Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1868-06-25
Miram Hili. Inc Direr.
ruREE YEARS LIFE AND LABOR uNDEI
WATER.

THREE YEARS LIFE AND LABOR UNDER
WATER.
About twenty years ago Hiram Hill
accepted employment on Mess s. Eads
q Nelson's S submarine bell-boats. In
time he was installed us diver, and as
such we propose TO speak of him. He
remained in the employment of
Mossrs. Eads & Nelson for period of
eighteen years. He is now employed
on Messrs. Dugan 4 Cos. Underwri-
ter, where we saw him, and learned
something Of the lite of diver
The use of bell in diving opera
tons is now discarded. The diver
wears water-tight armor over his
entire person except the head, which
is covered hy an inverted metallic pot.
in which the head can turn and move
at ease. Thick, transparent glass is
fixed in front to serve as windows
and to prevent accident this glass is
protected by steel guards or tenders.
Equipped in this armor, the diver puts
on a pair OF. lead-soled shoes, weigh
ing each twenty pounds, lashes to his
back and breast piece of lead weigh
ing forty pounds, attaches the tube
through which he receives air to the
back Of his head-pot, and then is ready
for his submarine exploration, Mr..
Hill generally descends to the bottom
OF tho river by the use of ladder,
but can, without incurring any risk,
Jump from the boat and sink to the
bottom. The moment the diver dis.
appears under water the air.pump
commences its work of supplying him
with constant stream of fresh air,
If atany time, thea creates too great
a pressure upon him, the pressure is
relieved by a selfacling valve at the
side of the head. If the pump does
not furnish sufficient air, the diver in
dcates the fact by signs, and the sup.
ply is increased. Mr. Hill has inform.
ed up that he has remained undor wa
ter for five hours at time. The |
weight Of lead fastened Gu his feet |
and body, is necessary to counteract
the buoyancy Of the air furnished him
by the pump. While on the boat, the
armor and weights are n load for a
strong man. Under water, they i'm
pose no realizabIe weight and in no
way impede motion. Mr.. Hill stated |
that he has while under water clam
bered up stanchions, jumped down
hatchways II distance OF twelve or fif- |
teen feet, with much greater ease and |
less risk than he might have perform
ed the same ieats III of water. TAX
ing with him his tools, the diver has
frequently worked forhours ut u timo,
patching up tho bottoms OF snagged |
steamers, saving boards, boring holes,
driving nails. etc. with perfect ease
and accuracy. When the water is
clear he can recognize shapes at
distance of two or three feet, and at
distance of six inches he can deter
mine the different kinds of timber
When the rivers arc high and the
water is muddy, everything is impen-
etrably black, rendering it immateri-
al whether his eyes are open or shut. |
But with Mr. Hill the character OF
the wnter is immaterial. He has been
in the business so long that by the
mere sense of touch he can instantly
tell what portion of the wreck he is
exploring; can caulk up cracks or
patch up holes he can determine the
character of tie sunken cargo; pass
from hatch to hatch through the hold,
and do everything else under water
that an expert blind man mightdo on
land He says that he breathcs full
and satisfactorily that there is no
sitting sensation, no matter how long
he remains under. Indeed, so accus-
toned is Mr. Hill to life and labor un.
der water, that he feels somewhat
lost when his stay on land is protract-
cd lie is of the opinion that in the
aggregate about three years of his
life have been spent under water yet
he has no scales on his body, no signs
Of fins or gils, nor even web feet. lie
is, to all intents and purposes, hu-
man being, not even partaking of the
nature OF a norman or any other aquat-
ic animal Cairo (W) Democrat.