Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-12-13
Where Life
IS SerieS0f
Hurricanes

island probably creest God-forsakcn spot
OF land n the entire world
Gcographers call it Sable Island but TO mariners it IS
known the graveyard Of the Atlantic 800 ships
have met their doom on this 22-mIc long sandbar which
itself menacinGly out Of the $50 miles oshorc
Gales and hurricanes pound Sable day and night and
the sand which everywhere whips and cuts with all the
feroCty OF desert storm Less than mile wide the
island has no hummocks hills to break the flashing OF
the storms
If ever an island was uninhabtable it is Sable and yet
approximately 80 people live and work on IT'S fohldding
shores They there for the sole purpose aiding
sells that become cnsnared in the trcacherous currents
that swirl about the island
The population made up of Canadian government
employees and their families who operate the light
houses four lfe-savng stations and radio headquarters
that situated the island
Everything that has been heard of in the way OF
Hfesavng equipment has been gathered together Sable
self baing lfeboats Lyle guns brccchcsbuoys rockets
hfc-cars and mortars.
Sable Islanders. sand greatest curse. When
the gales sweeping the spit mpos-
ibe to see ten feet ahead Like snow it sometimes drifts
completely houses Sits through doors and windows
and penctates the works Of doubecase watches TO
put them out Of order.
The roaring winds and pounding surf have gradually
whitfield Sable down. TWO hundred years IT Was known
TO be 100 miles long and five miles wide Today it only
oncfth that -Four times the last 40 years The light
Of the island has had 10 Doe farther
inland because of the encroachng sea.
Although Sable itself tiny. danger ship
ping extends over 100 miles every side That IS because
long sinister and semsuhnergcd bars sand extend like
.tentacles far out into the
A few years ago the Canadian government tried toI
check islands shTnkagc by planting - little
trees. the theory this keep the
blowing about In just wntry the sapings
all snuffed by the roaring winds
For their work the islanders paid only $500 year
Although this might like a small staying on
this bad considering that they
also get their keep and part of their clothing They
cattle which supply milk butter and beef chickens
eggs Likewise they raise their potatoes
but grazing growing IS impossible.
Oddly enough the rarest food tho island is fish
despite the fact that on edge one of tho
greatest fishing banks the world The and tn
tides however dangerous that rarely do
dents dare go out fishing swrng Anyone
foolhardy challenge the angry has better
than chance of never getting back
Seldom do strangers set foot on Sable except the
fortunate victims shpwrecll Despite the dcsolaton
this island it apparently is one Of the heahcs spots
the world The community doesn't have doctor and
illness the residents have been there as
long 80 and 80 years.
Government steamers bring supplies from Canada three
TO four times year. The voyage however is only at
tempted under the favorable weather condition,
and the boats cannot be held any schedule
Despite the poverty and bleasncss of Sable there
probalv more treasure buried on it per square foot than
any other piece Of ground in the world. The
natural forces that put the treasure there however like
wise keep there.
More than 500 ships known TO have gone down off
sabe shores Mariners estimate that another 200 TO 300
unrecorded vessels have likewise met their doom the
graveyard of the Atlantic"
Great European American Oriental ships laden
bullion fine linens spices silver diamonds and price
less perfumes and treasures have been broken to bits
the boiling surf.
ever been What sti there beneau
the raging just reach pcrlous arei
the currents tides storms and foGs that organized salvage
operations of any size have been impossible The fabulous
apparently destined 10 remain buried there
all time.
In addition the rich booty that has been spilled
the surf pirate is known TO be concealed
Sable Island appears many Of the old pirate maps
But the islands shrnlage the buried pirate gold
is probably under Anyone foolhardy enough
to go after it is welcome TO do