The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-04-12

THE SUBMARINE LIFE OF A rRorrssrosAL DIV


[From the Cairo dn) Dsmocsat.l
About twenty years ago Hiram Hill, then well
known in Cairo, accepted employment on Nessrs-
Eads & Nelson's wrecking or submarine bell
boats. In time be was installed as diver, and as
such we propose to speak Of him.
He remained in the employment of Messrs.
Eads 4 Nelson for a period OF eighteen years.
He is now on Messrs. Dugan Co.'s, underwater,
where We saw him yesterday, and learned some
thing Of the life Of diver.
The use of bell, in diving, is now discarded.
The diver wears water-tight armor over his
entire person, except the head, which Is covered
by an inverted metallic pot, In which the head
turn and move at ease. Thick, transparent glass
Is fixed IN front TO serve as windows and to pre-
vent accident this glass is protected by steel
guards or tenders. Equipped in this armor. the
diver puts on a pair of lead soled shoes, weighing
each twenty pounds. lashes to his back and breast
a piece of lead weighing forty pounds, attaches
the tube, through which he receives air, TO the
back part of his head pot; and then is ready for
his submarine explorations. he generally de-
scends to the bottom Of the river by the use of o
ladder, but can, without mourning any risk. Jump
from the boat and sink to the bottom. The mo-
ment he disappears under water the air pump
commences its work Of supplying him with con-
slant stream OF fresh air. IT, at any time, the air
creates too great pressure upon him, the pres
sure is relieved by selfscting valve, fixed at the
side of the head. If the pump does not furnish
sufficient air. the diver indicates the fact by signs
and the supply is increased.
Mr.. Hill informs us that he has remained under
water i've hours at a time. The great weight of
lead fastened upon his feet and body is necessary
to counterfeit the bnoyancy Of the air fur nished
him by the pump. While on the boat. the armor
and weights form load for q strong man. Under
water they impose no realizabe weight, and in no
way impede motion. Mr.. Hill informs rs that he
has, while under water. often clambered up stan
chons, jumped down hatchways, distance Of
twelve and fifteen feet, with much greater ease
and less risk than he might have performed the
same feats out of water. Taking with him his
tools, he has frequently worked, for hours At q
time, patching up the bottoms of snagged steam
ers, saving boards, boring holes, driving nails,
etc., with perfect ease and accuracy. When the
water is clear he can recognize shapes at a dis
lance of two or three feet, and at distance of
six inches be can determine the different kinds of
timber. When the rivers are high and the water
is muddy, everything is impeneusbly black.
rendering ID immaterial whether his eyes are
water is immaterial. he has been at the business
so long that by the mere sense of touch he can
instantly determine what portion of the wreck he
is exploring can cork up cracks or patch up
holes; can determine the character of the sunken
cargo; pass from hatch to hatch through the hole,
and do everything else under water that an expert
blind man might do on the land. he says that he
breatbes full and satisfactorily that there is no
sitting sensation, no odds how long he remains
labor under water, that he feels some what lost
when his stay on land is protracted. He is OF
opinion that about three years of his life have been
spent under water; yet he has no scales on his
back, NO signs Of fins or gls, not even web feet.
He is, to all intents and purposes. human being,
not even psrtsking Of the nature of a norman
or any other fsh!