El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-01-12

w When We declared war
Guard automatically became Crnder a
Law newly passed By congress) IN in
tegral part Of the navy Of the United
States- II Is now. IN fact. q branch
Of the naval service; its personnel is
regularly enlisted and armed with
rifes. and sach one Of its stations
along our SHORES mas been provided
with q machine gun
The Coast Guard already has n
great record for heroism, but in its
ranks the brzTest OF the brave are
seven. whose stories are here told.
One Of the seven is Rastus S. Mid
Eett, who. being attached as q surf
man" 70 the Gull Shoal life saving
station on Cape Hatteras. was called
upon TO patrol the beach on horseback
IN the midst Of the most frightful
hurricane known in the history Of
that storm beset region. The wind
blew 10 miles an hour
The surf swept clear across the mar
row strip that separates the ocean
from Pamlieo Sound reaching the
saddle girths Of Midgetts horse Il
Vac 3 o'clock in the morning. and al
most pitch dark All at once he heard
Toices-cries for help-and through
the gloom saw part Of wrecked yes
sci, 700 yards distant, with men
ciinging to IT,
The craft. as subsequently sscer-
tanned. was the barkentine Priscilla,
o. Baltimore. which. while trying to
round the Cape. had been blown
ashore. On board OF her were the
skipper. Benjamin Springsteen. his
wife ana son IA boy Of 10 and II
other persons When the vessel
t..
pieces, he boy, torn from his fathers
arms. was swept back into the cabin,
where his body was afterwards found
Presently she broke in two amidships,
and the survivors che woman and
others being lost) were left ciinging
70 the after part
No Time % Call For More.
Another man in AIidgetts place
might have started back to the sta
ton 70 summon the life saving crew.
But to do SO would sacrifice three
hours. when every moment was
precious He decided TO stand by and
accomplish what he could Uuaided-
When a recoding wave permitted, he
ran as close to the wreck as he could.
and shouted to the people on board to
jump into the sea, one TT e time, as
the surf ran back. and he would try
70 get them ashore. Watching his
chance 70 approach again, he called
for one man 10 jump: and then seiz-
ing him. brought him back to safety.
This performance he repeated six
times. rescuing seven in all But there
stu remained on the wreck three
men, so bruised and exhausted that
they we're unable 70 DO what the
others had done To save them Md
gett must 90 into the sea, take them
off and carry them bodily 70 the
beach
Into the very jaws Of death he
went three times, each time dragging
away a helpless man ana bearing him
20 the shore The seven walked to ]
the station three miles distant and l
. wagon Was soon sent for the others.
All we're nearly naked. They were
stripped. their wounds dressed and
they were put 70 bed.
Another Heroic Rescue.
Another time and another place {
the scene Buffalo Harbor An so mile 1
gale was blowing. Two large scOws, 1
with several men aboard. lad broken I
away from their mornings and we're /
drifting swiftly toward the breakers. /
me keeper OF the life saving station.
three miles away, " v. Gerissers 4
saw from his LOOKOUT tower what was /
happening He lauched and manned
the lifeboat, which, taken in tow by e /
tug, was dropped to windward Of the /
scoWs and allowed to drive before !
the wind 20 a position Just outside the /
outer line Of surf Then an anchor l
WIS QrDppeu. the intention being to !
slack away the hawser until the boat I
could get near the scows-
But the anchor dragged and the ]
boat ives soon in the midst OF the !
heaviest surf. which at times COM /
Dletely buried her. Two great comb !
ers broke on board, and q third 4
caught the bow ana threw II high into J
the air swapping the hawser and 4
turning the boat end over enc.
Gr-esser and all but one OF the (
crew were thrown out. and only af- /
ter hard swim reached land- The I
men aboard the scOws. when the lat
ter finally went ashore, were likewise !
able 70 save themselves-al but one
who. having been swept away, was
seen 70 be in a perilous situation
among some old piles. He was cling {
ing for lie 70 the slippery piles. 500 /
feet fror1 the beach, the seas con-
Etan-IT rr- King over him.
The boat being useless, Gerisser de- /
ciced 70 swim out with a line. He
Vas warned that 70 attempt il was /
sure death but replied: IT'S got to /
be done He can't come 20 us. so we 1
must try 70 go 70 HIM"
BE undertook the desperate venture 4
with one surfman named Greenland. !
The latter was presently hurled
against r pile and swept. helpless !
and injured back 70 the land. Cries
ser kept on. repeatedly driven shore !
ward hT the waves, but gradually J