Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1864-01-22
How the Monitors are Cleaned.

4 correspondent Of the Baltimore
American tells how the bottoms q the
monitors Of ChArlessoa are cleaned. as fol-
lows
80 During a recent visit % Port ROYAL
witnessed wifhl oonsiderabis interest the
operations Of the divers employed to clean
the bottoms Of the monitors. and perform
other operations ndcr the water. Messrs
Joseph N. Smith and James B. Phelps have
a conir-c; With tho government for the per-
fornanoe Of this work. and have becn Of
great use here. Their principal diver
appropriately named Wafers-is 20 used 20
this work that be has becoae almost auphi-
bious. remaining for Eve or SIX hours AZ a
time under water. A man of He-culean
strength and proportions. when clad in his
suularine arrnor be becomes monstrous in
size and apPearance-A more singular sight
than % see him roll or tumble INTO the
water and disappear from sight. OF pop
ping up. blowing a. the air escapes from
his hclmout. ke Young wha'e, can scarce
" b imagined Waters 4 has his o~n
sdeas % poke. and when b. has curious
audience will wave bis scraper about a. he
bobs around. on the water. With the air of
veritabls river god. One Of has lest
Jokes tho better for beinga verrtabie fact
occurred last summer. Whilst he -as
employed seraPiag the hull Of one u the
monitors. negro from one ofthe ur-rivcr
plantations cane aionsside With a boat-load
- water hons. Whilst busy sclling his
melons the diver came Up and rested him
sell on the side % The boat. The nero
started a. the extraordinary appearance that
suddenly comming oct Of thc water With
alarmed wonder. bot When the diver seixed
one % the beet ulelcns IN the bat and
disappearrd under the water. the gursInc
ofti- ar from thc hsluaet r'xirs With his
u.-l..I .Il-at,r. Ite frighJ ~ ti.v negro
reached a climax. Hastily sciz,us the oars
without waiting o. BE- paid for his melons.
be pat cd Al has best speed. aud Ia. not
been sceh in the vicinity % Station Creek
since. lie canno; be teupted beyond tie
b0ands ~ the plantation. and believes
that the Yankees have broasht river
devils TO al them in making war.
'' ] be diver. when .glothed in his amor
j. weighted uiiL ere hundred a. eighty
6ve pounds. Bcsidcs his armor be has
two leadcn pals. fitting 60 his breast
aud back. The s0les OF his shoes are of
lead. an inch and a haif thick. All this
weight. j. needed % overcome the buoy
the arnor and dress. the latter Of India
rubber. worn by the diver When below
the surfaoo be- caa Instantly brins himself
up by closing 90 menta5ily the aperture IN
helmet Tor the escape oi the ar. Ills buov-
ancy is Immediately Increased. and BE- pops
Up Ike a cork add floats a. viii upon tle
surface.
The WORK Of scraping the bottoms %
ths monitors is very arIaous. The diver
sits upon a spar. lashed sthE Eart the bottom
of the vessel. 80 arranged a. % be moved
40 tie work goes on. and with scrapcr
hxei 70 a long handle works on both sides
oi himself IS far a. be can reach. The
mas oi oysters thar become attached 20 the
iron bulls oi one OF ths monitors. even dur
ing ore summer here. is immense By
actual measurement ii was estimated that
to- hundred and City bushels OF oysters.
shells and seavccd we're taken from The
bottom of the Msutark alone. ILe CAP.
taias oi the monitors have sometimes iu-
daiged .n the novelty of a mess OF oysters
raisei on The bulls oi their own vessels.
d" Besides cleaning the monitors the
divers perform other important services.
They have ransa -kcd the interior Of tbe
kcoAak. ATTACHED b1oys to los; anchors. and
male ailsr-waier examinations Of the re-
bcl obstrl.tious
t.rv >I>. $4,000 a>l- ~itI. g. r.--
sou Of traiy superior aul rhiio.ophic uHni
Ho-1 ss,ton b. ..a o., ior,.o ,Le e.t.mabie
privilege of coun1alag si,h himself
Nf aH.u 80 rnea .r H.. H..a..