by
senator's from the interior to take any
action in that direction. It is not
money that the brave men receive
when they accomplish great rescue.
1t is q gold medal. Not long ago
man died from the buffeting Of the
waves In efiecting rescue. The gold
medals had not arrived before he
passed away. But when his did come,
1t was turned over and a bier In
scribed upon It's back. This was pre-
scented to the widow"
The lecturer touched upon many
othe> OEsts in the life Of the storm