The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-06-26
THE PRESS.
DOWN IN A DIVING BELL.
Government Sub Marine Works at Hell
Gate-Back Rivera Reporters Expe-
riences among the Mermaids.

Gate-Back Rivera Reporters Expe-
riences among the Mermaids.
In recent article in the Bath Locals of
our columns, mention was made of former
dredging by the government at He'll Gate
and brief sketch was made of contractor
Andews' operations now in progress. by
which the surface If He'll Gate rock is be-
ing removed TO render navigation through
the gates less dangerous and difficult.
Tuesday morning your scribe made sec
ond visit to the locality, and through the
Kindness OF Captain Augustus Palmer. one
OF the divers who has charge of the work.
donned the diving suit, aud INDUCED in
morning stroll upon the bottom of Back
river, and handled the pickaxe ana crow
bar upon Hell Gate rock. thirty feet be-
nealh The siiface he river.
IT, iaany, the diving suit is an insane
cont:if,tuca in ahjci TO risk ones lie, but
as the rubber pants and vest which with the
stockings is single peace, imperyious 10
the water, was drawn on ard The heavy
brass collar placed and riveted upon this
portion of the suit it seemed as if the thing
must be safe, there was SO much bother in
getting 1t on. After the large copper top
ped shoes were jumped iuto land each shoe
weighs % lbs. we were led Ia Ursus
Major to the lighter steps over the side. and
were told to descend.
Leaning over the side a leaden belt
weighing 100 pounds was streDped about
the waist, the large copper helmet was
screwed on, the scribe was asked If he was
all right. To which question he rather
feebly answered ''y-y-yes guess So" the
trout glass was screwed on and he was tap
ped on the head and told 10 jump over
board As lie is not very muscular, and had
about 220 pounds on him, his jump proved
dismal ''fop' and over. and under he
went, ears feeling as though pierced by red
hot irons, choking for breath, and feeling like
live sardine in an air tight box, Unon
reaching bottom, his first impulse was to
pull his life line three times and get out of
his misery, but upon swallowing, life came
back and Joining the diver who like huge
monster came forward to do the h0nors of
on hand knees, anon rolled upside down by
the swift current, the pair walked along the
Jagged edge OF the immense bowlder, which
extends along the bed of the river, north
east by south west, 10 feet, being 80 feet
il. width. A ''bloI'' had Just been effected
and the diver and scribe picking up a crow
bar began work on two ton fragment
which was easily placed in a position to be
raised. Now he began TO feel at home. ard
wabbling over the edge of the rock, down
he went into clay and mud ten feet deeper
The bed was fairly covered with founders
and eels, who seemed to manirestno fear.
Stepping aside the great rock seemed ike
huge hillock in a hay field. Big fishes and
little fishes. curiously nosed against The
windows of the helmet as if desirous of
acquaintance, and grinned to see the in
truder often upset by the tide Again
scrambiing to the summit of the ledge, Mr..
Williams was found hard at work. and the
scribe was just about shaking hands with
him, when lurch brought The edge of his
crowbar against the bars of the green
hands helmet window just reaching the
glass. Visions of stolen apples and unsaid
prayers with rapidly crossed the brain, but
the glass was all right. Putting his head
close to him, Williams asked If | was all
right. The scribe followed eyes" and an
other ramble was taken. Sitting on cleft
fragment, what seemed to be sturgeon
or a shark appeared. Coming nearer. il
proved a large seal which manifested no
fear at our ungainly FORMS Three halls on
the lie line and soon the scribe was being
hauled over the side, the helmet was taken
of and he found himself bleeding at the
mouth and nose, from the tremendous pres
sure to which he had been subjected. On
exposure to the air however, this soon ceas-
ed and then he was told how white he look
ed when first shut up in his cage.
IL has been month to-day, since Mr.
Andrews began the work on the bowlder
ana over 80 tons of rock have been remov-
ed ald sent to form a braekwater at the
camp ground. Over the edge is placed
tour post frame work 30 fl. X24 it,. costing
Sloo, built OF spruce 10 inch jost. Upon
this an lngersoN drill which cost 81 900 is
worked by six horse power upright -et,--
gIne, The drills being "a feet long, weighing
100 pounds, striking 400 clips per minute.
each clip being of 800 pounds force. The
holes are drilled in the ledge six feet, and in
tins hole pound cartridge of giant powder
is placed being exploded by torpedo ignit-
ed by electricity. About 300 tons of rock
must be taken off to fulfill the terms of the
contract. The divers work eight hours per
day, five hours on ebb tide, three hours on
the flood. The current runs sometimes 70
knots an hour, preventing work at the bot
tom OF the river Capt. Augustus Palmer
who is in charge, is a native Of Buxton, Me-,
and is Al years OF age. For nine years he
has been diver and likes the business.
His first business was at New Haven.
building the light house. He was also en-
ployed in building the drawbrdge pier at
Newburyport and the breakwater at the
Battery at New York. His deepest diving
has been 1C0 feet in Boston harbor. He
thinks it sure death to dive below 100 feet
on full stomach
Mr.. John Williams, the second diver is
a native OF East Boston, has been in the
business seven years and is Is years old.
His deepest diving was while unloading and
raising the schooner Joseph Farwell of
Rockland, sunk in 1877, off Harris Island.
Long Island Sound. lie has recovered two
bodies, but don't like this part of the bust
ness. lie was also employed in building
the South Boston sea wall and has dived
for treasure at the West Indies
A visit to the locality is of great interest.
md visitors are assured Of most courte
)us and hospitable treatment at the hands
81 Capt. Palmer and his crew.