New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-09-11
ADRIFT IN AN OPEN BOAT
NARROW ESCAPE OF BRIDGEPORT
MAN IN WEDNESDAY NIGHTS GALE.

DRIVEN ACROSS THE SOUND AND THROWN
ASHORE AT OLD FIELD POINT-A FIGHT FOR
LIFE IN THE STORM AND DARKNESS
One Of the heaviest gales ever experienced
on Long Island Sound swept over the water
on Wednesday night and early yesterday morn
ing and during the height Of ii Joseph Miller.
OF Bridgeport Conn. got adrift in d small fiat
bottomed boat and was blown across to the
Long Island shore. distance of thirteen or
fourteen miles. 1t was gale from which the
masters of large schooner. were glad to take
refuge In secure harbors. and that Miller es-
capped from Its fury in a frai craft is remark
able. All Wednesday night he was tossed about
by the angry bill6ws. and after nine hours of
terrible exposure ar1 hardship his boat was
blown ashore at Old Field Point. Miller works
at place known as Pleasure Beach. the
east side of Bridgeport HarbOr
He started out from Pleasure Beach in his
little fat-bottom boat Wednesday night for
Bridgeport. arrived at his destination all right
and about | o'clock Thursday morning he got
into his boat with the intention Of returning to
Pleasure Beach. but before he had covered half
of the distance. some two miles of his
slipped overheard. 1t while he endeav
Oring TO recover the oar that he first discovered
that his boat was being rapidly carried out Of
the harbor by the strong tide and wind and into
the open Sound. where there a terrific gale
In his frantic efforts TO regain the lost dis
tance Miller lost his other oar and darkness and
storms prevented him from recovering It, Then
his boat was carried out into the Sound and 1t
with difficulty that he managed 10 keep
her afoat With the rope of keeping his boat
before the wind Miller tore up the only seat in
the craft and used IT to paddle with. thus keep
ing her head toward the Long Island shore. In
about two hours he came abreast Of Middle
Ground Lighthouse and shouted for help This
was vain effort. he too far to wind
ward Utterly helpless he was carried past the
shoals and toward the Long Island shore. The
nearer he got to the south side of the Sound the
heavier became the waves and desparing Of
reaching land alive he sank to the bottom of the
boat and gave himself up for lost
Regaining courage after a few minutes he
again resorted to baling and padding with his
seat. but after half an hour Of desperate exerton
he again sank to the bottom Of his craft pre-
pared to die
Three times he threw up his hands" as he
expressed it, and three times he returned to the
seemingly hopeless task of baling and endeavOr-
ing to navigate his craft. He endeavored to rig
a sail by using his coat Finding that this did
not work he took off his shirt and spread that TO
the gale. but soon as he got il fixed in a posi-
tiOn to hold the wind. the gale tore It to shreds
At daylight he about half way between
Middle Ground and Old Field Lighthouse. The
gale showed no signs of abating. but on the con
trary seemed TO be increasing in intensity. The
boat. however. gradually made its way toward
the Long Island shore. and about 10 o'clock in
the morning il was thrown on the beach of Cen
eral Spinoas estate. where Miller was found In
a semi-conscious condition by Mr. Avery and
Holems Lee. the foreman and assistant of the
estate They carried the man into house and
revived him. and soon afterward took him to
hotel in Setauket
In the afternoon some kind people took him to
Port jefferson and placed him in warm bed
and gave him money with which to buy ticket
on the steamer Nonawantuc, which makes daily
trips Bridgeport.