The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1854-06-07
HORRID DEATH OF A SUBMARINE
DIVER

We learn that Mr. John Tope, one of the di-
vers employed by Messrs. Wells, Gowan &
Green, in their operations on the lake, lost his
lite while experimenting with sub marine ar
NOR, few days since. The circumstances at
tending this lamentable casualty as related to
u by Mr.. Green, substantially as follows
1t appears that Mr.. Tope was DESTROYS of testing
sub marine armor preparatory to commencing
operations the wrecks which the company
design raising this summer, and on Friday at.
ternooa last in company with three other start
ed from Cattaraugus creek a small vessel of
about twenty tons bur,hen, and proceeded some
distance from the shore where the water was
about forty feet deep. Mr. Tope descended
into the water three times. The first and Sc
cond time he went down some fifteen or twenty
feet, each time Signalling to those above to
raise him. In both instances he remarked that
the foul air did not escape fast enough to allow
him to breathe freely. Previous to going down
the third time he detached the spring from the
valve which allows the impure air to escape
from the helmet, and desired the man who held
the signal line to observe carefully when he
should reach the bottom (some 40 feeD and be
prepared to answer his signals. He then enter
ed the water and had descended about thirty
feet, when those above thought the armor felt
unusually heavy. The signal line was immedi-
aey erked to ascertain whether any thing
wrong, but receiving no answering signal, the
diver was Immediately raised from the water
Ga opening the helmet, the occupant was found
TO be quite deed, presenting horrible spectacle
blood ooZing from his eyes, ears, nose and
mouth. Detaching the spring from the escape
valve prevented the air from initiating the armor
below the neck of the diver, and when it re-
collected that at the depth of thirty feet the
pressure of the water is equal to fifteen pounds
to the square inch, and hence there must have
been a pressure Of at least ten tons upon the
lower ex,rrmites Of the diver, and this tremen-
dous pressure forced the vital fluid to the head,
bursting the blood vesses-and thus causing
immediate death Not more than a minute and
half elapsed from the time he entered the
water, to the time he was hoistrd upon the deck
of the vessel The pressure of the water upon
the lower part of the armor on his two previous
trials caused 81 ght rush of blood to the divers
head causing glddIness, which he imagined
was produced by foul air, and he insisted on
descending again with the spring detached from
the escape valve, which he said would allow
free current Of air to pass IN and out OF the az
NOR, but a moments reflection will convince
any one that this alone was the cause OF the
melancholy casualty. The body OF the deceas-
| ed below the neck appeared as if the blood had
been entirely forced out OF it, presenting an
appearance as white and clear as piece OF
hioiuiC Dohoio SSPuoiS'
-
The following extract from Temperance
paper published in Maine, would seem to ind-
cate that some of the people of that State are
disposed to return to first principles
TEMPERANCE! TEMPERANCE
Washingtonians to the rescue. 1t is time to
sound the alarm. Your feiIowmen are falling
around you, daily, hourly, into the degrading,
destroying vice of drunkenness The law has
tried its power; 1t has signaIiy failed Relying
on that alone, you have allowed moral feel
ing and moral action To become para wed. The
use of intoxicating drinks ls again becoming
general, 1t is secret, and therefore more dan
gerous and more likely TO secure its victims
Not the humble laborrr alone is in peril from
the habitual secret indulgence of appetite, but
those who may well claim high position in
society, b. the possession of wealth, talents,
and public confidence, the young and old
not less so. Shall we lock coldly on! Shall
we make no effort to reclaim our neighbors,
and save them from impending destruction
Where are the Westinghouse Of 1871? Let
them come forward; let them labor now then
in the spirit of truth and sincerity, of benevo
lence and self-sacrifcing devotion to the great
interests of humanity Come up, then, bro.
theirs. Rally under your banner of 154I.
Meet, organize, renew your pledges, and 60 to
work in earnest 10 save the falling and raise the
fallen.
Let US meet at the Town Hall on Saturday
evening ne xt at clock and make one more
effort. If you come you will find there at least
one brother WAsHING1 OMAN of 1871.