Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1914-05-08

service In It's Work OF saving
lives along shore. Superintend-
ent Sumner l. Kimball has been its
father and friend, has made 1t his re-
ligion for 40 years. And he has SO far
succeeded as to have placed upon
10000 miles Of our coast nearly 300
stations, fitted up with the
most modern rescuing apparatus. and
taken care of by 1000 men, under
semi-military discipline. Twenty-Five
thousand vessels have been given aid
In this time and property valued at
t240, 00O, 900 saved. with far less loss
OF life than in the single case Of the
Titanic. which was sunk In midocean.
Crews ordinarily number eight or
nine, with the keeper Of the station in
Guided. Though under civil service,
reading and writing are about all that
Ii required, educationally; physical
endurance and experience Of the life
along shore properly being the main
requirement. Day watch is from sum
rise to sunset, and the night patrol ID
divided into four watches.
Strict system. constant drilling. sim
pie food and simple living make men
upon whom 1t Is q pleasure to look.
Only fishermen born and bred to the
loneliness Of the life can stand It, how
ever. and along the Pacific, whore sta
lions are tar apart, they are mostly
Norwegians and Swedes. Of those old
viking races whose hardihood and
primal manner Of living have never
died In the blood Of their sons.
Not Always Peaceful.
That It has but 10 lifesaving sta
lions, to the Atlantic's 1876. IL evident
of the fact that the Pacific coast Il
not generally considered more danger
Gus than It was when Balboa, gAEAna
nrst upon the clear blue world Of tt
waters. named It tho Sea Of Peace
The wreck Of the Rosecrans. about 4
year ago, stands out, in conscience
- though the ocean mocked the man
ory Of Its discovery a. pacific body
The Rosecrans started from Mont
Grey. Cal, a 2,o7e-ton ship. bound fo1
Portland. Ora, with $4,000 barrels O
crude oil. On the third night out tn
steamer drew near the mouth Of tn
Columbia river. A southerly gall
sprang up, and there was heavy fAn
ing sea. It began to rain, and tn
lighthouse beacons could scarcely b
seen.
The Columbia river hghtship did Il
best to warn the men Of their danesa
!, It never had burned more brightly
but the somber rain shut 1t out, an
the ship, unaware. kept nearing tn
Peacock split, one of the terrors Of tn
Pacific coast. The river light, VIA
ped In rain, stood like a dumb G,
clops, whose single eye was Of n
! avan
Suddenly the Rosecrans grounde
J In the breakers.
I Flashes -. O. g."
The crew sprans to the deck a. on
) man. an there flashed up the coai
Z the dread IS. o. s." Three times th
, CRY was repeated. Then darts
through the captains mind the fear I
! fire from flying sparks of the wireless
! Fire. with 10000 barrels of oil Q
board! Better to perish In the Jaw
Of TIA ocean. But the Astori
. Ore, operator had got the call and
. flashed back now the mercy Of PROF
D ise Of help. The Rosecrans dared I
plying: 1.-THE water IL now In the O
D ms. We can't stay" but the me
sage was never finished.
The wireless operator at Astoria b
sent out a general distress call. TIA
! rxas no response from ship or static
4 He bagged the Puget Sound TuGno
COMPANY at Astoria to notify By ooG