The Cairo bulletin., 1913-04-10
Twenty-Five Hardy, Agile, Wei!
Trained Watchdogs Of the
Sea" Are. in Cairo.
SOME INTERESTING FACTS
About these Men Who Work the
Year in and Out in the Service
OF Uncle Sam.

L
front these days looking over the
men composing the three Chicago
life saving crews, quickly forms the
opinion that there. are a lew plain,
unyarnished men who wear UNI
forms In the world
Probably the two words Just
natural would more fully describe
them.
Twenty-Five of the hardest. agile.
well-trained government watch
dogs OF the sea" comprise quota
of men who win make the average
layman sit up and take notice.
Unassuming and with a perfect
knowledge of their duties they Ia
Dor the year in and year out in the
service of Uncle Sam.
The Life Savers are in the EN-
ploy of the United States govern
nent. The men who are here are
stationed in the District of the
Lakes with Chicago as headquarters
and the men highest in authority Is
Cant Andrew J. Henderson, districi
inspector of the II stations on the
lakes.
The three crews on duty here are
from Evanston, Jackson Park and
Chicago and their respective com
manders are Capt. Peter Jansen
Capt. Henry Sinnigan, Capt. Chas,
Garland and ~. enlisted. service men.
Earh crew Is equipped with one pow
cir boat and one "monimony boat.
making six crafts in all
There are some interesting facts
connected with the life saving ser
vice. To be eligible to the organi
cation, a man must have three years
of experience as a sailor, a surfman
or a boatman, must be physically
sound and a good swimmer. and
must have a previous good charac-
ter. The age limit is from is years
TO AS.
When man first en'ists he is
given several years experience as a
surfman He is then advanced in
position at the station and given an
increase in pay.
The highest honor he can receive
is the rank of captain.
At present there are 2,200 men
in the service, stationed at the
various stations on the Atlantic and
Pacific coasts and shores of the
Great Lakes.
The dai yslife at life saving sta
tion consists of routine duties, va
rious drills. standing watches along
the shore during the day with two
men on patrol at night, on the look
out for vessels in distress. The life
savers are ready for service any time
during the day or night.
A typical "old salt is Capt. Chas.
Car and, who has seen 2S years in
| the service. He is representative
of the old nautical school, with
years of activity on the briny deep.
| Hale, hearty. robust with bearing
erect and powerful he fulfills all of
Natures requirements of the
physically perfect, although he is
so years of age.
Capt Garland was born in Sweden
in 1863, and began his career on
| the sea as a sailor when a boy He
| has sailed on many of the big liners
Twenty-three years ago he enter
| ed the u. s. Life Saving service and
has had noteworthy career. For
| eleven years he was stationed at
Milwaukee. During all these years
Capt Garland has saved many peo-
pie from perilous positions on ships.
He can reclte many thrilling expert
| ences
| With his wife as housekeeper OF
his lodge at the Chicago station and
with his men as companions he man
ages to enjoy life as well as a land
lubber although the station is locat-
ed on piling built near break
| water.
| No less worthy in the service and
close personal friend OF Capt. Car
land is Capt. Henry Sinnigan of TIA,
Jackson Park crew who has been in
the service for 81 years. He was
born in Hanover, Germany, in 1860
and has all the characteristics oil
the natives of that country who
have an unconquerable love for the
ocean. He came to the United
States in 1887 and later entered the
Life Saving service.
| a small man in stature. but never.
|; theless supple, with the glow OF
health in his features. he represents
! the type of perfect physical manhood