The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1912-08-30

v and great dangers Of the
service as were their
forcfathers. It is still possible to find
father and son serving in the same
crew. and there are Long Island fam
lies that can boast Of having every
male member coast guard. but
these instances are by no means as
frequent as they used TO be The
surfmcn are beginning TO doubt the
value Of service that pays. at most.
n salary Of Sl.iOi a year. with no pros.
pcct Of pension or naturalization II
man dies IN the performance OF his
duty. Why should n man adopt such
life when he can do better and live
safely as fisherman or FISHERMAN, or
combination carpenter and yacht
skipper In the summer months7 Why.
indecd7
Along tho 10000 miles Of coast line
there ls no stretch that ia 30 uniform
~ dangerous as the tcnuous sand spit
that runs along the south side Of Long
Island. projecting 100 miles into the
Atlantic The Great South beach, It
& called. or Fro Island beach. but TO
men " the sea II e. known Ms tho
Graveyard Of tho Atlantic" because
Of the ships that have broken their
backs on the shifting bars that dot its
length
Since tho white man first sailed
these seas. tho Great South beach has
taken ita toll nmffbowod Dutchmen
out Of Rotterdam: Spanish galleons
from Cuba; hgh.poopod English
merchantmen that traded to the loyal
colony Of New York: kings ships and
nshlng boats Of the old days. qtout
clippers and ocean liners-all these
and many more have driven In with
tho flying fcud, setting their stems
deep In the cllnglng sand that has so
seldom let loose It's prey
You find evidences OF them In tho
shattered thlmbcrs that line the beach
from Fire island 10 the Hamptons
and bcyond-stout Epars. sections OF
nlanhins. Naiar.aonkod timb.ra of
many shapes and aReA. and on.Hhoro.
sometimes one catches n glimpse Of
shattered hull. draped with the green
foawced or n sunkcn mass OF engines
md boilers and twisted pipes
The government long ago recognized
the peculiar dangers Of the Long Ii.
land shore, with its menace 10 the
liners that ply between New York and
European ports. and measures 10 safe.
guard II were taken. AZ intervals Of
i've miles along the most dangerous
section, tiny stations are planted
There are II OF them. each manned
by eight men from the first Of August
90 the first Of June, between these
dates all the crews, except captains
or keepers go on duty-without pay.
These are are stations NJ New Yorks
door, They arc also the stations
which DO the greatest amount Of work
and bear the heaviest responsibility
"A statement that casts no reflection
on the remainder OF the 300 stations
Some Of the men In those stations
have performed noteworthy deeds Of
vn'or, but the most they have ever ro.
celvod In recognition has been few
medals, and In one instance the
thanks OF the New York legislature.
Despite the undoubtcd hardship OF
their work. and the fact that they are
called uron 10 risk their lives moro
often than soldiers or sailors. or oven
nrcmon probably. the government has
not seen NJ TO raise their pay or In.
crease tho comforts Of their surround.
iuEs ono wonders how long such an
attitude will lie preserved. II seems
unfair and unwlse, lnnsmuch as II has
already begun 10 react by curtaillng
the supply Of recruits,
II should be borne IN mind that In
oil the history OF the llfe,savlng sery.
ice there has never been an instance
Of cowardlce-not once There has
never been n time when captain
had any difficulty in getting his men
TO follow him into the surf. There has
never been a time when II was neces.
Fary for the captain TO repeat an or.
der. Now and then. men have been
known to drink and neglect patrol
duty but even these have never
showed themselves 10 be towards.
And perhaps. after all. that IL the
thing the service Is most proud or
Yes, they do say it's hard NE"
fhlh NlA NNIlAH htblkt hNuUiFu OF Lone
hin, when some one once asked him
why he stIll stuck TO his fob nj sew,
enty. Yes, II may be a hard Me-" he
mused. But | like IT, Thirty odd
years Two been on the beach. for |
was q mlddlc.aged man when | Joined
the service But I'm good for spel
yet, and then I've laid aside a little.
SOS can live comfortable. They
don't give MS n pension, you know"
This last was not a complaint. but
fact II was spoken, too. by o man
who had reached three.score years
and ten and who was stlll able TO
stand M in the stern Of big surf
boat and handle a kicking steering
oar, with the seas piling IN higher
every minute and the North German
Lloyd liner Princess Irene fast on the
outer bar His tones expressed n
certain amount OF sunrise but no