The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-01-07
NfGHT or SUFFERING.
A Man Saved from Freezing bv Taking Ref
ugc in n Barrel Of Whiskcy.


Few of the raftsmen and lumber opera
tors OF the upper Delaware h We not heen
fanii r. for years with the LeQless Ferryman
who Tor nearly half a century, ana until tow
weeks ago. gained livelihood by ferry
Ing persons across the Delaware near Els'on.
Pa. This man. whose name was kinaldo Moser,
died ON SUNDAY Lest, nged G6 wears.
When he was BOY the Delaware river waa
nlvigatcd oy The now almost forgotten Durham
boats and Young Moser was employed In run
ming one. FOrty-uinc years ago this winter.
oser, Jacob, brother OF his. m IN II med
called shallow" Courtright, were running one
IT these botts. which was very heaviiy laden.
storm. and neins unatle to guido tn ir boat to
either the Pennsvlvnia or Jersey shore, were
compelled to run II on IN island. IL was z ting
uatk. and tue storm increased In fury. There
was nothing ON the island with when to build "A
Gre, and nothing that afforded them any urotec-
ton. II was utter cold and the stranded crew
tried TO keep themselves warm by walking up
ana down the III nd.
Tneir boat WIS lodded with wiskey in barrels
Ii was suggested hv one OF the party that they
roll one OF the barrels ont on the island and set
Gre To It.. jacob Moser had hts feet badly frozen
Nv this time, aud the cold storm was beginning
To tell on the Others. Tue barrel was with in =
Guilty taken from the boat and stood on end on
the island. The mead W IS knocked In, 80 that
the liquor might be set on IRE. Then u was
discovered, To the horror OF all, that not one OF
the y irtv h ID n match.
Fooled In TINS last attempt to save themselves
from freezing, jacob lost all heart, and sue
cumbed to the cold dosoite the efforts Of his
comrades % Keep bim strring lie dief ~ a
short time. COurtright climbed ina Tue barrel
OF whiskey. and when tne party was rescued the
Dext niorning he was the least injured OF tac
party iiis ears were fro zen 50 tn 1t they after
ward dropped of, and his iace was terribly
frost bitten. Otucrwlse he was saved from the
cold, bat the whiskcv had made one compact
blister OF hts skin from tho waist down.
Young Muser aud Miller kept up their fght
with de ath an ught long. People who rcmcm-
Ter that uight say u was the most fearful ever
known along the Delaware. Toe wind blew a
gaze, aud there US storm, nos Oi snow. but
actually Of pellets OF iccl he mercury was at
zero. Agsinst this awful wir OF clements the
boy ana Miller bore up until dtybreak. when
they were dl-c Ivercd. and they saw boat hur-
rying to their rescue, young NOser fell .onse,oss
to the ground. Atiler never lost CONSEQUENCES,
although his hands, eais, ana face were frozen
wuitr.
lNnHldo MOser was restored 70 consciousness.
but MS legs were so terribly frozen tnat tmputa-
lion II Uuth OF them AZ the thtgh was found to
De ueCtss ~. lie recovered 10 due time and
became ROBUST and hearty a. any man on the
rivcr. lie WAS the List survivor Of that awful
MINT. Miller having been drowned the follow
iug summer. ana COurtrisbt diving "A few years
ago In New jersey pOorhOuse.
Ever since he recovered from the effects Of
thai nights exuerience. kinaldo Mnscr support
ed himself ~ hshing ana ferrving people across
tue river. lilo Was remarkably Iext.rous vita
hts Oari. aud sci"n.ic fisherman. Tue Guilty
with Nuich no got around On ms leglcss body
was wonderful lac WAS six.y-six years old al
the time Of L.s death.