Heroic Rescue Wrecks Health of Spencer

It would seem appropriate for the generous people of the noth shore to remember at this holiday season one of our most famous heroes of hte early day, the man who rescued seventeen lives at the wreck of the Lady Elgin on September 8, 1860.
Mr. Edward W. Spencer is now an old man, living with his aged wife in narrow circumstances at Burbank, California, broken in health, whose condition is owing to the exposure he suffured from on that day. A bronze tablet on the walls of the reading room of the Lunt library commemorates the deed.

It would seem appropriate for the generous people of the noth shore to remember at this holiday season one of our most famous heroes of hte early day, the man who rescued seventeen lives at the wreck of the Lady Elgin on September 8, 1860.
Mr. Edward W. Spencer is now an old man, living with his aged wife in narrow circumstances at Burbank, California, broken in health, whose condition is owing to the exposure he suffured from on that day. A bronze tablet on the walls of the reading room of the Lunt library commemorates the deed.

His Herold Work
Spencer, then a young man and a student at the Garrett Biblical Institute, hastened to the scene of the wreck with others, and boldly plunged into the furious breakers, where the survivors were drowning by scores, and drew them out one by one. In the course of the day he had thus rescued seventeen persons, and though others were successful in similar rescues, yet there was no one who approached his record on that occasion. It was the result of persevering efforts continued for many hours between moments of extreme exhaustion. Owing somewhat to his skill as a swimmer (though he was a slightly built man) and also to a determination to effect the rescues even at the risk of his life, he was able to save the lives of many who would have otherwise drowned in the goiling waves. He paid the price of his almost superhuman exertions by living out an invalid existance since that day. It must be remembered that all this occurred long before the life saving service was instituted.
Some year go a number of spencer's friends sought to procure a medal from congress recognizing his ervices in saving lives. Through the influence of hte late David D. Thompson, [unclear] supported by President Roosevelt, who with Secretary Certelyon became deeply interested in the matter, a bill was introduced in congress for that purpose. This bill was not passed, however, owing principally to the fact that it was feared a large number of other cases would demand similar attention; for although in later years medals are bestowed for such acts under the authority of the secretary of the treasury, it was considered that it would not be good policy to take up cases that had occurred so far in the past. Thus Spencer has had to rely upon the recognition due to him from the large number of those who have personal knowledge of the event. While his case was pending in congress the Evanston Historical Society sent a mass of data concerning the wreck, with an accurate narrative of the disaster and Spencer's distiniguished services in saving lives.
Contributions sent directly to Mr. Spencer would be greatly appreciated, as the writer is reliably informed form recent letters, and would relieve the necessities of a man who has glorified the history of the north shore as the records amply show.