Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1912-08-02

sea which froze in their clothing, cut and bruised
from the buffeting they received
And then" says the Service Report Of the oc
currence, the last time the launch was attempted
the boat was hurled high the shore, her crew
were spilled out like matches from the box and
the boat was shattered. And Captain Atkins and
his men,. having eaten nothing since the even
ing before, spent, faint, heartsck, had been baf-
fled and had to endure the modification of
ing rescue effected by un-worn volunteer
crew in fresh boat brought from the town. The
investigation revealed that the upon the
wreck might have been properly landed by the
lfe-lines but for Keeper Atkins failure to employ
the Lyle gun which had recently been furnished
the station, through a singular inapprehension of
its powers"
1t was bitter pill for the service-the defeat
of its men by volunteer crew.
The night of November 80, 1880, was clear but
windy. heavy gale was piling the surf over
the outer bar off the Peaked Hill Bar station.
Surfmen Fisher and Kelley left the station at four
o'clock to make the eastward and westward
patrol Kelley started from the door first. AS
he did so he heard the Stating of sails and the
banging of blocks above the wind. At the west
ward he the lights of vessel close inshore
Shouting to Fisher to give the alarm, he ran
down the beach, burning his Coston light. Keep
Atkins glanced at the surf and ordered out
the boat. The men dragged it eastward until
they opposite the stranded vessel which
proved to be the sloop G. g. Trumbu OF Rock
port. The manned the boat
The story of what took place out there under
the darkness Keeper Atkins last errand of
rescue is best told perhaps, in the personal ac-
count of Isaiah Young, of the survivors. The
narrative of this man, in his own words, is taken
from the Life Saving Report of 1881. 1t reads:
when launched, the vessel still some
to the eastward We went off in this manner to
take advantage of the tide that running to
the eastward between the bar and the shore. 1t
was low tide The sea was smooth on the
Shore but the bar, where the vessel lay, it
rough enough to be dangerous.
I'VE hauled up from the boat until the bow
Tapped to her quarter Keeper Atkins called
to them to jump in.
1--WE landed four persons This trip could not
have consumed than fifteen minutes.
when pulled up again, after being thrown
back Taylor stood in the bow with the line ready
to heave. l cautioned Keeper Atkins to have a
care for the boom. He said, BE ready with the
boat-hook; I will look out for the BOOM | was
just taking up the hook when sea came around
the stern, threw the stern OF the boat more
toward the boom the vessel rolled to leeward
and the boom went into the water.
"As the vessel rolled to windward and the boom
1t caught under the cork belt near the
stroke rowlock and threw us over, bottom up
I'VE rolled the boat over right side up and
the first to get into her. Others got in;
am not positive how many. She did not keep
right side up than two minutes when sea
rolled again. We got on again and were
washed off two or three times before struck out
for the shore l asked Mayo to strike with me
/ knew him to be excellent swimmer; but
he said that we could not hold out to reach the
shore and he would stay by the boat. Keeper
Atkins holding by the boat.
"Kelley had already struck out l heard Taylor
groan near me started but did not see him
II gap in the beach which must have
been Clara Bell Hollow, two miles from Station
No. 7. When about three seas from the shore
my sight began to fail and could see moth
ing; but kept swimming.
81 recollect Surfman Cole saying, For Gods
sake. Isaiah, Is this you? and of his taking me
UP. knew nothing until | found mysel
in the station, after being resuscitated. shoult
think that ! remained by the boat half an houl
before / struck out The cork belt was all tina
enabled me to reach the shore The cork belts
in the boat good thing and should be KEEP
on"
Thus Keeper Atkins died with his boots on al
he said he would die If necessary. in the per
formance of his duty