The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1870-05-03
A Diver Visits the "Oneida."

DlNOl VLolbo IhO OhOIuus
A correspondent of California paper
furnishes the following report of the visit
Of diver to the United States Steamer
Oneida recently sunk by the British
Steamer Bombay:
Od the 9th day of February the
" borrowed" steamship ArooStoch, with
Charles and j. S. Lougee practical and
experienced divers from San Francisco
went to where the Oneida lies in one hun
dred and twenty-three feet Of water
After the usual preparation had been as
certained that the deck as the Oneida
was one hundred and three feet beneath
the surface OF the bay; after every caution
had been given to eight strong sailors
to keep the alr-pump constantly IN motion
and allow not an instant of time stOppage
to occur, as thereby depended the life
Of the bold diver; after Charley Lougee
had been helneted, and shut from air,
except that supplied through that slender
tube Of coiled rubber, with Il lifeline
around his body and leaden clogs to his
feet, with " Good bye" and God bless
you" from all aboard he was dropped over
the side, and slowly disappeared in the
blue waves, while nervous tremor shot
through our frame as we realized the
fearful risk undertaken by that man who
was seeking for truth i'll over one feet Of
water.
+ Away to the eeward, borne by tide
and wind came floating bubbles to the
surface-life signals from below. The
men at the pump were laboring manfully
but becoming fatgued, they attempted to
change for fresh hands, and there was a
stop, Great God! you will murder my
brother Quick ! For heavens sake,
quick !" And as the men recommended
the revolutions Of the air-pump, the elder
Lougee, with blanched face and trem-
bling lip, gave signal on the lifeline
below. For an instant there came no re-
ponse, and the face Of that brother SEEM
ed to turn to marble; but then we saw
two quick motions from the submarine
station, and knew it was the welcome sig
nal of " all right" and then Lougee turn
ed to the men at the wheel, who came so
near sending both below and simply said
My only brothers life depends upon
your efforts in keeping that pump CON
stantly in motion-stop again at your per-
H." The calm face and passionate eye
told those men not to stop again and with
Lieutenant Tanner close by they kept at
work until stopped by orders from Lou
gee.
Meantime, while we were on the deck
of that "sand pan," counting the tedious
moments which heightened to half al
hour, Charley Lougee was searching the
Oneida at the tremendous depth men
toned. At last came the signal for sur
face and instantly the life line was pu
in motion slowly came to the coiling
hemp and rubber on deck, and at last
away in the deep blue waves, came il
sight the diver, shrouded and panopliec
in wierd garments AS he came up tho
surface he reached Minister DeLong ;
sword and lacquered box, and then wa
his helmet loosed, and our party crowd
ed around to hear Of the gallant ship
Among our party were many of the sur
vivors Of the Oneida; among them wer,
VIM. Crowninshield, Captain Clark, Mas
ter Yates and DR.. James Suddard, wht
were intensely excited to learn the ii
dings.
BY this survey the testimony of tn
living is verified, and the memory of tn,
dead without stain, for the position o
the ship as found and the positions Of botl
the Oueida and Bombay, as testified t.
? by the navigating officers, shows that i
was impossible for the captain of tn
Bombay to have ever seen the red ligh
of the Oneida, and that the order 0
Port your helm," by Captain Eyre, wa
wrong, and the Starboard, hard-a-star
board" of Master Yates was right