The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1919-12-04

Captain Benjamin G. Cameron, aged
81 years and famous among the life
savers of the Great Lakes, died at his
home on Lyman avenue just before ten
o'clock Monday evening. The old life
saver answered has last call as result
of natural breaking down due to adj
vaneed age. He had been failing very
rapidly for the past ten days and since
last Saturday his condition had been
such as to cause alarm among his
friends.
When the final summons came on
Monday evening, all Of the members of
his family were about his bedside.
This morning the flag at the station
was at half mast as tribute of respect
to the memory Of the man who presided
as captain there for nearly forty years
and for q man who had record of
having taken part in saving more than
FIVE hundred lives on che lakes.
was Native of st. Johns.
Captain Cameron was q native of
st. John, New Brunswick, and he was
born December a. 1898. He was only
little boy when his parents removed
to Chicago and he got his schooling at
the old Kinzie school in Chicago. He
started his life on the lake when he
was not yet Ten years Of age.
One of the most interesting of the
stories of bravery of Old Fort Dearborn
was the story Of how Captain Cameron
as a boy Of ten showed conspicuous
courage and bravery in rescuing a man
from drowning in the Chicago river.
Long Resident of Kenosha.
Captain Cameron had been a resident
of Kenosha for more than half a cen.
fury. He first came to Kenosha aboard
a sailing vessel in 1866 and while the
vessel was in the harbor he heard the
call to she work of his life. He was
named as the first captain of the Keno.
sha life saving crew when the station
was opened in 1879 and he served as
leader of the brave band of men who
saved lives from Kenosha until age
crept down upon him and the depart
ment with many apologies released him
from service and presented him with a
medal of honor for his splendid work.
The story of che service which Captain
Cameron rendered to humanity as life
saver on the lakes is best told in the
official records Of the treasury depart
ment. In 1899, just before Captain
Cameron retired from active service,
Secretary of the Treasury Lyman j.
Gage decorated him with a medal be.
slowed ON him by act of congress. In
presenting this token of appreciation,
Mr.. Gage said:
Wreck of the Hinsdale
1T appears from evidence on file in
this department. that on December 10.
1875, the schooner William Fl. Hinsdale,
stranded three miles south Of Kenosha,
Wis, on Lake Michigan, during a Sc
we're northwest blizzard, and that the
crew of four men were dashed to the
rigging, covered with ice and barely
alive. AS soon as she was discovered
you procured boat and caused it to be
transported along the shore until
abreast Of her, where you and other
volunteers launched it over formida-
BILE ice barrier several feet in height,
in face of a very dangerous sea, anu
pushed bravely out to the rescue. Upon
reaching the vessel you mounted the
rigging, with your own hands unlashed
the imperiled men and passed them one
by one into the boat below, which, I'M
der your command, conveyed them to
the shore. Medical aid and proper
treatment were quickly afforded them
and all survived, but it is highly prob
able that except for your prompt and
efficient conduct some, if not all of
them, would have persisted.
At the wreck of the steamer Anna
zon, near Grand Haven, Mich, October
%, 1879, you rendered valuable assist
ance.
Saved Seven More Lives.
November II, 1881, as keeper of
the Kenosha Life-Saving Station, you
accomplished the rescue of the crew of
six men and one woman of the water