The New York Herald Newspaper, January 13, 1879, Page 4

4 SILVER VEINS. Gigantic Excavations in the Great Ore Bodies, FIGHTING SUBTERRANEAN FLOODS The Working Miners and Their Organization. SILENCE, A RULE OF Temperatures in the Depths and Mode of Regulating Them, AVERAGE DAILY WAGES. Vimarsta Crry, Nev., Dee, 30, 1878, The greatest drawback to deep mining is the in- cessant trouble from water. It is this element more than anything else that eats up the assessments of the older mines. It has hitherto been very costly, but its reign of terror over superintendents is hasten- ing to aclose. There is a diversity of opinion about where it comés from. The seapage, with the surface of the mountain for a beginning, ageounts for some of it, but there are incidents in mining experience that cannot be covered by that; and as a large mine has recently been afflicted by it and has a peculiar and special experience I select that mine for the water question. In February of 1876, while the miners were pros- pecting north from their incline on the 2,200 foot level, they tapped a body of water that burst in upon them with such a rush that the miners in the lower levels had to fly, leaving behind them their tools, clothing and everything they had with them, and runaip the incline to save their lives. The pump at that time was but an 8-inch plunger, and although Dailing tanks of 1,500 gallons capacity were put on and run as rapidly as possible, both together could not keep the water in check. It gradually gained upon them until it rose to fifty-five feet below the 1,700 foot level, where it seemed to find its own level, and, very singularly, when it got to that point it ebbed and flowed like the sea, rising and falling ten feet every twenty-four hours. Believing in the eventual richness of the mine the management resolved to fight the intruder, and in July of the same year a 14-inch plunger was put in, running to the bottom of the vertical shaft,a depth of 1,300 feet, and a 13-inch plunger down the ineline, fol- lowing the water and adding other lifts as the water receded. The expense was enormous—the pumping engine alone costing over $275,000, and the immense rods constructed from timber 14x14 and 60 feet long, joined together with iron stabs 5 inches wide, 1 inch thick and 25 feet long. nearly halfa mile in length and cost about as much asthe pump. The various machinery necessary to complete the pumping apparatus—compressor for compressing air in order to work the donkey pumps, &c—cost fully as much, ‘The new pump has been running since August, 1876, and has made strokes every twenty-four hours, throwing fifty-three and a half gallons ot per stroke, or 492,200 gallons a day. Several times the water has been re- duced to within seventy-five feet of its souree—the 2,200 foot level—but owing to the intense heat (157 de grees), and the difficulty of keeping in thorough repair such a long system of pumps it has again forced its way upward, and now stands above the 2,100 foot level. The expense of pumping this water is fully $30,000 per month. ‘THE COMBINATION SHAFT. The adjoining mines, being also troubled with the water, have joined with the one described and have nearly completed a “combination shaft,” the pump, ing machinery of which is expected to pump ont the whole of the water from the three mines and keep them “‘as dry as bone.” Following tho new idea of sinking shafts far to the eastward of present work- ings, this combination shaft is being sunk 2,327 feet east of the Chollar-Potosi present shaft and nearly in the centre of the properties of the three mining com- panies. It is a magnificent piece of work and ex- hibits unmistakably that the owners believe in the long continuance of deep mining on the Com- stock. The location of the shaft so far cast will re- quire the sinking of 3,000 feet before it strikes the west wall or west casing of the Comstock lode, and in its course downward it will enable the miners to prospect directly from the shaft at all desirable depths, which is a great advantage over the incline working which had to be adopted from the old shafts, ITS CONSTRUCTION—STRIKES THE SUTRO TUNNE ‘This new shaft has four compartments. Three are 5x6 feet in the clei the fourth, which is used for the pumps, is 6x7 fect, It is timbered with red spruce Mxl4, which is nnexcelled for durability, and is planked outside with the same material 3 inches thick. “Sets of timbers” are 45, feet from centres, and when complete and in piace consume about 4,000 feet of lumber. The excavation for the shaft is about 10 feet in width and about 30 feet in length. At the depth of 1,593 feet a drift runs north 356 fect and intersects the Sutro Tunnel. At the depth of 1,703 feet a drift runs west connecting with the neigh- boring incline, giving ample ventilation, the fresh air passing down to the bottom of the shaft, then up and through the drift, the incline and the shaft. The air blows @ gale through this drift. The shaft has been sunk 2,265 feet, and there work was suspended in order to ocenpy the entire force in putting in the pumps, rods, & raising the water. MPING ENGINE beau engine with two eylin- ‘inches in diameter, the smaller run P is a compound vertic ders, the large on one 82 inches and about 10 fect stroke. These cylin- ders stand over the beam and are connegted to one end; with the other is connected the pump rods, of bn pine, 15 inches square and in lengths of 100 feet ‘They are strapped together with fron plates on the four sides, 1inch thick, 10 inches wide and 34 feet long. There are a double line of pumps, 15 inches in diameter, which will throw at each stroke 147 gallons of water, aud will raise more water than any three of the largest pumps now working on the Comstock. The pump rods and pumps are handled by a large kivam winch, capable of raising a weight of sixty tons, ‘The sinking to the present depth has been done with © engine, 20 inches in diameter, 36 inches running two reels, so arranged that one raises » the other lowers it, or “one up, the THE “SKEET.” The rock extavated in inking the shaft and the water encountered up to this time is raised in a “skeet,” which is automatic in its action, and was first introduced at this shaft. The “skeet” consists of a rectangular iron box, set ina frame or sash of iron, and of capacity for about four and a half tons of rock. On thearrival of the “skeet” at the surface the box is turned over and the contents dixcharged into a “damp” or “bin" at the side of the shaft, from which the r runs away, and the rock is taken by the “carman” and dumped into the “waste pile.” On lowering the “skeet” the box instantly resumes its npriyht position, two latches drop into place and hold it in position, and it slides down the shaft ready for another load, ‘The cost of the shaft, ma- chinery, buildin; . has been about $1,060,000, Work was begun Jan 9, 1876; grading for site for the shaft and buildings began In 1875 477 feet were sunk; in 765 feet, and in 1878, 445 feet, ‘The work was sna- pended for the purpose of putting in the pumps on the 26th of June. The bottom of the shaft is now 667 feet below the Sutro Tunnel. THE MINERS WHO DO THR WORK. There are seasons of dulness in mining as in every- thing else, arising sometimes from the inability of some companios to procure the money necessary to prospoct or do “dead work,” Others, again, may want { atraighten up their shafts or make other changes, and at such times the miner may have “a spell’ of idieness, Here, on the Comstock, or within seven or eight miles, they may number from three thousand to five thousand, Three-fifths are Irish, one-fifth English, Welsh and Scotch, and the other fitth Canadians, French and Americans. This esti- mate I have from a prominent member of the Miners’ Union. They are not to be classed with laborers; | the miner is a skilled mechanic, generally intelligent, orderly and sober, Most of the superintendents sre men who have worked underground with pick, shovel and drill, The biggest millionaire on the Pacific slope was a miner, and is prouder of that fact than of his millions. He is an incessant worker, looks to every detail of his mines on the surface: is about from five A. M, to five P. M., and goes into the mines every day and sometimes through the night. He is s perfect Hereules, with a brain brim- ful of facts and common sense. My task is not to philosophize about “good luck.” I know nothing but the providence of facta, Working of a mine requires brains everywhere, and from the owner of the mine, down through the superintendents, foremen, shift bosses to ‘the pick boy,” clear heads are as indispensable as strong and brawny arms, ‘The French officer, to whom I referred in my first letter, who was astonished at finding a The whole together was | well read clerk behind a desk in a small country hotel in California, would be surprised with some acquaintances he might make in the mines on the Comstock, They are eight-hour men, and by a very just arrangement their “shift re changed every two weeks. The division of the day is from seven A. M, to three P. M., from three P. M. to eleven P, M., from eleven P, M, to seven A. M.; so all of them have their share of daylight every month, in which they have the opportunity for intellectual improvement and also the day Jeisure for attending to their own personal business. Many of them have dealt in stocks and got rich, and as many or more perhaps could tell of their utter ruin by a contrary experi- ence, Many influential citizens of California and Nevada have their sons in the mines learning to be miners. It is the most promising profession in the country. DIVISION OF MINING LABOR. As a classification of this industrial labor the fol- lowing statement of the average number of men em- ployed in all capacities is interesting:—2 foremen, 4 assistant foremen, 12 shift bosses, 2 timekeepers, 2 ore shippers, 2 samplers, 14 assayers, 12 engineers, 6 brakemen, 6 firemen, 8 watchmen, 10 blacksmiths, 8 machinists, 5 riggers, 15 shaftmen, 75 bulkheaders, 10 surface timbermen, 18 carpenters, 12 carmen, 1,090 miners. Total, 1,313 men, aud 740 men employed at the wood ranch of the Pacific Wood, Lumber and Flume Company. This is the force of one group of mines. SILENCE IN THE MINE. While mines are still yielding ore the management very properiy keep all valuable information to them- selves, Were it otherwise the streets would be filled with wild ramors, good and bad, every hour of the day. There is visibly agense of obligation to keep silence about every person associated in any way with a mine, Every one realizes that “knowledge is power,” and that this particular knowledge right- fully belongs to the officers of the company and not to the employés or the public. Before reflecting over this situation I was struck with the silence of the miners underground, The sharp ring of the miner's pick could be heard at “the breast,” the hum and buzz of the cooling blowers, the oscillating and action of the patent drills, the sizzing of the escaping steam and the rumbling of the winze machinery, but not a human voice away from that of onr own small party, as in- quiry might be made or information volunteered, | ‘Through the long drifts the candles burned freely, illuminating the darkness and making every object visible enough; revealing the miners at work, rest- ing or passing from place to place. Groups coming on to work; others standing in line to take their turn in getting on to “the cage’ to mount to the surface. No one spoke to his neighbor. The super- intendent had something to say to the foreman and the latter had some inquiry to make of “the shift boss,” but all the others might have been doat and dumb. In passing along from place to place I dropped word here and there in the way of “Good morning, gentlemen!” but no tongue an- swered and no eye sent back a responsive glance. At first [thought the miners might be of foreign na- tionality and not understand my language, but the second thought brought forward the fact—it was sys- tem, the science of military service, sensibly applied in a civil industry. Where large bodics of men are working together silence is wholesome and profit- able, but engaged in an industry where the work of an hour ina rich body of ore or striking a “hump” of worthless porphyry might change the values of stock to the tune of millions, it becomes imperative that miners “have eyes and see not, ears and hear not,” and tongues that never even whisper. THR TRICKS OF THE TRADE, Where great gains are often effected by a little early information on the condition of the mine it is to be expected that every means will be resorted to in order to obtain it. There are men here who live by gaining this information and immediately forwarding it telo- graphically, iu cipher, to brokers in San Francisco. Such professionals are called “pointers,” as they fure nish the “points” which determine the purchase or the sale of stocks. The “pointer,” of course, is un- known, and to be successful he should be the last gentleman to be suspected of any liaison with the miners, A good story, and true, I believe, is told of @ young man who was working in one of the bonanza mines at @ time when “a horse” was struck. Two hours before his “shift” would have performed its task he swooned and fell among the rock. ‘The imita- tion was excellent, and Ins sympathizing comrades treated him with the utmost care, dashing upon him ice water and carrying him to the coolest place on the level, where he could be supplied with fresh air from the blowers. He, however, persisted in not re- covering and was taken to the surface, for which he had go artistically played, Immediately that he was free of the attentions of those who had so well cared for him he rushed for the ear of the “pointer,” gave him the bear’ information, the “cipher” went over the wire, stocks were hurriedly “shorted,” the market was bewildered, the news got out, stocks broke in wild confusion, the “pointer” and his friends made alargeamount of money and the swooning miner was handsomely rewarded. This sharp business was 80 quickly done and so well executed that the first intimation had by the superintendent of the mine of the presence of the “porphyry” or “horse” in the body of the rich ore was by telegram from San Francisco. ‘That superintendent is proverbially the most vigilant man on the Comstock, but the little swoon gave two hours the start of the ‘“boss’” re- port at the end of “the shift.” It is commonly believed that there are men work- ing in the mines for the usual pay, covering up the more remuncrative reward they receive for supply- ing brokers in San Francisco with valuable informa- tion. Honorable miners not only dislike this du plicity und declaim against it, but they feel it a serious annoyance, as the leaking out of such infor mation is as apt to throw suspicion on the innocent as on the guilty, and where the guilty one is not dis- covered # whole shift of men have been discharged and never re-engaged. It is to euch sourees of information—oftentimes premature, frequently wrong and only seldom right— that the stock market owes its violent fluctuations and its panics, that demoralize everybody and ruin thou. sands of persons who know nothing of the whys and wherefores for the changes. THE MINERS’ UNION, Like every other organization for the regulation of the prices of labor it has its advocates and its op- ponents, It chose a patriotic day for its birth, and so formally organized July 4, 1867, with a president, vice president, secretary, treasurer and other officers, who are semi-annually elected by ballot. No person is admitted to membership withont some one vouching that he is sober, honest and of good moral character, ‘The initiation fee is $5, with a monthly fee of fifty conts and any other assessment as may be agreed upon at the regular monthly meeting by a vote of two-thirds of all its members, ‘The object of the union is to preserve and keep up the highest wages—which at the present time are $4 a day—and to extend the “benefits” of $8 a week, besides other attentions from the “ Visiting Com mittee,” to any member who by sickness arising from natural causes may be incapable of following his daily labor, In August of last year the superin- tendent of the mines caine to an understaxiding with the union that none but its members should be em- | ployed in the mines; that eight hours should be a “shift,” except where the temperature was over 100 degrees, and that then six hours should be the time of labor, and the pay in either case should be $4 a shift. The Miners’ Union has a very good suit of rooms and a large reading room on B street, with a library that bespeaks more intellect than frivolous romance, ‘The daily papers and the illustrated of New York are all there, magazines periodical literature and the weekly papers of the principal cities of the Union. English papers are also to be found on the table. Side rooms are furnished with cards, the chessboard, “cheequers” and, in Gold Hill and Silver City, a billiard table. To all intents the union is in the height of its power, and in all probability will remain dictator while the mines are prosperous or in expectancy of success. There is too much at stake for the manage- ment of a mine ever to think of measuring strength with “a strike.” The unceasing flow of water must be every moment fought, and to “shut down” a mine is toannonnce disaster, There is such a thing as resurrection, but it is a frightful expenditure of money to reopen amine and place it where it was when work was stopped. ‘The Miners’ Union doubt- less realizes all this, and is, for ought I know, delicate and considerate in the use of its power. With a continuance of prosperity the agreed number of working hours and rate of wages will exist, but without this prosperity a day will come when the miners will have to decide on permitting a lower priced labor to exist or for mine owners to leave the country. I hear no one begrudging the present prices paid to the miners for their labor un- derground, especially as in hot places it is very try- ing, but a very large amount of low grade ore is aceumulating, which cannot be worked at the pres- ent rates, and before the abandonment of the Com- stock takes place, in some other generation, the ex- periment of working these ores will be tried. THE HEAT IN THE MINES. In some parts of the mines the heat is excessive and physically overpowering—where the proper ven- tilation has not been obtained, and that is at times beyond the will of genius or the power of wealth. ‘The constant aim of a superintendent is to open con- nection from his mines to another, where mutual benefits are experienced in a current from some shaft or other connecting with the surface, At the present time there is but one hindrance somewhere about the centre of the Comstock, to a continuous under- ground route from Utah in the North to Overman in the South. It is hoped that the Sutro Tunnel may do some good and the new deep shafts improve ventilation; in the meantime the air from the surface is sent down to the lower levels, by great blowers through very large tubes, diffusing its refreshing in- fluence to grateful natures, and in time ventilation will be perfect. By most people it has been thought that the actual depth of a mine had everything to do with its tem- perature, but experience here and elsewhere has de- stroyed that notion. The deep mines are generally warm, but in the same district a mine now and again is found where heavy clothing is necessary to the visitor going underground, and also in the warm mines the temperature of upper levels has been found higher than in other levels some hundreds of feet lower. No less than ten thousand tons of ice are annually consumed in the lower levels. Blocks of ice are placed along the drifts and everywhere near the men are large casks filled with ice for their use. Notwith- standing all the appliances brought to their aid there are places where work must be done in order to “open up” the mine, where the miners are able to work but two or three minutes at atime. The miners so engaged work not more than three or four hours a day. One half are “cooling off” while the other half are at work. This respite is called “‘a pass,” and the time allowed foreach “pass” is regulated by the miners themselves, atcording to the degree of the temperature and the condition of exhaustion. THE COST OF LABOR IN ONE MINE. Adividend paying mine made a detailed statement of wages paid last year in extracting 217,432 tons of ore and reducing of that amount 213,663 150-2,000, in the following figures :— 176 00 36,167 50 4,230 00 7 178,134 day: 3,359 day: 30 day be er terry) : ‘Average daily wages Total cost per ton. Hoisting ore an $19 08 8-10 ‘The other expenses in turning this bullion into gold and placing it in the vaults of the Nevada Bank in San Francisco, where the stockholders draw their dividends, are given here Discount on bullion. Refining . Bullion fre Interést and e: $1,039,947 18 207,255 38 stationery, sularies, ¢ Total. + $1,413,745 69 This amount divided by the number of tons worked (213,683), gives a cost of.... $6 61 6-10 Cost per ton in Virginia....... toeceee 19 08 8-10 Total cost per ton.........66606 A $25 70 410 While the average of daily wages in one mine is placed at $4 054;, that of another is $4 33 6-100, ‘There are, no doubt, variations in the cost of labor in other mines, but those interested mining com- panies in the West will find valuable ana reliable in- formation in the forpgoing tables for their future guidance. Those who know of mining twenty years ago cannot fail to be surprised by the great progress and wonderful proportions of this mining industry, NORTH CAROLINA'S DEBT. Governor Vance, of North Carolina, in his recent message to the General Assembly of that State, speaks of the debt of the State as followa:— The public debt, it will be seen by the Treasurer's report, amounts to $16,060,045 principal and $10,160,182 25 interest. This is known as the recog- nized debt, as contradistinguished from the special tax bonds. What shall be done with it is a question that deserves your best consideration. It is out of the«juestion for us to attempt to pay it at its face value. Indeed, I do not conceive that there is any moral obligation on us to do so, nor do our creditors expect it of us. Quite one-halt of our property upon which our bonds wero based was wantonly destroyed by consent of a large majority of those who held them, and no court of conscience upon the earth would permit a creditor to destroy one-half of his security and claim full payment out of the remainder, But we can and should pay some thing. The resolution of last session constituting the Governor, Treasurer and Attorney General a cog mittee to confer with our creditors gave no power to make or accept ie von whatever, and so an invitation to visit New York to confer with the hold ers of our bonds was declined, Besides this, no at tempt to open negotiations with us has been made, But I have grounds to believe that very reasonable terms indeed can be obtained if we evince adetermination to settle the question and be done with it. [refer to what is known as the “recognized” d So far as the special tax bonds are concerned my opinion, as expressed to your pre- decessors, remains anchanged—that they’ are not binding either in Jaw or good morals, unless it may be as to a very small fraction honestly approp to the State's use and accepted by her. Ber one I avow my readiness to co-operate with you to the full ex- tent of my power in devising the method and bearing the burdens of an honorable adjustment of all our indebtedness, as something which, sooner or Iter, will have to be done alike for the sake of our good name and our future prosperity, PROFESSOR VON HOLST’S LECTURE. Professor Von Holst, of Freiburg, who has been sent to this country by the German?Academy of Sciences to complete his great work on the United States, will lecture at Steinway Hall, next Wednesday evening, on “Calhoun.” ‘The Professor a regarded in Europe as the best authority on American consti- tutional history, and bis lecture is likely to be heard with interest. FATAL FALL DOWN STAIRS, Between two and three o'clock yesterday morning Mr. Bernard Kelly, of No. 16 Morris avenue, Newark, got out of bed and started to go down stairs for some purpose not stated, He fell down the entire flight, struck heavily at the bottom, fractured his skull and died shortly afterward before a doctor could be sum- moned, His friends state that he was perfectly sober, He leaves a wife and five children, NEW YORK HERALD, MONDAY, JANUARY 13, 1879.-TRIPLE SHEET. SURF GUARDIANS. The Life Saving Service onthe Long Island Coast. TOILERS OF THE SEA. Visits to the Stations from Montauk Point to Coney Island—Defeets of the Government System, Lire SAVING STATION 36, Rockaway Brac, Jan. 11, 1879. ‘The Third district of the Life Saving Service includes the coasts of Rhode Island and Long Island, the most important stations, about thirty in number, being located between Montauk Point and Coney Island, Captain Hunting, of Bridgehampton, is the superintendent of the district, From the lighthouse at the eastern extremity of the island the beach is un- broken to Fire Island with the exception of a sorry little inlet through which the fishermen are vainly endeavoring to coax Shinnecock Bay to join the ocean, ‘This inlet starts from a creek in the bay bearing the unromantic name of Porgie Hole. On the bold headland of Montauk is station No. 6, which has all the life saving appliances but has been for years without a crew and in charge of the keeper of the lighthouse, Jonathan Miller. Ditch Plain, No. 7; Hither Plain, No. 8, and Napeague, No, 9, divide the Point from Amagansett, where the schooner James A. Potter went ashore on December 21, the crew being gallantly resened by Keeper Charles J. Mulfora and his surfmen, Passing Georgica, No. 11, David Barnes, keeper, the first of the new stations is reached at Bridgehampton, The old houses east of this point are low and uncomfort- able, and the sleeping accommodations of the crew the reverse of agreeable. The new house at Bridge- hampton is very handsome, presenting the appear- ance of @ cottage at a fashionable watering place. There is ® space between the imner and the outer walls, however, through which the wind finds its way, and sings anything buta grateful lullaby around the ears of the shivering crew in their cots. The Parrott gun at this house will throw a line-carrying shot over four hundred and fifty yards. There are two boats, one of cedar and the other of the Francis metallic pattern. Both are well provided with oars of the best kind. In one re- spect the surfboats on this coast have the advantage over those of the district of New Jersey. With very few exceptions they are furnished with cork fenders and metallic’ air tanks, the latter being placed fore and aft along the sides. IMPERFECT LAMPS, ‘The lamps for patrol purposes at this and afl the other houses are entirely unfit for service. The glass does not fittight and the light cannot stand even an ordinary breeze. A good patrol lantern is of as much importance as a good boat. Ona wild night a sentinel of the surt is in extreme danger of losing his life should his light go ont. There is nota fish- ing craft off shore that cannot boast of having superior lanterns to those furnished by the goyern- ment to the life saving stations. EITHER SIDE UP. In a small boat house near the Bridgehampton sta- tion is a Rider life raft. The surfmen place very little reliance upon it and speak contemptuously of its life saving qualities. ‘They say that it will float in any sea; but the trouble is that we can never tell which side will be uppermost.” Another advantage which the crews of this district have over their brethren in New Jersey is ia being allowed to use powder in their mortar practice. Drill in this essential branch of the Life Saving Service without powder is as absurd as would be training at Creedmoor with empty guns. Yet the use of powder, except in actual sor- vice, is prohibited by the government regulations on | the Jersey coast, Keeper Baldwin Cook and his crew won renown by their gallant but unavailing efforts on the occasion of the Circassian tragedy. Station No, 13, at Southampton (Keeper Burnett), is similar to its eastern neighbor, being a new house. The ce- dar boat and Francis’ metallic boat are also of the same description as those at Bridgehampton. The station has been presented with a handsome library of eighty volumes by a New York gentleman. When the schooner Annie C. Cooke came ashore at this point two years ago the captain, his wife and daughter were brought from the vessel on a very primitive specimen of boatswain’s chair. A greater degree of tidiness would add much to the in- terior appearance of this house. There are three boats—two metallic and one of cedar—at station No. 14, Shinnecock; keeper, A. H. Hand, The bull’s-eye lanterns furnished by the government for patrol duty are even worse than the old lamps, and are very rarely used. This is another item in the long list of condemned materials with which the life saving stations are lumbered. A large tub has been sent to each of the houses, in which the whip of the breeches buoy is to be coiled. It ix too small for that purpose by two-thirds, and is consequently consigned to the condemned list. GOVERNMENT SURFDOATS, Keeper Phillips, of station No, 15, Tyana, has a large cedar boat, which is so sharp in the bow that it is almost impossible to steer her in a heavy sea, Keeper Jessup, of station No. 16, Quogue, has a four- oared cedar boat of the Sag Harbor pattern, which is second only to the famous Squan boats for work in the surf. The crotch sent to all the houses for the breeches buoy consists of two planks of enormous weight, and the keepers have been obliged to split one of them, using the divided portions of the plank for actual service. The metallic boat at sta tion No. 17, Keeper Franklin C. Jessup, can take ten persons ashore in a heavy sea in addition to the crew. The shot lines at this house were in excellent condition, and the keeper explained that the cause of the destruction of these lines in some houses was in utting them up ina damp condition after service. ‘he new Coston lights are covered around the edges with thin paper instead of tinfoil, rendering them more liable to become wet and to fray the fuses, The crew of this house did efficient service during the last winter, when the Norwegian bark Frederik and the schooners Armstrong nd Marcus Hunter stranded. The bar runs close to the shore at station No. 18, John Culver, keeper, and a tailblock for the breeches buoy is needed, There is but one set of oars for the tour-oared cedar boat. The western patrol of this house is two miles and a half in length. The surf during # gale and high tide cuts “sluices” through the western patrol of the next station, No. 19, Sidney Smith, keeper, and endangers the lives of the men who are obligedto ford them. They are frequent compelled to take refuge on a sandhill and to wait there shivering until the tide falls. ‘The cedar surfboat is at least one-third too heavy for its purpose, A drag astern would be of great avsistance im coming ashore in a heavy sea. ‘The bout wagon at station No. 20, J. H. Bell, keeper, is very old and unnecessarily heavy. The axle is of wood, and at times the exertions of the crew are unable to move this cumbersome vehicle. ‘There is an iron My | instead of # bull's eye for the sand anchor to set the cable through. The mortar does not fit the bed provided for it, alfflough it was sent expressly from Washington. The boat wagon at station No. 21, Silas Rogers, keeper, is out of order and is liable to go to pieces when used. Some of the balis do not fit the mortar and are. therefore, more ornamental than useful. The oars are of different lengths and the boat very heavy. GOING TO A WRECK. Keeper Thurber, of station No. 21, Bellport, thinks that paint injures the oars, and prefers oiling them. At the time that the si ip Spartan went ashore the crew took the mortar its apparatus a mile and @ half from the gevernment hi ‘They pressed an old horse bel ing to 2 ring farmer into the sorvice; but the atten animal soon gave out, and the crew were obliged to pu it shoulders to the wheels of the handcart themselves. A horse whore only regimen is sago and scrub oak is not likely to attain strength. The western patrol of this post is extreme; dangerous, » high tide cutting sluiceways through the sandhills, Captain Thurber has great confidence in the Merriman life suit furnished by the govern- ment and thinks that the objections raised against it arise from want of experience and practice. The crew took care of thirty-two persons from the Spartan last March and the tiny cooking stove proved entirely in- adequate for the demands made upon it. ‘The store room in all these houses is up stairs, over the boat is no easy task to carry heavy barrels through a narrow hatehway, and, should one of them leak, the life saving apparatus must be materially injured. In a gale from the south, veering to east or west, @ very ugly cross sea is formed on this coast, and, in such a case, the government surfboats are practically useless, A four-oared cedar boat and a Francis metallic lifeboat, with a shaky wagon, form the principal portion of the life saving appliances at Lone Hill, No. 23, James Baker, keeper, ‘The crew of the steamship Great Western, which was Tost on this coast two bay ago last Maren, were hos- pitably entertained at this house for three days, The government pays only forty cents a day for each per- son thus provided for, although it costs the crew a reat deal more. Keeper Smith Rhodes, of station 0. 24, Point of Woods, has very bad oars for his four-oare | cedar boat, and the beeeches buoy has only one tail AT FIRE ISLAND. Near the Fire Island lighthouse and signal office is station No. 25, Lucien Jeffrey, keeper. Here the first of the inlets is reached, on whose many a vessel left her bones beiore the lighthouse was built. Even now, like moths around a candle, some craft in- sist upon running in too close and stranding on the shoals that surround the inlet, When the schooner Ida B. Silsbe went ashore on November 23, the crew pulled their boat thro the breakers for an hour and @ half dead to windward, and brought all off safely, although having no contidence im their cratt. In a house c! to the imiet is a Richardson lifebout, similar to those at Atlantic- City and Townsend's Inlet, With a crew of twelve or fourteen this boat would be very serviceable, as she is self-righting and self-bailing, But with her weigh’ and draught water she is not craft for the shoals on this coast. Once aground, she would be entirely helpless. On a rocky coast, like that of Maine, where her inventor is’ superintendent, the Richardson lifeboat is invaluable. ‘ing the iniet, which was full of drifting ice, Leame to station No, 26, Oak Island, Henry Oakley, keeper. The Parrott gun at this nonse can throw a line carrying shot 387 yards. The bar runs in close to the shore except at the inlet. A DANGEROUS PATROL, On the west end of Oak Island 27, Frank E. Wicks, keeper. Here is another danger- ous patrol, full of sluicewa: igh tide, through which the surf rushes, the depth often exceeding six feet. Quicksands abound at this point. More than one-quarter of a mile of the sand hills has been washed away within two years. In very cold weather the ice from the inlet is piled up along the beach, thereby increasing the perils of the surtmen. on patrol. The gunwale and thwarts of the four- cared surf boat being too low, the keeper was obliged this winter to raise the gunwale nearly four inches, The schooner General Con- nor went ashore in a southwest gale at Jones’ Beach last winter. The erew of this station, with the assistance of the men of the next hou-e to the west, took off the captain, his wife, daughter and crew, all of whom had taken refuge in the fore rig- ging. It was a hard pull of three miles, and the women were almost exhaused when taken ashore. The life-saving crew cheerfully surr@hdered their sleeping aparunent to them and sought scanty ac- commodations in the boat room, A new set of oars and a supply of bedding is needed at this house. Two inlets—Gilgo and Ketcham’s—divide this station from No. 28, Jones’ Beach, A, C, Wicks, keeper. A LIVE-SAVING STATION ADRIFT, ‘This house had variety of adventures last winter, and the courage and determination of its crew, under the most trying circumstances, were remarkubie. ‘Toward the ‘end of November the surf reached the house and beat against it with such fury that the crew went to work and removed all the equipments in the surt boat toa place of safety. The next day the surf took the house ont to sea, and afterward left it on another part of the beach. Thecrew secured. it with difficulty and shovelled the sand away trom it, each tide bringing the sund back again. ‘The house was then placed on another part of the beach, fastened down, and all the life saving apparatus brought back. About this time the General Connor came ashore and the crew worked manfully, notwitnstunding the ad- verse circumstances under which they were placed. New Year's Day brought the surf three feet deep around the house, and the crew were again obliged to leave. They built a rude shanty at some distance from the station as a refuge in case their winter home should be entirely swept away. The following entry in the log of February 23 will give an idea of the discom- forts of these brave men:— Weare all sitting upstairs with oilskins on, One of the men put ona Merriman suit to go out after small boat, which was anchored near house. Put ladder ont of win? dow, the stairs being washed away. Midnight—Honse {ust moved off the blocking and shifted quite ® wood way. Not a very pleasant place to stay in. One v'clock —Think of leaving the house, for we consider it anything but safe, Before this the house was carried off the second time, a new inlet haying opened under it, and it drifted over half a mile back toward the bay. Although the house stood on posts nearly six feet in height the waves dashed up against the windows, At last the present site was selected, and after five months of peril and exposure the crew found themselves in what promised to be a permanent resting place. Patrol around this station at high water is out of the ques- tion. STATION TWENTY-NINE. East of Jones’ Inlet is station No. 29, Keeper Ketchum. This keeper was in charge of the drifting station to the east until the refusal of the former crew of this house to go to the wreck of the General Connor necessitated their discharge. The house is about half a mile from the surf, and it seems an herculean task to drag a boat and wagon across the wet, yielding sand. Crossing Zach's Inlet, I visited “the new station now being built on Short Beach, It is a model structure, con- taining all tue qualities of a first class life-saving sta- tion. Upstairs there are rooms for the keeper, the crew, stores and signals, and over them sufficient space to stow away all the condemned material with which the government lumbers these houses. It is not un- likeiy, however, that after some severe storm it will be called upon to repeat the experience of its neighbor. On the western side of Jones’ Inlet is station No. 31, Keeper Lozee. The surtboat here is a very poor con- cern, liable to upset at a moment's notice. Last No- vember it capsized alongside the schooner Gazelle, a mile and a hulf from land, The crew of the station regard this craft with a feeling akin to terror, and declare that she will be the death of them at some time, No patrol is kept at this house, as the sandhill near it commands a view of the entire district. A lifeboat at this point would be more serviceable than at Fire Island, on account of the greater danger of vessels coming ushore on the treacherous shoals that stretch out to sea in all directions. Lucy's Inlet, a small, insignificant piece of water at low tide, runs close to station No, 3, Keeper Johnson. ANOTHER MODEL BOAT. The boat at this house has been classed as Squan built, but it has not the first quality of the tamous Jersey craft. It is so crooked on the bottom that it spins round like a bowl, and all the surtmen on the Long Island coast could not keep it trom broaching to in across sea. There is a Francis metallic boat here, but with the old wagon in which it must be drawn it would be too difficult a task to get it afloat, Keeper Abrams’ boat at station No. 34, tog Island, has no air tanks. The life-car hawser and tackle are here, but no life-car. An adequate supply of bedding from the government stores. would be acceptable to the men, The oars are entirely unfit for service. At station No. 35, Keeper Reinhert, is the worst surf boat on the ‘ire coast. She drowned one man some years ago while woing to the wreck of the schooner Statesman, and is likely to be the canse of another tragedy should she be kept in service. At the west end of Rockaway Beach stands station No. 36, Keeper Carman. ‘The cedar boat here 1s 80 hard to steer that the Francis metallic boat is preferred by the crew. ‘The oars are like those at some of the other stations, poor end treacherous. Captain Car- man also has the charge of two condemned mortars, The new house on Manhattan Beach, No. 37, is of the same model as that on Short Beach, to the eastward, LONG ISLAND AND NEW JERSEY. Althongh the government has taken a lively inter- est in the Life Saving Service, and bas done much during the last two years to make it worthy of-the noble object for which it was established, @ great deal remains before all_ the conditions necessary tor entire efficiency are fulfilled. The energy of the super- intendent of the Long Island district has resulted in iving the surfmen a few advantages over thoxe of Kew fersey, some of which have been already noted, ‘There is not @ boat on the Jersey coast, save one, provided with a cork fender and ‘ight drums, and only one in the Long Island uufurnis with these useful appliances, All the houses of the Third dis- trict have porches and storm doors, which are want- ing in New Jersey. If these porches were lengthened a tow feet they could be utilized as storerooms for the crews. HOW A RUBBER BELT MIGHT BE UTILIZED. ‘The cork tender is by no means sufficient to con- stitute a seli-righting element. The boat which cap- sized from station remained bottom uppermost until the crew righted her by hauling her up to the stranded schooner. The suction of the air within a capsized boat counterbalances: poe ye ite | of the cork fender. A rubber belt filled with air placed around the boat would, it is said, undoubtedly pre- venta boat from upsetting. The self-righting ap- paratus should be placed on tho outside of the boat, as the air drums fore and and near the thwarts take up too much room and add a it deal ot weight to the boat. The rubber belt would be of service also alongside # wreck, as it can bear more pressure than any unyielding material. The surfmen everywhere along the coast agreed with this opinion of the setf- righting rubber belt around a boat. there is no excuse whatever for the miserable lamps and poor oil with which the government has supplied the life saving stations, When some of the poor surfmen are lost, atter their lights are extin- guished and they vainly attempt to yet back to shel- ter through some of the perilous sluicéways I have mentioned, something may be done. A little cireum- stance will show the character of some of the ma- terial with which these stations is provided, Theclocks of the houses are cheap and wnreliable and frequently getout of order. The surtmen, as a general rule, are notable to provide timepieces of their own and must rely entirely npon those provided by the gov- ernment. The hours of patrol are regulated and the observance of them cutered on the journal. For sig- nal purposes the houses are provided with field glasses which are not soefficientas an ordinary opera glass. Possibly the government pays for the best in every thing it contracts Lor regarding this werviee. If 80, it has been most woftlly dealt with, ‘THE BOAKD OF EXAMINELS, Every yeara Board of Examiners makes the rounds ‘of the district, presumabl, the rpose of look- ing into the condition of the ser nd of bettering: itif possible, This is a very useful and commendable committee, if its examination is carried out in the true spirit. But, asa general rule, the examiner is alieutenant from Washington who, perhaps, knows nothing vut the life saving service beyond what is printed in the book of rules and regulations, none of which are of much p al utility, The questions for ipally to the international code r of nocd is discharged be- cause he cannot promptly answer questions which he knows are not of the slightent use to the service. When the time comes to put up flags on the flagstai? to signal a vessel in distress the weather is generally too hazy to distinguish them at any considerable distance. The time would be more profit ably spent in yetting out the surfboat or the mortar apparatus, Bosides, few of — the inasters of coasting vessels know snything about the international signal code, The surimen make fun of the flags, and im some cases prepare for the examination in an {i * manner, Ieaw the en tire list of vignals pas on the boat room door & one station, and, while the examining Heutenant sat with his back to the door, each question, the answer before tts Board also summdus the crew out practice rey By se connis “ the sea. It would be well on such occasions if one of these lieutenants were to go in the boat with the crew, The book gives rules for going to seaward, approsching a rah) ‘and coming ashore through the “Why,” said an old surfman, “if reliance could ba placed’ on that book any yreenhorn could stand in the stern of a boat with tne steering oar in one hand and the book in the other and do as well as the best of us. Do they pretend to reduce the surf to rule and measure to guide a boat according to set regulations ? When I take the steering our in hand Icannot tell precisely what I’m going to do, It all depends on the sea, and a very treacherous customer she is. At times it is almost instinct that guides us through broken waters—the instinct that a litelong experience in the surf brings with it.” it is the same thing in the use of the mortar appa ratus. The surfmen know when, where and how to apply it, and take advantage of every favorable cir- cumstance. At one statioa the of ers detained the crew for examination although a wreck was reported, and, when the crew of the adjoining house arrived, they were ordered to go to the assiat- auce of the endangered mariners, while the men in whose district the wreck occurred were obliged to re- main and answer foolish questions. A Board of Ex- aminers consisting of the superintendent of the dis- trict and a few experienced surtmen would be of more benefit to the service than those sent from Washington. THE SURYMEN OF LONG ISLAND, It would be difficult to find a finer body of men than those comprising the crews of the government houses along the Long Jsland coast. They are more intelligent than would be expected of men whose lives have been spent in the surt, sober in the strict- est sense of the word and fearless in any danger. That their religious principles have not been neglected may seen from the fact that every time they sit down to a meal an earnest rayer is offered up by one of the crew. They employ their leisure hours during the day, when the weather is fine, in decorating their houses with fanciful adornments, or in fishing, gun- uing or making pretty devices out of wood with the aid of a turning lathe. At Fire Island is a surfman gifted with a pair of legs of such preposterous length that the keeper is seriously contemplating the mak- ing of a “faking box’’ to coil his legs in when he g into the surfboat. The men live in the most perfect eee and give the most implicit obedience to the eeper. TRAVELLING ON THE BEACH. . From Montank Point to Coney Island, in midwin- ter, the journey along the beach is anything but pleasant. One must depend on his powers as 4 pedes- trian for a considerable part of the way. When the sea is ole scsi smooth the surfboat may be used tor a short distance. West of Quogue, the ice- boat came in opportunely, although there were many ominous air holes in the ice of the Great South Bay, before the last northwester set in. The inlets are filled with rifting ice at this season and considerable delay is experienced in crossing them. It is not a pleasant matter to be caught on Jones’ Inlet in @ snow storm, with nothing buta “sharpey,” or small sailboat, to depend upon. The few natives who dwell on the beach, separated from the main land by the Great South Bay, have a hard time of it during the winter. At ane farm house, nearly opposite port, is # farmer with a family of nineteen. Some of the younger members were amusing themselves iceboating, regardless of the fact that they were barefooted. ‘The hand car provided for the mortar apparatus is utterly mnkunadio Jee purpose. It should have four wheels instead of two, and the body might be twice its present size, without, however, increasing its weight, as itis more massive than is necessary. The need of an extra man and a horse for each sta- tion cannot be too strenuously urged upon the government. The service deserves all the assist- ance that can be given it, and the gallant men, the toilers of the seu, who devote themselves to the rescue of poor souls from the clutches of the angry surf, should be strengthened and encouraged in their noble miasion, When the sote-beset mariner finds himself near this terrible coast on a wild night, and the ominous sound of the breakers str’~>-s on his ear, the flash of the Coston light of the ygflant surt- man is to him a beacon of hope. And ever the fitful gusts between ‘A sound came from the land: It was the sound of the trampling sur? ‘On the rocks and the hard sea sand, RUSSIANS AT CABUL. THE RUSSO-AFGHAN VERSION OF THE AMEER’S CONDUCT TOWARD THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT— LAST DAYS OF ABDULLAH JAN. The Cabul correspondent of the Golos, who musb have been a member of General Stolictoff’s mission, writes a long letter (his third), dated the 1th of Oc- tober, as tothe manner in which the Russian em- bassy was received in the capital of the Amecr. He says:— The mission of General Stolietoff arrived in Cabul on July 29. In the evening the city was illumina- ted. * * * At about noon every day the Vizier, Dabir-ul-Mulk, paid the General « visit, and @ con- sultation regarding the convention then followed. Several times Stolietoff went straight to the Ameer, articularly when there was any misunderstanding Between the two beget parties. The convention embraced the Afghan form of government in general, the question of anovesalon, the recog nition by Russia of the existing order of things in Afghanistan, &c. As ards an offensive and de- fensive ailiance between Russia and Afghanistan, it is simply an invention of the English press, ever ready to magnify a fly into anelephant. I know tor acertainty that in the written convention nothing of the kind is mentioned. However, in that docu- ment Russia promises to support morally the inviolae bility of Afghanistan. Meanwhile the other members of the mission began to feel weary of the monotonous life they spent within four walls, Every one was ex- tremely anxious to visit the town to sce its bazaar, om at any rate to take a drive or ride around Cabul, which lay temptingly at the foot of the palace ocen- pied by our mission. Vain desire! At the palace gates stands the guard of honor, which allows no one to pass without the permission of the Vizier, Wateh- men are stutioned at every wall. All this appeared too reverential to the inembers of the embas: The, several times expressed to General Stolietoff their de- sire to visit the city or its environs, but always met with a decided retusal, which was explained on the ground that there was nothing worth seeing in the town. Another reason adduced was the fear of ex- citing the fanaticism of the populace VISIT TO THE DYING PRL ‘The physician to our embassy at had an op- portunity of visiting the city. On the 3d of August he was sent for by General Stolietoff, whé informed him that he was requested to pay # profess sional visit to the heir gg Abduliah Jan, who had been suddenly taken ill. To reach the residence of the Prince it was necessary to pass through @ part of the town and through the bazaar. In per- forming his journey be observed that the buildings and the general appearance of the streets were the same as in the towns of Central Asia—narrow, close streets, with low, dirty houses and shops, The house in- babited by the Prince consisted, as usual, of a large courty: surrounded by high walls. Along the walis stood » number of covered My aap oreover, some palanquins were carried in, and figures: dressed in white, with faces concealed, emerged from them while others were taken away with women in them similarly wrapped up. It appeared that the physician was in the harem and that the young Prince was iu his mother’s palace. In the middle of the courtyard on @ stone terrace, rose a building resembling a pavil- ion, with—what is rare in the East—large gue windows. It was quite light in the Tegan which was built on such an eminence that t reater be of Cabul could bé seen trom its windows. ‘ha furniture consisted of two ordinary ‘and several armchairs. The windows looking to the sun had matted cane blinds hung over them. In the depth of the pa were a number of people gathered round a bed, of which an old man, with an Uzbeck cast of countenance, was seated, holding the young Prit in his arms. The Prince was fifteen years old. European had ever beheld him. The physician our embassy was the first and unfortunately th last European that ever saw Abdullah Jan. approached the patient's bed, examined him an@ then told his dresser what medicine to prepare. Those who surrounded the sick Prince respecitully and servilely regarded the doctor, anxious to know what he would say. It appeared from the physician's inquiries that the patient had previously suffered {rom pa-pitation, to cure which he was sent to the hills, from whence he had, returned three days ago, feeling comparatively well. As soon, however, as ha rew to Cabul the symptoms of his old complain returned, and with increased severity, Then ua tive doctors, according to the rules of their art, gave Pate cathartic, telopy vo 7 +n iron M4 of dysentery. After two days’ suffering the patien| lost consciousness, and remained in that state tillhis death, KEEPING THE ENGLISH OUT. The tiations between the Afghan officials and Genoral Stolictoff continued from day to day, and be« fore any final agreement was arrived at the treaty was written and re times, When the nego- tiations were over Shere Ali Khan informed General Stolictoff that he had received news that the English also desired to send a mission to Cabul and wished to know whether the Ameer would receive it. The Amcer then remarked that in bis opinion the English had no business in Cabul, and that therefore he had decided to refuse their Dg However, the Ameer asked General Stolietoff's opinion as to how he should act in such a case, The General answered evasively without giving @ decided reply, either af- firmative or negative. But for all that he made the Ameer understand that the simultaneous presence of the Embassies of two countries almost at en mity with each other would not prove quite convenient. Then the Ameer finaily decided to reject the English Mission, The excuse for the refusal was the danger of the road through the Khyber Pass, as the Amecr was unable to ine that the English would not be subjected to Histeeatment on ti way. ‘The subsequent conduct of the British officers aud the Ameer are well known, RUSSIANS WITH SHERE ALL The next day, the 12th of August, General Stolie+ toff, with the physician to the Embassy and ten Cossacks, started for Tashkend. From information we have just received Stolietof arrived in 'Tashkend on the 4ti mber, having travelled 1,300 versts (000 miles) of dificult road in twenty-two days. ‘Tho following members of the Russian Embassy have remat in Cabul:—Colonel off, the topoy- rapher Benderskt, Secretary Malev Nazaroff and Zeamwan beck, with servants and elev |, Lieutenant | a