Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1912-02-02

tated for some years past Congress at its last
session the point OF passing the neces-
sary law thus to give recognition to the Efesav-
and 1t is believed that these faithful servants
of the people will not have to wait much longer
to be accorded their rights-for be it known.
the nfe-savers only seek such relief from the
conditions of physical disability and old age as is
freely accorded men in our military and naval
service.
Nor is it merely that such plan of retirement
and pensions will do justice to the surfmen who
1t is claimed. run greater risks and endure more
hardships for the wages paid them than do the
men in any other branch of the government
service Quite aside from this is the influence
that viii be exerted upon prospective recruits
for the service. Indeed. the officials of the Life
Saving Service assert that with satisfactory
retirement and pension plan in operation supe-
rior class of men will be attracted TO this voca-
ton where so much must needs depend upon
the Individual And, by the way, probably very
few of our readers know that the United States
Life-Saving Service is the largest well as the
most efficient IN the world. Like the nremen
in our cities. they are on duty all the time and
they risk their lives every time they go 70
wreck But, for that mater. II the surfmen did
than discharge the duties of their might
patrol" the lonely storm-swept beaches they
would have TO their credit more hazardous and
more arduous work than almost any other class
In the community.
The scope Of the relief work Of the American
During the past year the iife-savers rendered aid
in the case OF nearly $500 wrecks and thanks
largely to the aid of these brave and experienced
men only seventyfour out OF this large number
proved 70 be a total loss. Measured In dollars
and cents the service rendered by these fear
less men even greater. In the wrecks OF
the past year there was involved property. In
GLIDING vessels and cargoes to the total value
Of 81 $50 600 and of this amount the surprising
of s10,057 900 saved. This in II
self makes the two million dollars year which
Uncle Sam spends on bis Life-Saving Service
seem like pretty good Investment and that Is
without taking into consideration the lives i'm
periled on the shipwrecked vessels There
1861 persons on board the craft that met dis
sster last year and the total loss OF life which
vas ffty-ive would have been many times that
number but for the succor afforded by Uncle
Sans heroes OF the beaches
Former Governor William A. Newell Of New
Jersey is generally recognized as the founder Of
he Life-SavEg Service and he took the init;a-
i've as the result of marine disaster which he
happened to witness during the summer of 1889
when the Australian bark Count Perasto- was
wrecked on Long Beach. New Jersey. The thir-
cen members OF the crew. all Of whom were
!rowned might readily have been saved had
here been a: hand apparatus such
titutes the regulation equipment Of the United
states life-saving crews.
The need thus pointed out made so forcefui an
Impression upon the mind of Mr.. Newell that he
oon after entered upon experiments with bows
nd arrows. rockets and shortened blunderhuss
S a means OF throwing lines to ships stranded in
ositions inaccessible By small boats Eventually
is experiments eliminated IN complete
y the use OF . mortar or carrouade with bali and