New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-01-01
SUNDAY EDITION.
JAN. /. 1888.
ONLY ONE LOG BROCGNT nv.

SHE SAW LOT or FLOATING TIMBER AND
PICKED UP STICK As MEMEyTO.
On the deck of big tugboat at Pier No. 8, East
River, there lay yesterday spruce log some
twelve feet long and two feet through covered
with ice. The tugLoat itself, or steamer, as heR
owners prefer to call her, was clad
in coating Of ice from stem
to stern and looked if she had got the full bene-
fit of the blizzard water, wind. freezing and all.
The log was a memento Of the fate OF James ID.
Leary's big raft which the W. B. Morse after over
weeks sailing had brought into port. Tho
vessel arrived yesterday morning. and
she had had a rough voyage of it. She
left this port week ago Thursday to join In
the search for the raft from Nova Scotia
which the steamer Miranda had abandoned in tho
final struggle to bring II into port. Captain c. A.
Blair was in command, and Captain LItte6ed and
Mr. Robertson the inventor of the raft schema.
were on hand TO represent Mr.. Leary.
CAPTAIN BLAIR TELLS HIS STORY
Captain Blair yesterday gave an account OF hs
experience. Summed up. il as that only some 300
of the 900 logs in the raft had been encountered
by the Morse and that the raft had undoubtedly
gone to pieces.
THAT log" said he, pointing to his trc-
ply Il have brought back to Mr. Leafy
to prove that we have at least found some traces
settled the point that it had gone to pieces The
first craft we spoke was the schooner Dione, bound
to Boston from the West Indies. at nooD Decembef
"a. On the evening of that day we spoke the pilot
boat Thomas Negus, about 100 miles from Block
Island five miles south Of the spot where the raft
was lost. We were in a heavy gale which increased
SO that at day break took in the maIDsail aud
before the wind. That morning, Sunday last, twelve
tons of coal were washed overheard aud parts OF
the bulwarks had to be cCt away to allow the wa
ter We had shipped To run off,
We ran upon the first of the logs of the raft on
Tuesday morning when we were III latitude 'tJ'
34 lon aitude $50 So. The wind was still blow:
ing hard. We were sailing around IN a circle OF
about $50 miles. and from morning until evening
we counted from $50 to 800 logs IN the water. We
picked up one of these as memcnto. On
Wednesday morning early we spoke the schooner
Sophia A. Wltherden. OF this city, bound ior salem
with cargo OF logs she was rolling about al tas
away. The sea was running very high ard a ter;
rIble northwest gale was, bowing. When l
spoke the vessel and offered 10 help
| hec her captain answered that no
thought he could pull through. Stll. as the storm
was raging so high and the Witherten was roliiDg
helplessly, 1t would have been impossible 10 ard
her. After the captain shouted back, however, "a
! understood him, that ne could ger along, leit
him. The gale became hurricane thai nignt. ana
the next morning we ran into dcckload ot corn-
wool, which, am inclined to think, came from Inc
Witherden. That indicates 60 me that she went
down. Ii was terrIfc Storm"
The Morse continued cruising about on WedneS
day. when she sighted the ship Annie NJ Law.
bound Tor Antwerp from Philadelphia. That even
ing Captain Blair gave up further search and tho
Morse was headed for home. |" | came to the con-
clusion" sad be- that the raft had gone to pieces
and that there further use IN looking Tor ING
logs. They were at that time drifting southw
Captain Littlefield and Mr. Robertson lett the
Morse soon as she arrived here TO report TO Mr.
leary. They were both greatly disappented at the
would hold together that Mr. Leary had chartered
the Morse at 500 day to go in search OF the mon
ster. Mr. Leary took the result philosophcaliy.
The raft was launched near Port Joges, Nova
Scotia, December o. and two days later tic
steamer Miranda of the Red Cross Line, began the
tow. 1t later in the season than Mr.. Leary
out the OF ginal agreement beng for November ~!
he says, subsequently modified 70 November -
Because of the delays, alleged by Mr.. Leary to DO
| due to the blunderng of Captain leseman. OF the
Miranda, the vessel did not reach here IN season 70
AVOID heavy weather.
Although Mr. Leary accepted the situation. hs
added: I" The result of the Morse's search proves
nothing beyond the fact that she did not find the
raft She saw only few pieces OF timber, some ?.
| bulk of the logs may be cingng together YET
Only those who know how these we've fastened to-
gether can Judge of the strength OF the raIt. for
all know some vessel may even now be bringing
the raft into port. either this port or some othee
one Some vessel bound for bermuda NAV have
| the raft in tow. A smart skipper would know that
lie could get $1,000 OFT OfIt at least: by dsposiDs
of the hawser-. chains. etc. l should not be sur.
| prised at any time TO hear that the raft had been
lowed INTO port. No, / shall make no further at.
tempts to tnd the raft. 1t would be a dficnls
matter anyway now for the raft is mere speck on
| the ocean,"
Mr. Robertson and Captain Littleiield both held
the views entertained by Mr.. Leary about ths
rafts going to pieces Mr. Robertson still had full
faith In his invention. for" said he. tho loss
| of the raft WAS due TO the delays OF the Mirands
| and the severe weather, which came at a time
| later than we had expected the raft TO b. taken
| in tow. And. besides. Captain Lescman did nos
| hug the shore closely enough"
MIR. LrARY WILL BRING SUIT.
| Mr. Leary says that now that the raft is shown
| 20 have gone to pieces he will bring suit asainss
| Bowring g. Archibald. the owners Of the Miranda
for damages The raft was $50 feet long, % fees
WIDE 3s feet high. drew 20 feet Of water and con'
tanned $1,000 logs from s to 100 feet long The
Uuited States steamer Enterprise Commander
McCalla retained to this city last sunday. having
enco inferred a large field Of the logs l35 miles
southeast by south from Nantucke Shoals