Popniar Science Monthly 



807 



Beach Patrol of the 

 Coast Guard 



THE efficient beach-patrol 

 system maintained by 

 the United States Coast 

 Guard for the protection of 

 mariners was originated in 

 the early 'seventies by what 

 was then known as the Life 

 Saving Service. It is in op- 

 eration by night, from sunset 

 to sunrise, and also by day 

 when the weather is thick or 

 foggy. 



The crew at each Coast 

 Guard station is divided into 

 watches of two men each, 

 who are charged with the 

 duty of patroling a regular 

 beat, laid out in each direction from the 

 station along the shore, and var>-ing in 

 length, according to the conformation of the 

 coast, from one-half to four miles. The 

 patrolman is expected to keep a sharp look- 

 out to seaward. 



While the patrolman is out on his beat, his 

 watch-mate takes the station watch, which 

 is kept in the tower or on the beach abreast of 

 the station. Besides 

 keeping a watch sea- 

 ward, the station 

 man is on the look- 

 out for signals from 

 the patrolman. 

 When the latter, 

 having covered the 

 beat in one direc- 

 tion, returns to the 

 station, he takes the 

 station watch, and 

 his mate patrols in 

 the other direction. 

 In harbors and sea- 

 ports, fixed lookouts 

 are usually main- 

 tained instead of a 

 beach patrol. 



Every patrolman 

 carries a supply of 

 red Coston signals, 

 with which to give 

 warning to vessels 

 standing too close 

 inshore, or to notify 

 a vessel in distress 

 that he has gone to 

 summon the neces- 

 sary assistance. 



No two of the stones in this house are aUke. They were 

 gathered from all parts of the world and each has a history 



A "Crazy Patch" House Built of 

 Stones from Everywhere 



THE "crazy patch" house of David F. 

 Brown, in Punxsutawney, Pennsyl- 

 vania, is composed of stones from all parts 

 of the world. There are stones from every 

 State in the United States, stones from 

 Italy, Ireland, China, Japan, South America 

 and other places innumerable. Grind- 

 stones, millstones, 

 stones from the 

 Mammoth Cave, 

 from Pike's Peak, 

 from the home of 

 Patrick Henr>', from 

 the spot on which 

 General Lee surren- 

 dered and from 

 every historically 

 famous place in this 

 country, go to make 

 up the "crazy patch" 

 house. Over the 

 fireplace is a piece of 

 gold quartz from 

 South America. 

 It required two 

 years to build the 

 house, but Mr. 

 Brown and his 

 friends and relatives 

 who knew of his 

 hobby for collecting 

 odd stones, spent 

 much more time 

 than that getting the 

 necessary number of 

 stones of which no 

 two were alike. 



The patrolman keeps a sharp lookout to sea- 

 ward while his watch-mate guards the station 



