Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1868-06-25
nirnn, Hill. fhc Direr.
THREE YEARS LIFE AND LABOR UNDER
WATER.

WATER.
About twentyyears ago Hiram Hill
accepted employment on Messrs Eads
q 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 & Nelson fora period of
eighteen years. He is now employed
on Messrs. Dugan q Cos. Underwri-
ter, where we saw him, and learned
something of the lite of a diver.
The use of a bell in diving opera
tions is now discarded. The diver
wears water-tight armor over his
entire person except the head, which
is rnvcred hy an inverted metallic pot.
in which the head can turn and move
at ease. Thick, transparent glass is
fixed 10 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 q 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 the 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 a constant stream OF fresh air,
If atany time, the air creates too great
pressure upon him, the pressure is
relieved by selfacling valve at the
side of the head. If the pump does
not furnish sufficient air, the diver in
dicates the fact by signs, and the sup
ply is increased. Mr.. Hill has inform.
ed us that he has remained undor wa
ter for five hours at time. The
weight of lead fastened on his feet
and body, is necessary to counteract
the buoyaDcy Of the air furnished him
by the pump. While on the boat, the
drmor and weights are load for
strong man. Under water they i'm.
pose no realizable weight, and in no
way impede motion. Mr.. Hill stated
that he has while under water clam
bered up stanchions, jumped down
hatchways u distance of twelve or fif
teen feet, with much greater ease and
less risk than he might have perform
ed the same feats Sht of water TAX.
ing with him his tools, the diver has
frequently worked forhours ut time,
patching up the bottoms of snagged
steamers, saving boards, boring holes,
driving nails. etc. with perfect ease
and accuracy. When the water is
cleaf he can recognize shapes at
distance of two or three feet, and at
a 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 water 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 bold,
and do everything else under water
that an expert blind man mightd do on
land He says that ho breathes full
and satisfactorily; that there is no
sitting sensation, no matter how long
he remains under. Indeed, so accus-
toned is Mr.. Hill to liieand labor un-
der water, that he feels somewhat
lost when his stay on land is protract-
cd He 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 gills, nor even web feet. He
is, to all intents and purposes, hu-
man being, not even partaking Of the
nature ofa norman or any other aquat-
ic animal Cairo (W) Democrat.