Southampton’s life-saving
station long time in arriving
By John Weichel
Although Southampton did not get
a life-saving station until 1908, it was not for a lack of effort. Numerous
petitions were drafted over the years, most of them got up just after vessels
and lives had been lost on the doorstep of the village or on nearby shores.
The earliest known request for a Southampton station is recorded in the
minutes of the village council for Nov. 5 of 1859, when the Public Works
department was asked to supply “a first-class life boat.” The reason given
was “the frequent accidents occurring to vessels on our coast.”
No
action was taken by the government:
“Frequent accidents” on this coast was an understatement.
In the decade before the petition, there had been a dozen wrecks at Southampton
and vicinity: The Wing and Wing near Whitefish Island, with four lives lost, and
the Platina, at Southampton, both in 1848; the Rose of Pine River and the Saucy
Jack, both at Southampton in 1851, the Saucy Jack involving a loss of three
lives; the sloop Emma wrecked leaving Southampton harbor in 1852, four lives
lost; the Philo Scoville wrecked in the Fishing Islands, 1853; and the Oxford,
which had been working at Chantry, wrecked in the Fishing Islands, 1855; the
steamer Mazeppa at Chantry in 1856; the Resolution near Inverhuron, 10 lives
lost, and the Steamer Napoleon wrecked at Southampton, both in 1857; the
schooner Wave at Inverhuron, with two lives lost, and the Chieftain at Chief’s
Point both in 1858.
It was the wreck of the Nettie Woodward at Southampton on Aug. 31, 1892,
lost while trying to reach the Chantry Harbor of Refuge, that appears to have
brought about action, although it still took years to be an accomplished fact.
In the Woodward incident, two local men drowned. One of them, Joseph
Greathead, owned shares in the vessel. Capt. William Lambert, the island
lighthouse-keeper, rescued another three sailors who had been clinging to the
floating spars all night. In the
same month that the wreck occurred, Council drafted a petition requesting a
life-saving station:
Life-saving
station sought:
At the last meeting of council there was a draft of a
memorial to the Dominion Governments through the Hon. C. H. Tupper, minister of
marine, respecting the wreck of the Schooner Nettie Woodward that was wrecked
and sunk near the entrance of the harbour here and two of her crew drowned,
calling the attention of the government to the great bravery of Capt. William
Lambert, lighthouse keeper, in rescuing the three survivors of the said wreck,
after being in the water all night clinging to the floating spars, also of other
instances of bravery performed by Capt. Lambert and the council addressed the
government through the honorable Minister of Marine praying that a life saving
station may be established here that will afford such facilities as are required
to promptly render assistance to mariners in distress. (Port Elgin Times, Sept.
14, 1892)
The
following February, council drafted a second petition, again urging a lifeboat
station at the harbor of refuge. There
were several more casualties at Southampton in the next few years, although not
as many as usually occurred in a typical decade. The Greyhound was wrecked July
21, 1895 at Chantry. (The Greyhound also had been stranded at Chantry in 1889;
on both occasions Lighthouse keeper Lambert rescued the crew.)
There was another wreck in 1906, this time the Cavalier, wrecked at the
Long Dock in August of that year. Capt. Lambert rescued the crew of five. (The
Cavalier’s masthead, can be seen in
the Bruce County Museum’s Marine Gallery.)
(NOTE: There is a puzzling entry in the Southampton
village council minutes of Nov. 15, 1900. It states that “Donald McLeod has
been the means of saving seven lives from drowning in the last few years.”
Council recommended that Mr. McLeod should be awarded some recognition for his
life-saving. Research has failed to shed any light on this notation. There have
been several Donald McLeods in Southampton: One was the Donald “Dan” McLeod
who lived in what is now Glen Huron, near the Cenotaph, and was manager of the
Dominion Fish Company’s operation here. There appears to be different
spellings: McLeod/MacLeod ) One
month after the wreck of the Cavalier, Town Council (Southampton had now been a
town for two years) again petitioned the Marine Department for the establishment
of a life-saving station. The Port Elgin Times reported, on Sept. 20, 1906:
“The request ought to be granted.” It
was a proud mayor Lt. Col. A. E. Belcher who announced in the local weekly, The
Beacon, on April 25, 1907, that a life-saving station had finally been approved
for Southampton:
After many years of persistent effort—and it shows what
can be accomplished by everlastingly keeping after it—the Mayor informs us
that he has a letter from the Minister of Marine that funds have been placed in
the estimates and that a life-saving station will be established here at once.
Mayor Belcher states that in every year he has been either councilor,
reeve or mayor, he has moved in this matter; at last it is an accomplished fact.
The town is fortunate in having the “Best of Men” here to man the boat; and
the grant is a nice little sum for those who will be selected.
By September of that same year, 1907, the life-saving boat had arrived
and was being prepared for duty: The
new life-saving boat has arrived and is at present in the shop of Mr. Ed. Longe
near the river dock. The boat is a 27-footer with a 7-foot beam and is a
self-bailer. It is a sturdy craft, which was formerly used at Long Point. There
is an appropriation made by the government of $1,700 for a new life-saving
station here. (Beacon, Sept. 19, 1907)
Construction of the life-saving station had not been
started and the lifeboat was still in the Longe workshop when further disaster
struck—two schooners were wrecked within hours of each other in early October.
One could have used the services of a life-saving crew.
The Erie Stewart was the first, striking the island pier about 50 feet
from the gap. (See fo’c’s’le, No. 27, November 1993) The crew clung to lifelines for hours (See page 19) until
rescued by the lighthouse keeper. Several hours later, the schooner Ontario
grounded on the beach near the river harbor.)
Near the end of October, two officials of the Department
of Marine and Fisheries in Ottawa arrived in town to choose a location for the
life-saving station. The Beacon set
out to help them in their decision, pointing out that there were four options.
First was Chantry Island, which the weekly decided was “out of the question
because the crew will be a volunteer one and only Mr. McIver (the light keeper)
lives over on the island.” Second
choice was at the river harbour. This had a lot going for it, the paper
reported, being handy to the town and for the crew, and being protected from the
waves while the boat was being launched. However, the paper point out there was
a danger of a washout in the spring freshets.
Third option, according to the Beacon, was the Harbor of Refuge (known
today as the Long Dock) with its advantage of protection while launching a boat.
However, it was a long distance away from the crew.
The fourth choice, the newspaper noted, was one that it had heard the
government men favored, and that was on the lake-shore. It was the most central
and “most likely to be nearest any wrecks, but what about launching a boat in
the breakers which are generally rolling in there when wrecks occur? It appears
to us to be almost an impossibility.” The
government men chose the lakeshore, as the newspaper expected, picking a site
just north of the foot of Palmerston Street. This was in the area of the old
“Bogus Dock” which had been the first lakeshore wharf for steamers at
Southampton. The Beacon of April
13, 1908, provides an excellent description of the station, its construction and
features:
The
Life-Saving Station:
The new
life saving station on the beach is now complete, Mr. T. H. Brewer and his
assistants having put the finishing touches on last week. The estimated cost of the station was $1,700 but owing
to the lateness of the season, and the consequent bad weather conditions, the
cost exceeded the estimates by about $300. The putting out of the runway had to
be abandoned last fall, owing to the heavy sea rolling in, and has just been
completed. Ice to the depth of four feet had to be cut through to get the crib
work in this spring. The runway now goes out over 100 feet from the station, and
about 20 cords of stone were used in the crib work as ballast. A landing is
built alongside the runway for the crew to get into the boat when going out.
The station is a substantial structure 20 by 36 feet, with an upstairs
apartment for the use of the crew. The town council has installed a stove and it
is expected they will also provide chairs and a table.
We understand that a powerful electric light will also be put at the
front of the building for use on dark nights to show the crew the location of
the station. It is also expected that a telephone connection will be made with
Chantry Island, so that the lighthouse keeper, who is in a good location to see
wrecks, may communicate with the crew in town.
Capt. John MacAulay has been appointed coxswain and he
selects a crew of seven. The coxswain gets $75 and each member of the crew $28
per annum for practices, and extra pay when out to a wreck. The lifeboat, although not a new one, is a substantial craft,
and is pulled up the runway into the station by rope and pulley, which one man
can operate. While we hope that
there will be little work for the crew, still our citizens now have a
satisfaction in feeling that when a wreck does occur; we have here proper
facilities for the saving of any lives, which may be in danger.
Many remarks of a commendatory character are heard around town for the
thorough manner in which the work has been done under Mr. Brewer’s direction,
and if all government officials do their work as well then the government is
well served. The lifeboat
crew got a good workout that same fall when the steamer King Edward ran onto the
South Reef at Chantry Island in dense fog. The bottom was stove in and the fire
in the boiler was soon put out. The
lighthouse keeper notified the life-saving crew, and they went out to the
steamer immediately. The Beacon of Sept. 10, 1908 reports the crew returned to
shore and got Reeve Dobson’s tug, the J. B. McLeod, returned for the
passengers and crew and transferred them to shore. (There apparently was time
for everyone to have breakfast before they were brought ashore.)
A native of Southampton, Murray Morton, of Toronto, says
his mother told a good story about the incident. David (“The Buckle”) Smith
was then a member of the life-saving station’s crew. His wife Mary was a
passenger, along with her young son Joseph, on the King Edward on the night trip
to Southampton when the ship ran aground. As the ship hit the shoal, the captain
asked the passengers: “Does anyone know if there is a life-saving station at
Southampton?” Mrs. Smith is reported (in Mrs. Morton’s story) to have said:
“Indeed there is, and my Dear David is a member of the crew.”
Move
Planned:
In November of 1912, Southampton agreed to a Federal
Government request that it be allowed to move the Life-saving station to
property owned by the Town between the Long and Short docks at the harbor. The
Town added the stipulation that should it need the lot for any purpose in the
future, the Government would have to move the station at its own expense.
Before the month of November was over, Town Council informed the
Government that it had changed its mind, and was asking that another site be
chosen. The reason given for the change of heart was “owing to the
desirability of the site between the docks for commercial purposes,” with the
added thought that the lot “does not seem large enough to accommodate both
intentions.” On Nov. 28, the
Beacon reported that the Government had abandoned the plan to move the station
to the dock area. In May of 1918,
it was announced in the Beacon that the Dominion Government would be moving the
station “on the beach here to Chantry Island harbor where it will be placed on
the shore near the short dock.” The
Beacon of May 23, 1918, reported: In
stormy weather it is almost impossible to launch the lifeboat from present
station. A gang of men is now engaged at the task and we believe the intention
is to move the building along the shore on rollers. The station was not moved to the beach, however, but
was placed on the Long Dock, several hundred yards out
from shore. (Those who believe the station was once on the island
breakwater—that is, across the Gap—are mistaken).
There were
numerous incidents requiring the live-saving crew during the 1920s and 30s.
Whether the service was called upon in each case is not known. The tug A. V.
Crawford was wrecked in September of 1928; there was a drowning in the river in
1930; the Francis P. Richie was wrecked on Chantry Shoal in 1931, and Simon
Matheson, a local fisherman, rescued an American couple out on the lake; the
fishing boat J. H. McDonald burned and a local fisherman drowned, both in 1934,
and in 1936, three bodies from a Saginaw Bay, Michigan, wreck, drifted ashore
here. In July of 1937, the Town
received news indicating that the local life saving station was likely to be
abandoned. The Beacon reported that the Department regarded the local lifeboat
as having outlived its usefulness. Extensive repairs were needed and the
government felt the expense was not justified.
Several months later, the life-saving station was closed.
Lifeboat
is Removed:
The Government supply boat, Ste. Heliers, was at the
local harbor this week with lighthouse supplies, and also removed the
life-saving boat from the local station which is to be closed by the Department.
We understand the large crane used for hauling out the gas buoy will be removed
from the island harbor to the Saugeen river dock; also that a new improved fog
horn is to be installed soon at the river harbor. (Beacon, September, 1937.)
The Chantry Harbour (Long dock) was already out of favor and in
disrepair. In 1933, at a public meeting called so residents could decide between
the Chantry Island harbour or the Saugeen River harbour, those present chose the
river harbour be kept in repair. Dredging began in the river several years
later. By 1936, the Long Dock was
in bad state of repair. The Beacon of Aug. 27 reported:
That the Long Dock at Chantry Island harbour is a very favorite spot for
our townspeople and visitors is quite evident judging from the protests being
heard about the state of repair that the structure has now reached. Numerous
fires and the action of the elements have played havoc with the dock until it
has now reached the point that is dangerous for people to use who frequent it.
Since the government has abandoned the harbour no repair work has been done, and
the dock has gradually become worse. The
Council are circulating a petition which, when completed, will accompany their
representation to the Department that repairs to the dock in the form of a walk
be constructed. This would enable people to walk to the end without danger and
would insure the popularity of this fishing spot.
Considering the number of persons who use the dock for fishing and
walking and in view of its importance as a tourist attraction
The work was never done and the Long Dock continued to deteriorate. No
evidence of it remains above water today.
The old Life-Saving Station was sold in the fall of 1937
to Hector Diebel, a local fisherman. In
November of 1937, The Beacon noted that Mr. Diebel was engaged at the moment in
moving the building and would convert it for use as a summer cottage at the
beach. The cottage still stands
today, on the north side of Beach Road, just up from the parking lot for the
beach. The year after the station
was removed, the 245-ton Islet Prince burned at the Long Dock. The following
year, a 70-year-woman drowned in the river, and a major maritime disaster was
averted at Chantry. This involved the government supply ship, Ste. Heliers,
.Fire broke out on the Ste. Heliers, but fortunately was extinguished.
She was carrying 1,000 barrels of oil for Great Lakes lighthouses.
Innis MacRitchie of Sylvania, Ohio, (brother of Alex McRitchie—note
spelling) suggests that the
Propeller Club of Southampton might put a suitable plaque on the historic
building
The records listed below have been gathered by John Weichel. Where ?? exists the records are not clear.
1914
Hector McLeod (48)
Macolm J. Matheson, stroke oar (59)
Malc Matheson 2nd oar (28)
Neil Mathesopn 3rd oar (24)
4th oar ??
Daniel McLeod 5th oar (22)
Neil McPhail 6th oar (48)
Fred White (?) (40)
1915
Hector McLeod (coxswain)
Malcolm J. Matheson
Fred white
Neil McPhail
Hillard McLeod
Daniel McLeod
Malc. Matheson
Notes: Henry Betridge is on the pay list for part of 1915. Hilliard McLeod, age 26, recommended by Charles Green, president of the Conservative Association of Southampton
1915 --- Report by Hector Mcleod, coxswain, involving the life station crew and drowning of Capt. John Munro: "On Thursday evening one of the fishing tugs picked up the boat (a small sail boat) belonging to Capt. Munroe off Southampton. He had gone out trolling and apparently fell out of the boat and was drowned. He was seen in the boat about 15 or 20 minutes before his boat was picked up. But, no one saw him fall out of the boat. He was an old Lake captain of 73 years of age. As soon as word was received that the tug picked up his boat, we took out the lifeboat and grappled for the body from 6:30 to 10:30 at night and we also went out with the lifeboat on Friday, Saturday and all day Sunday. But we did not locate the body. The family of Capt. Munro also had expert grapplers here from Toronto. But they were also unsuccessful. The Lake bottom is very rough here and it takes it almost impossible to grapple for a body. However, the body will likely rise in a few days and we will be on the watch for it. Kindly advise us if we will send in those trips as practice trips (or otherwise) in our report. Our rules do not say what we are to do in case of accidental drowning" (Note from vice-admiral - send in for an extra drill, for the 15th. The work on Friday, Saturday and Sunday cannot be recognized as life saving service. C.E. Kinsmill) The department later said it had no objection, if some of the friends of Capt. Munro want to use the lifeboat to continue looking for the body.
1916
Hector McLeod (coxswain)
M. J. Matheson
Malc. Matheson
Fred White
Edward Baker
Henry Bettridge
George C. Pullen
Levi Indoe
Neil McPhail
1917
Hector McLeod (coxswain)
Malc. Matheson
Fred White
H. Bettridge
Angus McRitchie
ed Baker
Malcolm Matheson
Charles Shular
Neil McPhail
1918
Hector McLeod (coxswain)
Malc Matheson
Ed Baker
Angus McRitchie
Oliver Stephen
M. ? Matheson
R. Gazel
Levi Indoe
Neil McPhail
Aug. 25, 1918 letter from Hector McLean: "At 3:30 a.m. the steam barge Scranton got on the reef at Chantry Island, north reef. Loaded with wheat from Chicago bound for Goderich. She blew her distress whistle at 3:40. I got busy and got crew together to the Scranton, and at 4:30 were were alongside of the barge. We stayed by her `til 6:30 `til the tugs came out. She is on there yet, but they are unloading the wheat off her today. Everything worked fine at the new station, only that there is no lights, but we used a lantern." (Told to forward pay list for one night. Sept. 5)
1919
Hector McLeod (coxswain)
Fred White
Malcolm J. Matheson
Angus McRitchie
Oliver Stephenson
Robert Gazel
Ed baker
Levi Indoe
Neil McPhail
(Notes: A. G. Saunders may have also been on the list. "M.L. ? Matheson considered too old for work")
1920
Hector McLeod (captain)
Neil McPhail
Edward Baker
Fred White
Oliver Stevenson
James Morton
John Mc:hail
Robert Gazel
Angus McRitchie
(Notes: Levi Indoe is shown as a crew member for part of 1920)
April 6, 1920. Hector McLeod describes call to retrieve two men on ice April 6. "Will we call it an drill?" Later, account shows they were paid a day's service.
1921
On March 10, 1921, the crew helped release a fishing boat ashore half a mile below Chantry Island. (this was the City of Mons, owned by Capt. James McHaney. On shoal. "A few hours work succeeded in removing it." march 10, 1921, Angus McRitchie. (Possible crew members: Neil McPhail, Jack McPhail, Ed Baker, Fred White, ?? James Morton, ?? Stevenson, ?? Barnett, Norman Murray. Not sure this is related to the City of Mons incident.)
1927
John McLean (coxswain) (Took over in May from Angus McRitchie)
Donald Morrison
Malc. Matheson
Dan McKay
Hugh MacDonald
Dan MacDonald
Wm. E Longe
Percy Baker
John McPahil
(Notes: John McLean's letter said he was a competent seaman, had had navy training in England, and had been "on the water practically all my life")
1927 -- John McLean reported: Boathouse "in poor condition." Windows all broken and boarded up. No oil in lanterns. Lock needs replacing". "Between us, the lifeboat station at Southampton could be greatly improved."
1928
John McLean (coxswain)
Wm. Longe
Peter Valdemar Nielson
Harry Brown
John McPhail
Percy Baker
Cliford Shular
George McKenzie
Gordon R. Gibbons
1929
Crew removed the Light Keeper from the island where he had been marooned by ice conditions.
1930
(This list is dated March 20, 1931, but says it is last year's crew -- 1930)
John McLean coxswain
William Longe, boatman
Percy Baker
John McKay
Cliff Shular
Jack McPhail
Tomas W. Shular
Donald McKeay
Hugh McLean
(Also shown is Harry Longe, for part of the season)
1931
Angus McRitchie commenced duties as coxswain on May 6, 1931, on the recommendation of Wm. Mitchell of Kincardine. He replaced John McLean as coxswain. McRitchie to choose own crew. $75 per annum, and each crew member including coxswain to get $2 per drill.
August 29, 1931 went to assistance of motor launch Francis P. Ritchie of Chicago, wrecked on north end of Chantry Island. Crew already removed by local motor boat.
1931 -- Alex McRitchie replaced Harold Bettridge who resigned. Alex born Nov. 20, 1910.
1931 list of supplies to the station:
3 pair of rubber boots
9 coats (oilers)
9 hats
18 life belts
20 oars
four lanterns
one pike pole
one flag and pole.
1 coil of one-inch rope
half a gallon white paint
half a gallon grey paint
one quart red paint
two paint brushes
one compass
one broom
assorted ropes.
1931 - j. N. Arthurs (superintendent of lights, marine branch of Department of Marine and Fisheries) wrote on Dec. 28, 1931 that "conditions do not warrant the maintenance of even a volunteer station, and I would recommend that the Southampton station be discontinued." He also commented: "Owing to the distance the crew would have to travel to station, on average about one-quarter mile, I doubt its effectiveness." He said the service could be "looked after by one of the tugs, motor, or other small boats." He already abandoned the pier. He noted that it was rapidly falling into decay. "In a very short time it will become 50 percent a complete wreck."
1932
May 11 list:
Angus McRitchie (coxswain 49)
Frederick L. White (b. Sept. 4, 1884) (new member)
Rial McVittie (b. Dec. 27, 1902) (new member Lake Captain, Liberal)
Edward Baker (49)
Henry Bettridge (49)
Alex McRitchie (22)
Fred L. White (48)
Hugh McLean (220
Clifford Shular (30)
Richard Fenton (49)
(Note: A March, 1932 list has Sam Huff, Jack McPhail and Thomas Shular, pluss all those shown on May 4 list)
1933
April 19 list:
Angus Mcritchie (coxswain 50 years)
Clifford Shular (31)
Richard Fenton (5??)
Alex McRitchie (23)
Hugh MacLean (23)
Edward Baker 949)
Henry Bettridge (50)
Fred L. White (49)
Rial McVittie (31)
1933 -- A Public Works letter of Nov. 22 mentions that Chantry Island breakwater "not being maintained."
1933 -- The erection of a summer cottage on Sub. lot 18 was going to close the road to the breakwater, according to PW letters. Old road passed through Lot. 18. An alternate route along Front Street was suggested.
1934
May 3 list:
Angus McRitchie (coxwain)
Edward Baker
Clifford Shular
Henry Bettridge
Richard Fenton
William John Saunders (b. Jan. 13, 1900 Bell Furniture Co. Southampton)
Alex McRitchie
Fred White
(Note: In August, 1934, Earnest (sic) David Sular became boatman.)
1935
Angus McRitchie (coxswain)
Ed Baker
Clifford Shular
Hugh McLean
Earnest Shular
William Saunders
Richard Fenton
Alex McRitchie
Henry A. Bettridge
(Note: Pay received July 3, 1935 for extinguishing fires evidently in the framework of the government dock on April 26 and May 17)
1935 -- Letters from J. G. Macphail, for assistant deputy minister, to the agent department of marine, Parry Soun, Aug 8 1935: "Several members of the crew assisted in extinguishing a fire at the government dock on July 20th. I would point out that this is the third occasion this year that similar fire assistance has been rendered -- first on April 26, then again on May 17, and on July 20. This would seem rather unusual and the department wants the matter investigated. ... the report to show if the services of the life-saving crew were requested and if so, by whom."
1936
Angus Mcritchie (April 1 to May 21, 1936 coxswain. Amended to read Nov. 1, 1935 to May 31, 1936)
John MacKay (succeeds Angus McRitchie as coxswain)
John Beresford
robert Mahon
Cecil Martindale
Donald Mckay Jr.
William Saunders.
Notes: (All of the above, plus Angus McRitchie, were named on a recommended list for the year 1936. a letter from the department shows that coxswain must not be less than 21 years, or over 50 years. Also, the deputy minister is shown asking that all the men in the list above be examined as to fitness, etc. Requirements, as set out in a letter dated April 2, 1936, are: Able-bodies, familiar with the line of coast embraced within his district, and possessed of a thorough knowledge of the management of surf and lifeboats, and of the use of the various apparatus employed in the service.)
Examination in 1936 by J. N. Arthurs revealed:
John McKay, 52, returned soldier, ex-Imperial navyman; over the age, but would give satisfactory service: unemployed at the time.
Angus McRitchie, 53, rugged type, does not look his age, follows local fishing business ashore and at sea; well acquainted with coast; would make an excellent boatman.
John McLean, 60, was once coxswain, back injury, still suffering. "Not a fit subject for position."
William Eldridge of local Liberal Association recommended Cecil Eagles? "this man Eagles` father is also a member of the local Liberal Association.")
Alex McRitchie, 25, son of Angus, able-bodied. 160 pounds, well acquainted with coast, efficient in handling of boats; would no doubt make good man for position. Employed at local factory.
John Beresford, 30, able-bodied, well acquainted with coast. Employed in fishing industry.
Robert Mahon: This man gave his age as 48, but in my opinion he looks much older, and locally those that seemed to know place his age at anywhere from 60 to 65. Unemployed. Local opinion seemed to say that he didn't need to be. he told me he sailed all his life. Bachelor.
Cecil Martindale: 34 rugged type, employed about five years on tugs.
Donald Mckay, Jr. 25, boatman, son of John (coxswain) well acquainted with coast; satisfactory.
William Saunders, 36, about 170 pounds, able bodied. An excellent applicant.
(Notes: Lengthy correspondence in 1936 between Department and Station here shows that A. Eagles is on the crew, although it is confusing. In one place, Albert Eagles is mentioned; in other, it is Arthur Eagles. Correspondence also suggests that boatman Cecil Martindale was replaced by Percy Stevens. In speaking with Ab, he says that Arthur was a mistake and it is indeed life long resident Ab Eagles)
1937
Arthurs recommends that lifesaving station be discontinued and building advertised for sale. (Long description of the building and its description) Boathouse was listing over on the pier. Condition could be considered to be very poor. Would cost lot to move it since pier is in such poor condition. A better way is to lower it on a scow and tow away or when ice is well taken in winter lower it on to cradle and drag it to beach. Value $100. Supporting piles much decayed and badly chiseled by ice. Some piles carried away; others heaved up. Roof boathouse poor and weather beaten. Salvage officer notified (Please note that this structure was moved to Beach Street as a cottage and still stands today. It looks wonderful. Great buy! Mike Sterling)
1937 --- Lifesaving Station closed Aug. 17, 1937. Building disposed of (throught tenders) to Southampton Lumber Co. Of Southampton for $110. Purchaser to pay all expense in connection with demolition and removal. On Nov. 16, purchaser advised that they have completed removal. The department asked Clayton Knechtel, Chantry Lighthouse Keeper, to inspect. He reported that "the building is moved off the dock ashore and everything cleaned up in reasonable shape. A portion of the dock caved in on the old site, but this was through no fault of theirs."
