The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1929-09-27

The Carl Gerhard. q Swedish
steamer. bound from Nova ScoVla
to Tampa, Florida, with LOAD OF
gypsum rock. was driven cnto q
shoal inst eff the coast about one
mile north of Kill Devil Hill. Heavy
seas drove the helpless steamer
shoreward until she was dashca
against the hull of the Paraguay
which was wrecked in that spot TWO
wears ago. and was broken III t"o'
Her plight was realized at once
NV mon of the Kill Devil Hill Sta
ton and they, assisted by crews Oh
the Nags Head. Paul Gamers Hill
and Bodic Island Coast Guard SIa-
tions. set about the work OF rescue
a work which they have performed
so often and so successfully that IL
is almost a matter of routine WIN
them. Attempting to launch n poaI
in the face Of the high seas that
were driven shoreward by strong
northeast wind would have pcen
suicide and was almost Impossible
So the Lyle fun was WHEELED ouC'
rope fired across the bo" ol Vhe
steamer and q breecheS-buoy put
into operation. The t"ehty-oic
men and the Cne woman on the Catl
Gerhard we're rescued. making
total of sixty-one persons rescued
bv means of the breecheS-puoy III
that one spot in seven years. Inc
sixty persons came of four SilipS'
two of them American, one Gfcciah
and one Swedish, but to the Coast
guardsmen they were all the same
/ persons in distress.
While U. S. Coastguardsmen OF
other districts, in Florida, Detroit
and New jersey, are engaged IN ene J
business of helping the Government
I enforce the odious ElghVeentn
Amendment. the CoastguardSmen OF
the Seventh District are bU5ily en-
Gagged in furthering the principles
fer which Coast Guard Service
etand The1e men are the emDodl-
ment of what the founders o. the
Coast Guard intended it should pe'
Brave. alert. fearless and kind. they
stand ready at any time TO pra7e
the elements to help ships and per-
cons in distress. The preservation
of life and property and kindness
TO their fellow men are the great
principles for which these sturdy
men of the CoaStland stand.
! So Kill Devil Hill now commands
a view of a graveyard OF the sea
which is eclipsed by only one other,
diamond Shoals. Four ships OF
three countries. have now becn
claimed by the shcal on which the
Carl Gerhard was driven. Inc
crews and passengers OF the 1our
ships have been rescued and not
single one lost. And the haray
euardsmen of the coast are now
back OH their patrols, going about
their work as tho nothing had nap
= pened. and on the alert for some
ether duty to perform.
Those who assisted in the rescue
work of the Paraguay have been
promised medals and citations by
the government of Greece and now
. it appears that some such honorS
= will be forthcoming from the SWed-
! jch government. Medals, citations,
decorations. What arc they? They
g are nice to look at and to show to
f ones grandchildren, but they VIII
= no. buy food for the families OF
: the Coast Guardsmcn. Othcr ma
= lions have done their part i'll giving
l the men medals. This country Shouid
e do it's part and give them more than
S the paltry $50 a month it now gives
G them. 1t is time the rum-rulnnlS
= duties of the Coast Guard were
e overlooked and. the fundamental
principles of service and the say
r ING of life and property were rec
. ognized by the government ana Dy
Q the citizens.