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tHe HistoRy oF tragically froze to death after their
Ruland FuneRal Home three-masted schooner
ran aground in an ice storm on
In 1856, John R. Smith founded February 8th.
what would eventually become the The wreck of the Louis V. P l a c e i s
Ruland Funeral Home. one of the most widely remembered
tragedies that occurred on Fire
Mr. Smith worked from his home Island.
providing undertaking services to The small schooner carrying a cargo
families in the greater Patchogue of coal from Baltimore to New York
a re a . I n t h e l ate 1 86 0’s , Joh n Smith stranded on a sand bar…in the icy
teamed up with Charles Wallace conditions of February 1895. …
Ruland and formed Smith & Ruland Heavy weather began to cause
Undertakers. As his health declined, the Louis V. Place’s sails , r i g g i n g ,
M r. S m i t h retire d in th e late 1880’s and hull to ice up. By the 7th the
leaving Mr. Ruland to continue on ship would essentially be what was
as C. W. Ruland Funeral Services described as a “drifting iceberg.”
and quickly purchased the former …..the frozen ship stranded on
Patchogue Laundry building when February 8.
that company moved to a larger Two adjacent U.S. Life S a v i n g
facility on Main Street Stations were already working
across from the Post to rescue a ship, the John B.
Office at that time. Manning … about a mile away from
the Louis V. Place. (They) … q u i c k l y
In 1895, C. W. Ruland CW Ruland realized that ice and strong waves
gained notoriety for made it impossible to launch a
his selfless work in rescue boat; the Place’s cre w w o u l d
caring for the sailors of have to be rescued by the breeches
th e L o u i s V. P lac e wh o
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