The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1868-05-28
Hiram Hill, the Diver.

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About twenty years ago, Hiram Hill
accepted employment on Messrs. Eads IL
Nelson's submarine bell-boats In time
he was installed as diver, and as such we
propose to speak of him. He remained
in the employment of Messrs. Eads Il
Nelson for period of eighteen years
He is now employed on Messrs. Dugan &
Co.'S Uader,Oriter, where we saw him a
short time ago, and learned something of
the life of diver.
The use of bell in diving operations
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
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 pair of lead-soled shoes,
weighing each twenty pounds, lashes to
his back and breast piece of lead weigh
ing forty pounds, attaches the tube thro'
which he receives air to the back of head
pot, and then is ready for his submarine
exploration. Mr.. Hill generally descends
to the bottom of the river by the use of
ladder, but can, without incuring any
risk, jump from the boat and sink to the
bottom.
The moment the diver appears under
the water, the air pump commences its
work of supplying him with a constant
stream of fresh air. If at any time, the
air creates too great pressure upon him,
the pressure is relieved by self acting
valve, 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 for
FIVE hours at time. The weight of lead
fastened upon his feet and body, is nec-
essary to counteract the buoyancy of the
air furnished him by the pump. While
on the boat, the armor and weight are
load for strong man. Under water,
they impose no realizable weight, and in
no way impede motion. Mr.. Hill stated
that he has, while under water, clambered
up stanchions, jumped down hatchways a
distance of twelve and fifteen feet, with
much greater ease and less risk than he
of water. Taking with him his tools, the
diver has frequently worked for hours at
time, patching up the bottoms of snag-
ged 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 a distance of six
inches he can determine the different
kinds Of timber. When the rivers are
high and the water is muddy, every
thing is impenetrably black, rendering it
immaterial whether his eyes are open or
shut. But with Mr.. Hill the character
of the water is immaterial. He has been
at the business so long that by the mere
sense of touch he can instantly deter
mine what portion of the wreck he is ex-
ploring; can caulk up cracks or patch up
holes; he can determine the character of
a sunken cargo; pass from hatch to hatch
through the hold and do every thing else
under water that an expert blind man
might do on land. He says that he
breathes full and satisfactorily; that there
is no sitting sensation, no matter how
long be remains under. Indeed, so ac-
customed is Mr. Hill to life and labor
under water, that he feels somewhat lost
when his stay on land is protracted He
is of the opinion that in the aggregate
about three years of his life has been
spent under water; yet he has no scales
on his body, no sign of fins or gills, not
even web feet. He is, to all intents and
purposes, human being, not even par
taking of the nature of a norman or any
other equatic animal. - Cairo (W)
Democrat