Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1867-08-23
Perilous Adventure of q Diver.


The Detroit Free Press publishes
an account Of the miraculous escape
Of E. B. Harrington, a celebrated
diver who was recently employed to
raise brass cannon, lost overheard
a vessel at Windsor, in thirty-fve feet
of water. Harrington had once been
down, but failed of his object, and
the description alluded to says:
"The second time Harrington de-
seconded he was gone perhaps half an
hour, his course being easily traced
by the bubbles on the surface, caused
by the exhaustion of the air below.
All at once sudden report was
heard and almost Immediately after
ward a pull was felt on the signal
rope. The men in the boat at once
began hauling in for dear life, and
word passed among the crowd on
shore that the air pipe was bursted.
The effect of this announcement
was electrical; men rushed hither
and thither, pale and frightened, and
a frantic rush was made toward the
spot where he was last seen. After
what seemed an hour of terrible sus-
pense, Harrington's head appeared,
and then his left hand, feeblv waving
back and forth, but there was no 9TH
er signs of life. Owing to the i'm
mense weight attached to his dress it
was found impossible to lift him into
the yawl boat, and he was held sus-
pended in the water for about min
ute, when the ferry boat Essex came
alongside. Capt. Jenkins at once
sprung into the small boat, and add
ing his gigantic strength to that of
the others, soon had rope passed
under Harrington's arms, when he
was hauled up out of the water and
placed on the lower deck of the Es-
sex. The head piece was instantly
wrenched off, but what an awful spec
tacle greeted those who looked upon
the sufferer. Blood was oozing from
every part of his body from his waist
up, and gushed from his eyes, ears
and nostrils, while he was pulled and
bloated beyond recognition. Both
eyes were frightfully swollen, and his
neck looked as if he had been chock-
ed severely, while with every move
ment blood gushed from his throat
his body and face meanwhile turning
black.
Capt. Jenkins stood with a big
shovel in hand holding the crazy
crowd at bay, and doing all within
his power to keep them from rushing
on board the boat to have look a
Harrington. Steam was crowded on
and in an incredible short space of
time ne was removed to the dock a
the foot of Woodward avenue.
DR.. Lewis was on the spot in {
very few minutes, and several humane
gentlemen went vigorously at worl
to restore circulation by rubbing hin
with brandy. His body and hea(
continued to swell, and, as the BLOOD
slowly dripped at his feet many turn
ed away sick and faint at the gastl,
sight. Our reporter conversed will
him at 7 o'clock last evening. at whicl
time he was quite comfortable, wit
the exception Of slight difficulty il
breathing, caused by the constant fill
ing up of his throat with coagulatec
blood. Harrington's own description
of his sensation is, that while movin,
the gun toward the boat he suddenl,
felt an immense pressure around tn
waist which rendered him powerless
and almost started his eyes from thei
sockets. He was perfectly consciou
however, and instantly jerked tn
signal rope; but the pressure upo
him was so great, besides being d.
prived of air, that before he reache
). the surface he had given up breath
ing, believing that he must surel
perish. The most singular thing o
the whole affair is the fact that, a
though he ceased to breathe, he neve
for one instant lost possession of h
faculties; indeed, he declares that b
senses were never more acute tina
during the entire time he was undt
water, and even when laid upon tt
t. deck Of the Essex, he was painful
:. alive to the slightest movement.