The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-09-26
From the Chicago Tribune. I

Reuben Burr, the sole survivor of the Inflated
Equi4ox, which went down during the storm OF
Friday, was picked up on Saturday morning. He
was floating on the pilot house, and had been
thlrty-one hours in the water. The poor fellow
was in very exhausted condition. His story is
rs follows:
"I turned in at 8 o'clock Thursday night The
sea was at that time running very high, with a
heavs wind. The sea was frightfuly rough, and
the ship was hard to steer-pretty well unman-
ageable. The captain told me to go and call the
owner. went intp the cabin, and saw the tw o
girls, who told me Capt. Scott had just gone aft.
/ then went aft, and the mate and | went down
the stairs. We saw the water coming in, but not
very bad. After doing what We could to stop it.,
the mate went forward and / went 'midships.
Directly afterward l heard dreadful rush of
water. / went aft once more, and saw the water
coming up the stairs clear to the upper deck.
I ran Forward and told the mate Of
our condition. He came aft with light.
The water was rushing in through loose board.
1 held the light and put my foot against the
board while the mate nailed it in its place. But
as soon as the board was nailed the water burst
it open again. The mate said: 'Its no use; we
are gone!' urged him to try again to fasten it,
4 yhich he did; but it was again forced open, and
the sea rushed in and put out the light. We
then came up and Informed the captain Of our
mishap. The owner, captain and myself could
do nothing. We made several Efforts to nail up
the board and stop the rush Of water, but they
were of no avail. The captain then called out
for an TX to chop open one of the gar gways to
roll out the barrels OF salt. several men ran to
execute the order. but before anything could be
done 10 that direction the captain cried out
sits no nse; we are gone! At that time the
upper deck was below the water. The captain
b ew the whistle to stop the engines, and cried
out for the men to leave the wheel l came aft
then, and tried to lower the boat on the starboard
side, bat the ship welt from under u.s. and we
were washed away. The Captain and myself
swan together side by siie for a short time, and
we then got hod of fender boards which kept
US afoat. At that time the wreck was keeping
the seas from the women, and they still cried out
to the schooner for help. | do not think the
boat could live after getting clear from the
wreck. l saw the first cook on one of the gang
ways stretched out full length, and the second
cook, who was o another board. The Captain
left hold Of the fender board and got on the
gangway. That was the last saw OF him.
t.rhe pilot-house tioated near me, and l man
aged to get on it. The cook passed by, and |
said he had better try to get on with me- but he
replied, No, am all right. He went to leeward
of me, and disappeared out OF my sight. The
second cook, who had life preserver on got on
the pilot-house with me. We managed to get
clear Of the wreck, and then lost sight Of the
others. We went with the wind, but the pilot
house was heavy, and did not drift very fast. We
held on by the pos which support the wheel.
The sea kept washing over us, and it WAS all we
could do to keep on. We stood side by side until
the break Of day, and had fearful time. The
other man seemed rather cheerful. l felt
times there was no chance OF being
saved, but he kept saying we would come out a |
right. We were both cold and wet, and scarce
knew what TO do to keep up our circulation. We
held on by one hand and pounded each other
with the other to keep warm. My companion
seemed to get weak toward the break Of day. He
complained Of his legs being tired and sat down
told him he would last To- ger If he stood up,
and I pulled him to his feet again. He stood
awhile, but every time the sea struck him his
ham way
keeping on his feet. He sat down perfectly ex-
hausted, of his legs siukng to the floor OF the
piIot-house. When day broke we signaled
Two schooners. He kept telling me TO-
to attract their attention to us, but to
satisfy HIM kept shouting for help. He was
getting We aker and weaker, and could not help
him in any way. At last he gave one shout for
help, ann his hands completely lost their power,
and he was not able to straighten up. | tried to
pull him up, but he rolled back and simply
proaned. His foot came out Of the hole in the
floor, and the sea washed him off the pilot-house.
1 grabbed him and pulled him on. Another
he avy sea came and washed him completely out
of my reach. He threw up. his hand slightly
and then sank. That would be about half-past
s Friday morning. l thought my turn had surely
come. Ny strength was falling fast, and had to
make strong efforts 10 keep standing. I knew if I
gave wayit would be alloverwith me. stamped my
feet as hard as could to keep warm, but just as
was at my last struggle saw something IKE
blanket floating up from the floor. pulled it
M and found it was blanket and white
spread This discovery was perfect blessing to
me- 1 bad no streogth to wiring out mach OF the
water / hung them on the posts for short
time and then wrapped them round me. They
seemed to warm me little, ana nerVed me 10
keep up But still shivered with the cold. The
time dragged on to midday. How it passed
can not tell.
At noon 1 saw two achooners, but my heart
sank when realized they were too far off to
r aIrtHt
another night Of it, but hoping all the time some
thing would come to save ME. was a little
warmer during the afternoon, and had somewhat
recovered my spirits. But the shlvers still erept
over me. The two schooners were al saw tuat
day. When the sun went down l became cold
again, and shook so I could scarce maintain my
hold of the posts had to stamp my feet ag.ln
to prevent losing the power OF my limbs: The
sea began to go down at night, and that helped
me little AT er dark | pulled the blankets
one of the posts, and encircled it with my arms
/ dozed off to sleep, but every time the spray
touched me | awoke with a start, cold and shlv-
ering. l dozed in this way all night and, strange
to say, the night seemed to past away very quick
At the break of day / imagined saw land, and
spread out the blankets TO catch the WIND. was
deceived in this, however; the land was only
some dark clouds. Off to the west L saw
q schooner, but she was far from the
my spirits again; l felt cheerful and
hopeful. The sun rose. and you can have
no idea bow happy it's rays made me. They
warmed and nerved me to hold out was then
in about the middle of the lake. About o'clock
the schooner Panama hove in sight. Those on
board saw me there was no need for me to hol-
lsr They sgnalled me, and | waved the bed
spread in response. 1 shall never forget my
feelings at this point. All my suffering was for
Tot in moment. only knew l was saved, and
the pangs of hunger and cold left me at the
thought. boat was lowered when the schooner
had neared me, and was taken safely on board
by 9 O'Clock.
THE EoUINoxIAL GALE he heavy storms of
late could not but make house keepers thins of
the bleak winter approaching, ard when its ap-
proach is realized no circumstance ought to pre-
vent an early visit 10 that extensive emporium
of J. Turcottes, No. 15S Canal street. corner OF
Raronne. Flannels blankets, and all other fall