The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1869-10-08
Dozen Anso,sO the Dead Me,s-1ne
Story Of u Detroit Direr.
From Tho Detroit Advertiser and Tribune

From Tho Detroit Advertiser and Tribune
II Is q strange business, this diving; the
danger fascinaies some, bu: the peril 10 never
helmet for tho first time more than ten years
ago, and yet never resume 1t without feel
ing that it may he the last time shall ever
20 down. OF course ono has more conn
dcncc after while, but there Il something
in being shut up in an arMOr, weighed down
with hundred pounds, and knowing that
i! little leak in your life pipe Is your death,
that no diver can ever get rid of. And do
not know that should care to Danish the
feeling, for the sight of the clear. blue sky,
tho genial sun, and the face of fellow man,
after long hours among the fishes, makes
you feel like one who has suddenly been
drawn away from the grasp OF death. have
had some narrow escapes while pursuing my
strange profession; every diver has, or has
been unusually lucky to escape them.
think the most dangerous place I ever
got into was going down to examine the
propeller Comet. sunk off Toledo In work.
ing about her bottom, got my mir pipe
coilcd over large silver from the steven
hole, and could not reach 1t with my hands.
Every time sprang up to remove the hose
my tender would give me the "slack" Of
the line, thus letting me fall back again.
lie did not understand his duties, and did
not know what my signals on the lifeline
meant II was two hours and half before
was relieved, and there was not moment
that was not looking to see the hose cut by
the ragged wood. Its strange feeling you
vessel, clambering up her sides, peering here
and there. and tho feeling that you are alone
makes you nervous and uneasy.
Sometimes q vessel sinks down so fairly
that she stands up on the bottom as trim aud
rs neat as II she rode on tho surface. Then
you con 20 down into the cabin, up the
shrouds, walk all over her, just as easy Is
sailor could If she were still dashing away
before the breeze. Only it seems 50 quiet.
50 tomb.ll like; there arc no waves down there
only the swaying hack and forth of the
waters and sce.sawing Of the ship. You
hear nothing from above. The great fish
will come swimming ABOUT, rubbing their
noses against your glass, and staring with
wondering look into your eyes. The very
stiffness sometimes gives life chill. You
hear just moaning, wailinS sound, like the
last notes Of an organ, and you cannot help
but think of dead men floating over and
around you.
I have hecn down especially to rescue the
bodies Of those drowned. About four years
ago the propeller Buckeye. belonging to the
Northern Transportation Company, went
down in the river st. Lawrence, in seventy.
eight feet of water, ana it was known that
q mother and child were asleep in their
s:atcroom IT the time of her sinking. The
father begged of me and offered me good
deal Of money to take out the corpscs, and
although dreaded the work, at last con.
sented. l hal been all over the wreck two
or three times, and knew just where the
statcroom was. The door was fast locked,
and l waited a good while before burstingit
open.
OF course. a dead person couldn't harm
you. hut even in broad day, on shore, and
with people around you, don't you krow
that the sight and presence of . dead person
brings up solemn thoughts and nervous feel
ings! knew how they would look, row
they were floating around in the room, and
if the father hadn't been looking 50 wretch
cd above, there was no money 10 tempt me
in there. But at Inst got crOwbar from
forwards. and. not letting myself think,
gave the light door blow that stove II IN.
Tire water came rushing out, the vessel just
then lurched over toward my side, and out
they came, the woman first, her eyes wide
open. and hair trailing behind, aud in her
left hand she held the hand of the child. !
knew how they would look, but screamed
out and jumped back. Her face was fear.
fully distorted. showing how hard death had
been made. and the eyes looked through the
green waters at Inc in U way that made my
flesh creep. The child had died easily, its
little white face giving out no sign of terror.
It was good While before tied the line
to them and gave The sign to haul up, and
l felt 20 uneasy that was not long in fol-
lowing This Is one Of tho drawbacks to
any feeling Of curiosity 2 diver might other
wise have. never 30 down the hatchway
or cabin steps without thinking of dead
man floating about there. When the Lac In
Belle sunk on st. Clair fats the engineer was
caught in the rushing waters, and no trace
was ever found of his body. His wife came
u me b, airing thai was to 60 down to the
wreck, and asked me to find the b0dyifp posi-
bic. remembered this when went down
and went grouping through the engine room
in momcntary expectation OF encountering
the body. looked 80 long without finding
it that got nervous, and had started for
tho ladder to 60 up, when felt something
strike my helmet and give way, and chill
went dancing over me rs thought the dead
found that had run my arm against the
fire hose, the end of which was hanging
down, and what I 80 dreaded was still hid
/ den beyond my sight. aa.'
A diver docs not like to 60 down more
than a hundred and twenty feet; Ut that
depth tho pressure il painful and there Is
danger of internal injury. I can stay down
for nve or six hours ut = time ct , hundred
and fifteen or twenty feet. and do good
deal Of hard work. In the waters OF Lake
Huron the diver can see thirty or forty feet
away, but the other lakes will screen ves-
sel not ten feet from you. a- 49, --..
Up here you seldom think Of death or &C.
cident, but = hundred feet Of water washing
over your head would set you to thinking.
A little stoppsge of the cir pump, leak in
your hose, u careless action on the Part Of
your tender, and the weight of mountain
would press the life out Of you before you
could make move. And you may ''fOur'
your pipe or line yourself, and In your haste
bring On what you dread. ! often get my
hose around stair Or rail, and though am
not called cowardly, and gcnerel!y release II
without much trouble, the bare idea of what
. slender thing holds back the clutch OF
death of my throat makes cold sweat start
from every pore. So. rrr>+rrI
.aa, RNilroad Accidcnts.
!. Railroad accidents are of such frequent &C.
currsnce that the following recommendation
from IN old newspapeT, will not b inapplo-
,,r2aAa vVnv-flat every fn2lnon6 nh00M be