The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-04-18
AN ICE.BOUND PAIR.
WINTER EXPERIENCES OF THE MAN AND WIFE AT
THE CRIB-THREE MONTHS ALONE
AMID SEA OF ICE.
TCleyeland Herald

Cleveland Herald
Henry Best and his wife, who have charge O
the crib, have had, perhaps, the most Sensational
experience during the past winter OF any famil,
III or about Cleveland. The couple are enjoy ms
the pleasant spring weather as highly az an.
body and are commencing, not to make garden
but to do such chores about their habltatlon al
| the circumstances will allow. Herald reporter
paid them q visit Thursday afternoon and found
Mr.. Best busy whitewsshing the inside OF the
roof and woodwork Of the CRIB, while Mrs. Best
was engaged in other employment about theil
solitary home.
| They stated that in November ice formed on
| the lake, and from that time on, for three long
months, they were utterly alone and entirely I'M
able to reach the shore. The ice at times Was
| strong enough to bear their weight, but 1t was
| no. safe to leave the crib for any distance, as
spaces Of water were frequently created between
! the crib and the ice which would not close up for
| several hours. They told our reporter that the
| fury Of the winds and surSinG of the ice Were
the crib twenty feet high and the farce of the
wind and waves shook the who's structure,
| strong and firm as it was.
On the night of the 23I Of January, at about IL
o'clock, the building was rocked with such vio-
lence that Mr.. and Mrs. Best became thoroughly
alarmed Jumping from their bed they renamed
on the floor until daylight, expecting almost
every minute to find their habtatien CA sized
and they left at the mercy Of the furious powers
that RACED without. The building shook so that
splashed out and their bed moved about on its
castors The hours OF darkness were anything
but cheerful and pleasant, and that particular
night will be remembered as notable one III
their experience. The situation was such as to
recall that OF Enoch Arden when
"a shp.wrecked sailor waiting for sail,
No sail from DAY to day.
However, they stood it until morning, when
the wind went down and that dread time of peril
was over. Sometime during one OF the violent
storms that prevailed the heavy iron sheetng ON
the outside wall Of the crib was broken in two
places by the surSinS of the large cakes of ice.
One day III February the ice was safe about the
crib, and appeared TO be so all the way to the
shore, SO MIS-. Best started to walk to the city.
Her husband watched until he saw her arrive
afe on land but when the hour came for her re-
turn the ice had moved away from the shore and
she was not able to venture out.
1t was two weeks later before Mr.. Best dared
to come in after her. He was, OF course, very
uneasy, not knowing but that she had started
home and was drowned, or what could have
delayed her coming; While she, in her anxiety
his welfare, lost ten pounds in weight
during these two weeks. Mr.. Best found his
wife iii the city, and they returned to the crib i'll
safety and made no moro attempts to come |
ashore until after the ice had entirely cleared |
away.
During the long seige Of winter the time was |
aUt unemployed. An ice house was built, and |
'welve tons Of splendid ice stored for summer !
Use. AL EludIIuu GUUut ANc leu III
vas built Of brick. where they intend keeping
lice lot Of fish OF all varieties. Mrs. Best EN-
oloyed much OF her time in cleaning the floors
md woodwork of the interior Of the crib, SO that
is now as neat as a new pin. AS
'astime Mr.. Best put iron runners on small row.
,oat, aud, by the aid Of sail, was able to pass
round over the smooth Ice on the more calm
lays with remarkable 1apldits and ease. In
answer to question Of the reporter as to what
hey would do in case Of sickness during the
winter time, the reply was that they didn't ex-
'ect to get sick, and hadn't thought OF doctors or
medicine. They had plenty Of good substs ntial
God to last the winter through, except in the
way of fresh meat; and, aside from the heavy
forms, they had lived as contentedly as could be
lesired. Tie husband has the best wife, and
he the best husband in that community and,
arring lie slight unpleasantness mentioned,
hey were one Of the Lapplest families under
he reign of Mayor Otis.
The reporter enjoyed his visit to the crib i'm
nensely, and is under oblisa' ions 10 Mr.. Law FOR
nc use OF row-boat, and TO two friends, whose
lislered hands are the unm:stahabie proofs of
hi rowing proWess.