The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1924-03-21
VETERAN LIFE SAVER
RESCUED BY NEGROES
Capt. Ban Midget Saved Many Lives In His
Day and Then Almost Lost His Own
In Pamlico Sound
BY ID. v. MEEKINS.


A graphic story Of how four
men when hope Of rescue was
almost gone, were snatched
from the jaws of death after
hours OF exposure in the raging
waters of Pamlico Sound .ast
Tuesday. when the coast was
swept by the most dangerous
and destructive gale in years,
comes to this newspaper from
one who was saved.
II IL the story Of unflngginy en.
ergy, dauntless heroism, and devo.
ton to duty OF band OF negro men,
honored, unsung, and expecting
no recognition for their services
the crew Of Pea Island Station.
the only negro Coast Guard Station
In the world. The story might never
have gone abroad. but II Is told by
a grateful man. a brave sailor who
recognizes true loyalty. whether In
white breast or blnck. That man
Is Capt. l.. Bannlster Midget Of
Alanteo. the most noted veteran Of
the Seventh Coast Guard District
today: man past Ills three.score
and ten. but who IN bis dny wcath.
cred moro than 10 years In the rig.
orOus service OF one Of the most
exacting statlons on the coast. and
who, before the advent Of the radio
aud m0torboat. assisted In tho res.
cue Of nearly thousand shlpwreck.
cd persons on Hatteras Island.
Capt. Midget tells the story of
his experience In Pamlico Sound
last week, when on Monday night
aud Tuesday. he faced death In a
small boat FROM which himself aud
nephew were fishing. In that
dread guile. which swept the waters
with velocity Of 90 miles an hour
or more. angry breakers measuring
eight feet from trough to crest rush.
ed down the shallow reaches Of Pam.
leo md threatened to fling to bits
the little vessel to which the two
men clung. Capt. Midget tells Of
how he watched two other compan.
Ions cling to platform. unable to
reach the boat that held himself and
his nephew: and of how the coast
guards, labOring to reach them,
battled for hours against a madly
rushing tide. a dreadful. fearful
tide which covered l'cu Island neck
deep aud swept struggling horses.
aud herds OF helpless cattle. hogs
and sheep across the beach Into the
hungry ocean. He declares his cx.
pcricncc to be the worst In his 20
years Of life nthe sea md that
only In return for his unbounded
filth In divine providence and by
the mercy of God were the lives Of
himself md his companions spared.
at the risk OF the lives OF the crew
OF Pea Island Station. Here is
Capt. Midgett's story:
Seventy two years old. and have
sailed up and down the sounds OF
Pnmlico, Albcmarle, Currituck and
Core In all kinds OF weather since
was Il mere boy. I spent 10 years
In the old life saving service and
the present Coast Guard. and have
seen times Oh sen and lnnd as tough
az any man. I have been blessed
with courage md Judgment. and
never lost my head In times Of trou.
bic. but In ull my experience. this
last Monday night and Tuesday of
March 10 aud II was the worst time
/ have ever experienced.
Prom Monday night at I so un.
I'll Tuesday afternoon. It was blow.
Ing u hurricane. When the storm
arose on Monday. my nephew. vii.
u" Midget and I. were fishing
In three and half feet of water,
about two mud half miles from
land. We broke anchor. and I'm.
mc'lintely, the wind blew hur.
riranr. and the water increased to
nine or ten feet. We got to the Ice
side of n fish house built out In the
sound and lay mOored there.