Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1871-07-07

A Visit to the Weehawken-.Rum.
maging the Observation-Disclosures the
Deep Blue Sea.-The Big Sharks and
the Little Fishes--Blasting the
Wrecks.
The Charleston Ne,cs of the 21st
has an interesting account of the
operations of the Monitor Wrecking
Company, Of New York, in that
harbor, in search of the two Federal
ironclads that were sunk during the
war. The operations are now pro-
crossing under the superintendent
OF Capt. w. M. Soames. The fol-
lowing extracts from the account
will be read with interest:
The captain is open, plain spoken
and courteous as captain should
be. He understands his business,
and on his arrival at the Weehaw-
ken goes to work in a business-like
manner. The spot is well known,
just off the lightship of that name.
The bow anchor is let go just over
the sunken monitor, and a quarter
anchor is dropped at some distance
from each side. BY sounding, they
find the exact site of the monitor,
and the machine is hauled into
exact position. The anchor ropes
are tightened, and she stands steady
and in one place. The divers now
bring forth their submarine armor,
and carefully array themselves for
their perilous work. They put on
close India rubber suit, coming up
to the neck. The hand is uncover
ed, but the suit is made air-tight at
the wrists. The feet are then cascd
in heavy shoes, with about twenty
five pounds of lead on the soles, to
sink the diver and bring him up
standing at the bottom. Lastly, a
huge helmet is put on over the head
and neck and covering the upper
portion Of the breast. The India
rubber suit is securely fastened to
this by bolts and screws in a
perfectly air-tight manner. The
helmet is made of brass, and has
several little windows of clear glass
to enable the diver to see his way.
The windows are protected by wire,
and thus secured from breaking>
Lastly, from the crown of the helmet
run gutta-percha pipes, which fur
nish fresh air and keep the diver
alive. The other end is attached to
the.air pump on the deck Of the
craft, which is kept working the
whole time, forcing fresh air down
the pipes. The diver is now ready
for his descent into the briny deep,
and with his air tubes on his arms,
he gives the signal and is lowered
into the water. Arriving at the
bottom, he walks about with the aid
Of his weighty shoes, and com
mences work. If any portion of
the metal or iron work about the
wreck is detached by the action of
the tide, he gives a signal and the
tackle chain is lowered. He hooks
it on and gives another signal, and
the mass is hoisted to the surface.
At another time he gets an iron
spade, and has to dig for some time
before he can adjust the chain
around the matter to be hoisted.
This is, says the captain, hot work
in the present weather. Should
there be none of the wreck detached
another signal is sent up soon, an
swered by the descent of keg of
powder, lowered for the diver, who
places it in position to effect his
object of breaking up the wreck. A
wire runs into the powder through
the head of the head of the keg,
leaking being prevented by tallow.
The diver gives the signal, and is
hoisted to the surface. In few
moments galvanic battery on the
deck of the machine attached to the
wire communicates an electric spark
to the powder, and a dull, rushing
sound is heard. A vast volume Of
water is thrown up by the artificial
submarine earthquake, and in few
moments planks and other disiecta
naembra of the wreck come whirling
to the surface, mingled with mud
and sand. The diver again repeats
his visit, the hosting of the wreck
commences again, and so the work
goes on.
The Weehawken lies due cas-
and west on bottom of mud, and
there is about eight feet of water
over her at low tide. In this DO
sition she is a dangerous obstruc-
ton in the channel, and should be
removed, if possible. All of her
machinery has been taken up, and
likewise the iron of her turret and
deck. Her interior is all filled with
mud and garbage, among which hu-
man bones are here and there visi-
bic. The diver is able to see about
him when the water is clear. When
the water is not clear he is compel
led to 60 entirely by feeling, and in
the muddy water he sees better by
night than by day. This is owing
to the presence Of innumerable phos-
phoresccnt sparks (said by scientists
to be composed of animalcula).
Over two hundred tons of iron and
various metals have been raised
from this ship.