Evening star., 1916-01-15
Outgoing Superintendent Of
Life-Saving Service Honor
ed by Associates.
HIS LAST DAY AT HEAD
OF THE ORGANIZATION
Record of His Official Activities Un-
der Government Covers Period
of Fifty-Fve Years.

Two enormous baskets containing
magnificent American beauty roses to-
day adorn the desk of the father of
the life-saving servict.' Sumner I. KIM
ball, marking the completion of full
life work and the last day Of his ac-
tivity as general superintendent of the
service. which has been absorbed into
the coast guard.
One tribute was the offering of his
former associates in the absorbed life
saving service. The other remembrance
came from headquarters" expressing
the appreciation of men with whom he
became associated in the new coast
guard.
Retaining the presidency of the board
for life-saving appliances. Mr.. Kimball
will not give up entirely his public
services. Nor will his activities be
away from the Treasury Department
building and the quarters of the coast
guard: for the room which had been
assigned to him as superintendent will
be kept for his use, and the designa-
ton over the door will indicate his new
status
Mr.. Kimball retires on three quarters
pay. AS his pay was $4,000 a year his
future remuneration will be $3,31J q
year.
Tenders Resignation December 80.
Upon the completion of the reorgan-
ization of the amalgamated revenue
cutter and life-saving services into the
coast guard Mr.. Kimball rendered his
resignation. December 30 last, to take
effect January Is. The President. ac-
cepting the resignation of Mr.. kimball
paid him high tribute for his work in
creating and developing the life Saving
service
Mr.. Kimball is eighty-one years old
He has been in public service for fifty
five years, and for forty seven years
at the head of the life-saving service
He established the service and devel-
oped 1t from small beginnings into ar
efficient, humanitarian branch of the
government activities, and finally and
willingly participated in its absorption
into the larger organization of the re-
constructed coast guard.
He began life in Sanford. Me, and as a
boy was cast with seagoing people, alb
sorbing their tales of the sea, OF gale
and wreck and of pitiful death and OF
the coast tragedies along the ugly
shore Of Cape Cod. These were lasting
Impressions, which later had the power
to guide him in his entire active life.
HIS eQucat1On was ODlalneQ IN tne
public schools at Sanford and at Leb-
anon, where his family afterward re-
moved, and he attended the academies
at Alfred and North Yarmouth and the
seminary at North Parsonsfield. After
being graduated from Bowdoin Col
lege. he became a pedagogue, teaching
school at Lebanon and Orleans.
Admitted to Bar in 1858.
He was admitted to the York county
bar in 1858, after three years of study
under his father. He obtained a CON-
mission as clerk of the Augusta state
house and then practiced law in North
Berwick. He represented that town in
the state legislature in 1859. its young
est member.
Removing to Boston in 1860, he prac-
ticed law there during the following
year. With the breaking out of the
civil war, he came to Washington, ac-
cepting a clerkship in the Office of the
the beginning of his public service. By
1870 he had risen to the grade of chief
clerk, when the then Secretary of the
Treasury, George S. Boutwell,, appoint
ed him chief of the revenue cutter serv-
ice. His manitarian activities then
began.
Politics, it is said, had demoralized
the efficiency of the revenue cutter serv-
vice at this time. Mr.. Kimball, as
chief. reorganized conditions. and
finally freed the service from the hurtful
influences. After seven years he gave
up the place to take charge of the life
saving service.
Earnest Work Continues.
When Mr.. Kimball took charge the
life saving service. consisted of a few
and poorly equipped stations solely
along the coasts of Long Island and
New Jersey, mere adjuncts of the rev.
enue cutter service. He at once began
the seemingly hopeless task of convert
ing the dirty ruinous station houses
and their lazy, disorderly keepers and
crews to the order, discipline and ef-
ficiency of forts and drilled soldiers.
The work grew under his hands. and
the fe-saving service. by his efforts.
was separated from the revenue cutter
service, and Mr.. Kimball put in charge
as general superintendent. This hap
pened in 1873. From that time until
now Mr.. Kimball has held that post.
pESnr nTTnNS M REnpET