The Red Cloud chief., 1912-06-06

that Is concealed In that casual phrase-"a
nights work.
From Washington II you 20 down into the life
saving stations along the Jersey shore. you will
hnd the same casual Indifference to the story OF
one night which ia now hstory--an Indifference
tnat might lead to the belief that the occasion
was trihe. were It not for the fact that in the
memories OF the old men Of the service it, de.
tails are still vivid
1t was the third Of February. 1890 Two storms
were rushing along the Atlantic coast. They met
on the Jersey shore. bowling, roaring conflict
OF wind and weather. snow.rent and sleet.riven.
As darkness settled the lfe.saving crews in tho
stations along the wind.swept coast watched the
sea with foreDodng In their hearts. At midnight
the storm was at its height
In the next twelve hours during its continuance
the apprehensions Of the Jersey patrol found
realization Within those twelve hours there were
nVe wrecks within the scope Of four consecutive
stations, while another disaster engaged station
q short distance beyond. The men Of the stations
rescued forty.three persons, toiled hungry and
halfirozen In darkness and tempest. established
standard Of bravery and fortitude that 10 unique
and went through the ordeal with that ofihand
carelessness Of personal risk which characterizes
those Of their calling
At one In tho morning Keeper Charles H. Val.
entine Of Station No. lay gravely Ill Of peurisy.
At 1880 Surfman Van Brunt. staggering into the
drift Of the gale on the west patrol. caught the
red gleam Of light in the breakers. So fierce
IL
that he could not look into it's teeth. but by
shielding his eyes and looking across It he saw
the outline Of large schooner. She was the
E. c. Babcock Of Somers Point, and she was on
bar close to shore.
Van Brunt ran for the station and gave the
alarm. Despite his illness. Keeper Valentine rose
from his bed and In person led his crew to the
rescue. Baffed by the snow which lay thick
along the beach. by the gale that tore seams In
their faces. and by the intense cold which frozs
shot line and beach apparatus. the life savers
fought for two hours to get line aboard the
stranded vessel At length they succeeded. and .
man came ashore in the breeches buoy. He said
that the captain Of the Babcock had his wife
and two small children on board. The breeches
buoy was sent out again and the captain came
ashore in It, his sixyearold daughter in his arms.
His wife followed. Then came the mate with the
other child. Last came the rest Of the crew.
The life savers went back to the station. and
in the early hours Of the stormy dawn were hastily
rearranging the apparatus when one Of the men
saw a large brig coming head on for the shore.
Keeper Valentine had gone back to bed. but once
more he arose and insisted on leading his men
again to the scene Of danger.
Before the crew could get the half.prepared
beach apparatus to the surf the brig. running
furously before the tremendous sea, her sails
split and tattered, struck with terrific impact
The tide was very high. and the brig. the Angus.
tina from Havana, came up close to the station
and we'll inside the breakers. Just before she
struck the life savers could see a man at the
wheel, apparently steering composedly. his face
emotonless. pipe in his teeth
When the shock came a torrent Of frothing
seas broke over the vessels stern. covering the
helmsan; but a moment later he could be seen
standing at the wheel. unmoved. Then the brig
swung broadside to the fusiade OF laundering
surf. and her crew fed forward to the bits.
BY this time the life savers were on the beach
with their gun. while crowd Of some hundreds
Of persons watched from the shelter Of the higher
dunes. The brig was so close to shore that Surf.
man Garrett White. following q receding sea
down the beach. succeeded in throwing heaving
stick and line on board her.
This the crew secured. and hauled the whip
line on board but. getting the tailblock. did not
know what to do next In vain the life savers
signaled and shouted to them. They were Span.
1sh, and the directions on the billet attached to
the lines were in Italian and English only.
At this moment the life savers were filled with
horror. The crew Of the grounded brig. unable
to solve the mystery Of riging the breeches buoy.
were preparing to take terrible risk One of
them seized the line and started the attempt of
coming in on II hand over hand.
Meantime the wreck Of the Babcock. q quarter
of a mile up the beach, had broken up. and the
fragments Of the vessel. together with her cargo
OF cordwood. were being swept by the current
down about the Augustine. filling the surf with
tumbling debris which well.nigh insured the
death OF anyone who fell into It. In a moment
pairing to come in. fouled in the wreckage Dis
regarding the shouts to walt. the first sailor. clad
only in pair Of trousers. seized the line and be-
gan working his way In on It hand over hand
Rushing waist deep into the breakers. White
seized the man. and as the brig rolled inshore
and the line .slackened he slipped the blight from
the sailors neck.
The next second both were caught In the in
rush Of wood and water and torn from the line
to be hurled beneath the breakers. BY Q ter
rinc effort White succeeded In reganng bis foot
ing and. still clutching the sailor. dragged him
out Of the surf.
While this struggle was taking place two mors
sailors had Atarted down the line from the brig
Eurfman Van Brunt sprang into the water to aid
them. but was swept from his feet his life hang
ing ON q straw In the deadly mass Of tumblina
tmbers He was carried downshore q hundred
yards where . friendly wave shouldered him uT
on the beach. At the moment Van Brunts peril