The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1912-06-14


glimmer Of what us branch OF
government servc expects OF
its servants. and Of the unemotlna herolsm
that is concealed In that casual phrase-"a
nights work
From Washington. II you go down INTO the life
saving stations along the Jersey shire. you will
mud the same casual Indifference iothe story OF
one night which Ii now history-at Indifference
that might lead 10 the belief that be- occasion
was trine. were II not for the fac that In tho
memories N the old men Of the .ylco It's de.
tails are stil vivid
It was the third NJ February. 1850 Two storms
were rushing along the Atlantic coat They met
on the jersey shore. bowling rtring conflict
of wind and weather snowrent al sleet.rIyen
As darkness settled the life.sayin,; rows In tho
stations along tho wind.swopt coast ,atched tho
sea with ior'hoding IN their hearts A. midnight
the storm was AZ its height
IN the next twelve hours during ia continuance
the approximations ~ tho Jersey nirol found
realization. Within those twelve hour there were
i've wrecks Within tho scope OF -four consecutive
stations. while another disaster engtpd a station
a short distance beyond The men d he stations
rescued fortythrce persons. toled nngry and
halffrozon In darkness and tempest established
a standard ~ bravery aud fortitude DIT is unique
and went through the ordeal with aat ofIhand
carrcHsnoss 0f personal risk which rafactorlzes
those uf their calliur
Al one 10 'ho morning Keeper Cstes H. Val.
cutluc NJ station SO { lay grayely tbf pleurlsy.
A. 90 Surimnn Van nrunt stnggetig into tho
drift of the gale ON the west patrol caught tho
red CLEAN ot @ light In the breaket So fierce
was the wind nll,d with driven sab and slcot.
that ho could not look into its lIdi. but by
shielding his eyes and looking acul II he saw
the outline of large schooner. o. was the
T.. G. Hancock N SOmCrs Point. and he was ON
"a bar close 10 shore
Van brunt ran for the station b. gave the
alarm Despite his Illness Keeper vlmtlno roso
from his bed and In person led bis aow to the
rescue Bancd by the snow wNdh lay thick
along the beach. by the gale that lSu seams in
their faces and by the intense cuh hlch froze
shot line and beach apparatus. nd lie savers
fought for two hours to get lib abuard the
stranded vessel Al length thoy succeeded. and a
man came ashore In the brceChes boy lie said
that the captain Of the Babcock lad his wife
mud two small children on board. The breoches
buoy WAS sent out again and the captain came
ashore In II. his slNycaro old dnughtr In his arms
Ills wife followed. Then came the aatc with tho
other child Last came the rest OF 40 crew.
tn" life savers went back to u, station. and
I'm the early hours Of the stormy dan were hastily
roarfanging the apparatus when on OF the men
saw large brig coming head on br the shore
Keeper Valentine had gone back to led. but once
more he arose ana insisted on leading his men
again to the scene NJ danger
Before the crew could yet the halfprepared
beach apparatus 10 the surf the brig, running
furiously before he tremendous sea, her sails
split and tattcrcd. struck with terrific impact
The tide was very high, and the brg the Angus
tina from Havana, came up close 10 the station
and well inside the breakers Just before she
struck the life savers could see 4 man nj the
wheel apparently steering compos,dly, his face
omotionlcss. a pipe In hts teeth
When the shock came torrent OF frothing
seas broke over tie vessels stern covering tho
h'lmsan; but u moment later he Gould be seen
STANDING at the wheel unmoyed Then the brig
swung broadsido 10 the fuslllade Of laundering
surf. and her crew Ned forward to he bits.
ny this time the life savers were on the bench
with their gun while a crowd OF seine hundreds
OF persons watched from the shelter OF the higher
dunes The brig WAS so close to shore that Surf
man Garrett White, following recedng sea
"oWh 'h' b'"'h' succeeded Ia throwing a hoaying
ttck aud line on board her
This the crew secured and h,uloA tho yybin.
line ON board, but getting the talBock did not
know what to do next In vain tho life savers
siEnal'd and shouted 10 them They were Span,
ish, and the directions on the bllei attached to
the lines were In Italian and Engl,b only.
AZ this moment the life savers we're filled with
horror Ne ere" ot the grounded brig. unable
:" s"'o 'h' mystery OF reIng the breeches buoy.
were preparing to take terrible rIsk one OF
them seized the line and started be nttempt OF
coming IN on It hand over hand
Meantime the wreck Of the B,h,o,l n ouarter
OF mile up the beach, had broken M. and the
fragments OF the vessel. together with her cargo
Of cordwood, were being swept h, ,he current
down about the Augustine, alins the surf with
tumbling debris which wellnIgh insured the
death OF anyone who iun into IT, In A moment
the whip line, over which the anors were pre
pairing to come in fouled In tho wraekaee Dis.
REGARDING the shouts TO wait, the srs, sailor clad
only In pair OF trousers seized the lime and be.
gan working his way In on II h,nd over hand
Rushing waist deep into The b,asLers White
seized the man, and as the brs ,ored inthore
and the line slackenod he slipped ,hn hIrbt from
the sailors neck '
The next second both were c,r.., a., tho I'm.
rush OF wood and water and torn rom the line
to be hurled beneath the breakers nv a ter.
r'h' enor' white succeeded In rennInr his foot,
ing and, sill clutchng me alo, Hracged him
out OF the surf ' u'"bs''
While this struggle VAS taking n,,o. ,Uo more
sailors had started down he lin, from the brig.
suriman Van Brunl spmug into ha aater 10 aid
them, but was swept from hls tso, ~, ,,,. hang.
INK on straw In the deadly n,,. y, rambling
um6'rs' Tie WAS carried doVb,bo.o hundred
yards Nher" " friendly wave sboy'orcd him up
on the beach A. the momen, VI" nrOnts peril