NEWSPAPERS AS HISTORICAL MATERIAL

Newspapers satisfy many of the canons of historical evidence. "Their object," says Rhodes, "is the relation of daily events; and if their relation is colored by honest or dishonest partisanship, this is easily discernible by the critic from the internal evidence and from an easily acquired knowledge of a few external facts. Moreover the newspaper itself, its news and editorial columns, its advertisements, is a graphic picture of society. . . . Take the newspaper for what it is, a hasty gatherer of facts, a hurried commentator on the same, and it may well constitute a part of historical evidence."

The examination of manuscript material is probably the most laborious task which falls to the lot of the historical writer. But next to that the physical and mental labor of turning over and reading bound volumes of newspapers is the most severe, says Rhodes. Newspapers as historical material, like all other evidence "must be used with care and skepticism, as one good authority is undoubtedly better than a dozen poor ones. For the history of the last half of the nineteenth century just such material—the material of the fourth estate-must be used. Neglect of it would be like neglect of the third estate in the history of France for the eighteenth century."

THE LIFE SAVING SERVICE OF CHICAGO

It is stated in Andreas' "History of Chicago" that "The high winds and dense fogs of spring and fall, for many years prior to 1856, had been productive of much damage to shipping, and wrecks, accompanied by loss of life, and were of frequent occurrence. In the spring of 1856, the Government sent a life boat to Chicago, and it was placed in charge of the harbor engineer. The first boat was kept under Rush street bridge, and, in case of service becoming necessary, volunteers were depended upon to man it. This boat was made to answer a variety of purposes, and was yet in fair condition, several years later, when a life saving station was established, with Captain John Taylor in charge."

The Life Saving Service dates back to the middle of the last century. The first steps towards an organized effort for assisting shipwrecked persons was the establishment of a humane society in Massachusetts, and its huts of refuge and volunteer life-boatmen rendered incalculable service in rescuing lives from vessels in distress. At first this society was supported by voluntary contributions, but in 1847, Congress appropriated five thousand dollars to provide the keepers of lighthouses "with means of rendering assistance to shipwrecked mariners." In the following year the first regular organization of the Life Saving Service was authorized by Congress, and fifty-four stations were established on the Atlantic coast. Each year thereafter the service was extended, and the sums appropriated were increased, until at the date of the last annual report (June 30, 1910) there were shown to be two hundred and eighty-one stations, and the amount required for their maintenance was upwards of two and one-quarter millions of dollars. The history of the Life Saving Service at Chicago and Evanston, recently prepared by the Superintendent of that department, is given as follows:

In March, 1873, Congress appropriated $100,000 for new life-saving stations, and called for a report of points for others to be established upon the sea and

lake coasts, with detailed estimates of cost. To make the report called for by the law, a commission was formed immediately after the passage of the act, consisting of S. I. Kimball, the present General Superintendent of the Life Saving Service, and Captains John Faunce and J. H. Merryman, of the Revenue Cutter Service. The commission visited Chicago and made a personal inspection and study of the nature, characteristics and needs of the coast of Lake Michigan in that vicinity, and consulted marine underwriters, shipowners, captains of vessels and other sources of relevant information. When the commission visited Chicago it found one of the life-boats which had been authorized by Congress nearly twenty years previously to be placed at various places on the Atlantic and Lake coasts, under the Rush street bridge, which was its only shelter.

By the act of June 20, 1874, the Secretary of the Treasury was authorized to establish life-saving stations, lifeboat stations and houses of refuge for the better preservation of life and property from shipwreck at certain points on the sea and lake coasts. In pursuance of the recommendation of the commission referred to, that act authorized a lifeboat station at Chicago, and a complete lifesaving station at or near Gross Point (Evanston). The lifeboat house at Chicago was located on the Illinois Central pier No. 1, and was placed in the charge of a keeper who employed volunteers upon occasions of shipwreck. A crew of surfmen is now regularly employed at the station.

The Gross Point station (Evanston) was completed in 1877, and a keeper and crew were employed. This station stands on property of the Northwestern University at Evanston, and is now designated the Evanston Station.

By the act of June 19, 1886, a life-saving station was authorized to be established at South Chicago. The station was erected on the Lighthouse reservation at South Chicago and was placed in commission in April, 1890.

In August, 1892, the Jackson Park station was authorized to be erected to form a Government exhibit during the World's Columbian Exposition at Chicago, and to take the place of the Chicago station on the Illinois Central pier after the Exposition should close. It was found, however, that the needs of commerce required the maintenance of the Chicago station, and it was continued under the name of the "Old Chicago station," and the Exposition station was also continued at Jackson Park.

The Old Chicago station was found to be inadequate to the needs of the service, and a new station was erected in 1903 on the breakwater at the mouth of the Chicago river. A new location for the Jackson Park station was found to be necessary, and in 1908 a new station was erected.

In addition to the usual equipment of boats and apparatus, the South Chicago station has been furnished with a thirty-four foot power lifeboat, and an open power surfboat; the Jackson Park station with a thirty-four foot power lifeboat also; the Old Chicago station with a thirty-six foot self-righting and self-bailing power lifeboat, and an open power surfboat; and the Evanston station with a self-bailing power surfboat.

In filling vacancies at the Evanston station preference is given to students of the Northwestern University, or to eligibles from any station in the district desiring or intending to become such students, this fact being indicated in their applications, and evidence being presented that they will be admitted as students in said University.

In addition to the regular stations and crews mentioned above there is a volunteer crew and station in Rogers Park, at the foot of Kenilworth avenue. The government has erected a building for their purposes and it is provided with a full complement of apparatus. The members of the crew are mostly young business men who hold themselves in readiness to respond to calls upon them at any time they are needed. The station is in charge of the keeper of the Evanston

station.

The activities of the life savers, who are often seen on their regular beach patrols or passing in their boats on the lake, have inspired the boys at Edgewater to form a crew of their own modeled upon that of a regular crew of the lifesaving station. These boys are most of them students in the city high schools, and in this instance have purchased their own boat and practice the regular drills of the service. These amateurs are regarded with great favor by the regular life savers, as it is seen that they may on some occasions reach a scene of danger more quickly than could a boat from a station situated at some distance. They will be spurred to greater endeavor and can incur greater risks realizing that the regular crew will not be far behind them in any work of rescue on hand.

The training and discipline thus acquired by these youthful amateurs engaged in so useful a work, although this particular crew has not been in existence long enough to furnish any tests of its efficiency, cannot fail to be of the highest value to them in their future lives, and they certainly do honor to themselves in rendering this service to the community. The similarity of the objects of this praiseworthy movement to that of the Boy Scouts, whose activities have attracted widespread public attention and approval, both movements having in view the main purpose of rendering assistance in emergencies, is apparent; and invites the applause of all public-spirited people. The model of a well-drilled and efficient branch of the government service, as an incentive to youthful activity in the direction of useful and helpful service, is thus plainly seen; for without an example thus furnished by the regular crews of the Life-Saving service it would be difficult to form and carry out so promising an enterprise.

CONDITIONS IN THE LIFE SAVING SERVICE

The entire shore line of the Great Lakes is dotted with stations of the United States Life Saving Service. "The cluster of inland seas, known as the Great Lakes," said the General Superintendent of the service, Sumner I. Kimball, in an address delivered in 1889, before the International Marine Conference, "contains an area of about eighty thousand square miles, and has a coast line within the limits of the United States of nearly twenty-five hundred miles. These seas are open to navigation about eight months in the year; at other times being closed by ice.

There are few natural harbors, but a large number of artificial ones. These are formed at the mouths of rivers by extending piers from their banks out into the lake for a considerable distance and dredging the bottom between.

"The lakes are generally tranquil, but at certain seasons are visited by violent gales which throw their fresh waters into furious convulsion with a suddenness unknown upon the ocean. Vessels unable to hold their own against the severity of these storms, being land-locked and with scant sea room, are likely to be left with only the choice between stranding wherever they may be driven, and seeking

refuge in the harbor that seems most accesible. The latter course is naturally the one taken. To effect an entrance within the narrow space between the piers at such times with sailing vessels, and even with steamers, is frequently a task of extreme difficulty, and the luckless craft are liable to strand upon the bar on one or the other side of the piers and meet their destruction." During the prevalence of great storms many disasters occur in a single day at these harbors.

LIFE SAVING STATIONS AND EQUIPMENT

In the majority of the stations provided by the Life Saving Service, which is under the control of the Treasury Department at Washington, the first floors are divided into four rooms, the largest for the accommodation of the life boats and apparatus; and on the second are the quarters for the men of the crew. Upon the roofs of each of these stations is a look-out tower and a tall flag staff used for signalling. The buildings are usually located near the water's edge. An inclined track from the station to the water is provided, down which the boats are quickly launched. Each of the stations has telephone connection with others in

the vicinity.

There are thirty-one stations on Lake Michigan which is known as the Twelfth District. From the report of General Superintendent Kimball, for the year ending June 30th, 1909, it is learned that during the year mentioned there were ninety disasters to vessels on Lake Michigan, only seven of which proved to be a total loss. None of these disasters resulted in loss of life. This record, however, only covers "documented vessels;" the record of disasters to "undocumented vessels," that is small craft of all descriptions, showing a number of fatalities. Further on in this chapter will be found a table of disasters which have occurred on the five great lakes for a period of ten years, together with the number of lives lost.

PURPOSES AND REQUIREMENTS

While the primary purpose of the United States Life Saving Service is to save and succor the shipwrecked, a considerable number of persons not connected with vessels are annually rescued from various situations of danger. Among the services performed within the year given may be mentioned the rescues of persons from drowning while bathing; medical and surgical aid given to persons suffering from sudden attacks of sickness, from burns at fires, bruises and broken limbs; rescues of unprotected persons from attacks of ruffians; shelter given to persons who have lost their way on the beaches; and aid rendered in giving fire alarms and assisting in extinguishing fires; thus fulfilling in part the functions of the "first aid" ambulance corps, and of the fire and police departments of the neighborhood.

Besides this the life savers assist frequently in the recovery and restoration of a great variety of valuable articles,-fish nets, lumber, even automobiles and parachutes lost in the adjoining waters; as well as in the rescue of domestic animals. The keepers of life saving stations "are required to reside constantly at their stations; are intrusted with the care and custody of the station property, for which they are accountable; and govern the station premises. They are captains of their crews; exercise absolute control over them (subject only to the restriction of the