The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1875-09-17
THEONE MAN WHO ESCAPED
A THRILLING NARRATTVE or THE
loss or THE EQUINOX.
DespnirinR Efforts TO stop n Leak - The
Stenmcr'sAw fui PiunRe-Thirty-one Hours
on n Hit Of Wreck In Terrible storm.
From the chicago Tribune.

| steamers wful PiunReLThirty-on Hours
on n hit Of Wreck in n Terrible storm.
From me chicago Tribune
| Reuben Burr, the sole survivor OF the
| Inflated Equinox, which went down during the
storm OF Friday, was picked up on Saturday
| morning. He was floating on the pilot house,
| and had been thirty-One hours In the water. The
| poor fellow was IN very exhausted condition.
| Hts story Is as follows
- turned in at O'Clock Thursday night The
sea was Mt that time running very high, with y
| heavy wind. The sea was snghtfuly rough, and
the ship was hard to steer-pretty well unman-
ngeable. The iptain told me to go and call the
owner. Invent into the cabin. and saw the two
girls, who told me Capt. Scott had just gone aft.
| then went att, 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
| u, the mate went forward and went mid ships:
Directly afterward | heard a dreadful rush OF
| water. went aft once more, and saw the water
| coming up tho stairs clear to the upper
OF our condition lie came aft with light.
Tho water was rushing In through loose board.
| ] held the light and put my foot against the
board while the mate nailed II In its place. But
| a. soon IA the board was nailed the water burst
are gonsi | urged him to try again to fasten II,
which he did but 1t was again forced open, and
| the set rusied 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 natl up
| the uoard and STOP the rush OF water, but they
| were Of no avail The Captain then called out
| for an axe TO chop open one OF the gangways TO
| roll out the barrels of salt Several men ran to
execute the order; but before any hing could DO
done In that direction the Captain cried out
upper deck was below the water. The Captain
blew the whistle To stop the engines, and cried
out for the men TO leave tho wheel. came aft
then, and tfed to lower the boat on the star
board side but the ship wont from under us,
ana we were washed away. The Captain and
myself swan together side by side for short
time, ana we then got hold OF fender boards,
which Kept us atoat. AT that time the wreck
was keeping the seas from the women, aud they
stu cried out 10 the schooner for help. do not
| think the boat could live after getting clear
from the wreck. saw the FIRST cook on one OF
the Y ingWays stretched out full length, and the
second cook, who was on another UOa u. Toe
e plain left hold oi the fender board and got on
the gangway. That was the last saw OF him.
The pilot house hOated near me, and man
aged TO get on It. The cook passed by, and
said he had better try to gei on with me, but no
replied, No, am all right lie went to lee
| ward OF me, rnd disappeared out Of my sight.
| got on the pilot house with me. We managed
TO get clear OF the wreck. aud then lost sight OF
tho Others. We w,nt with the wind; but the
| pilot house was heavy, aud did not drift very
| fast. We held on by the posts which support
| the wheel The sea Kept washing over u.s. and
| side by side until the break OF day. and had "A
fearful time. The other man seemed rather
| cheerful. l felt n little down. l told him two
| or three times there wa! no chance Of beng
| saved, but ne kept saying we would come
and scarce knew. what to do to keep up
our circulation. We held on 10y one hand, and
pounded each other with the other to keep
warm. MY companion seemed 70 get weak
toward the break Of day. lie complained Of
his legs being tired, and sat down. told him
n would 81 longer II he stood up. and pulled
him to his feet again. lie STOOD awhile, but
every time the sea struck him his hands gave
way from the post. Ihere was no keeping on
his feet He sat down perfectly eKha isted, one
of MS legs sinking to the floor OF the pilot house
when dnv broke we signted two schOOners. tie
kept telling me TO hail them. snw they were
too f,r "a - attract their attention To US but to
satisfy him I Kept shodting for help. lilo was
gettiIg weaker mud weaker, aud could not
help MIN In any way AZ last he gave one sh Dut
Tor help, and his hands completely lost their
power ana he VS. not abe to siraigiten up. I
tired TO pul bun up. but lie rolled back and
SIMPLY groaned. His foot came out OF the hole
IN the door, and the sea washed him OF the
pliot house. | Grabbed him and pulled MIN
on. Another heavy sea came and washed
him completely out OF my reach. lie
threw up his hand slightlv, and then sank.
That would be about half past nye Friday
morning. ! thought my turn h d surely come
-lrong efforts u Keep standing. knew II 1
gave way IL would be all over with me.
warm. hut just as was at my last struggle saw
something Ike blanket floating up from the
noor. pulled 1t up and found 1t was a blanket
feet blessing To the. h ID no strength TO wiring
out much OF the water. hung them on the
posts Tor a short time aud then lapped them
1ouhu me lhev seemed 10 warm ins little,
and nerved me e. keep ~ But stu sbiyered
with the cold. The time dragged on to midday.
How u passed cannot tell"
At noon saw two schooners, but my heart
sank whcn realized they were too far OF to
other nisht Of &c. but hoping all tne time some
thing would come TO save me. | was "A little
warmer during the afternoon, aud mad some
what recovered my spirits hut the shtyors stu
Cfept over mt. Tue two schOOners were all
saw that day. When the sun went down be-
came cold again, aud shook so could scarce
maintnn my hold OF the posts. had to stamp
my feet again to prevent losing the power of mi
limbs. The sea began to 20 down at night, and
that helped me a little. After dark pulled the
blankets closely around me, laid my head against
one Of the posts. and enci clcd It with my arms.
dozed oil TO sleep, but every time tue spray
touched me | awOke with start, cold and shiy-
Cring. | dOzcd In this way all night and,
strange TO say, the night seemed TO pass
away very quick. Al tne break OF day |
imagined | land, and spread out the
blankets to catch the wind. | was deceived in
this. however; the land was only some dark
clouds. on TO the west | sawa schooner, bot
she was far from the reach of my voice. sill.
did not lose my spirits again ; | felt cheerful
aud hopeful. The sun rose, and you can have
no idea how happy its rays made me. Tney
warmed me and nerycd me to hold out. | was
then IN ABOUT the middle OF the lake. About =
o'clock the ,hoOner Panama hove in sight.
Those on board saw me: there was no need for
me TO hoiler. They signMled me, and waved
the led spread in response. | shall never for
got my feelings at this point. All my suffering
was forgot In a moment | only knew | was
saw q, and the pangs OF hunger and cold left me
at the thought. boat was lowered when the
schooner mad neared me, and was taken safely
ON board 10y o'clock