The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-01-21

useless to worry about it, because you may
have escaped"
Mr.. Graves said; captain, what is the
result OF this injury you are talking
about?"
Capt. Noble answered; paralysis,
deafness, dumbness and death"
We didn't even look at each other
after this.
The APPEAL man began TO whistle in q
low and reyerential tone, climbing Up
dc Golden Stairs" aud shifted of ON
There's a Home Over There" meaning
across the river, in Memphis, of course.
Capt Noble continues "Washington A.
Roebhng, the engineer Of tho Brooklyn
Bridge, you know, went down into one of
the caissons one day and came up par
alyzed, from the effects OF which he died. >"
With this charming, delightful "bon
voyage" and "lebcn sic wohl' to the
earth and sunlight, We all descended
through a narrow iron shaft resembling n
smoke-stack.
We went down on permanent ladder
until We reached the airchamber u. This
is entered through trap.door Theoretically
sealed II held four OF MS standing erect
and in crowded condition. This cham
Der issomo forty feet below the entrance TO
the shaft. The door we camo through was
closed alright after us, and there wewcre.
Arcpresents the door We entered through;
q Is a stop-cock, through which ,he com.
pressed air enters; c il the stop.cock 10 let
the compressed air out through the shaft
A In figure |. The d stop.cock IL connec.
ted with shaft c, which reaches the work.
ing chamber ID.
II is understood that we four are now IN
the air chamber, being compressed 50 that
We may be able TO stand the pressure
down in tho working chamber, where the
men are engaged seeking q suitable found.
alton for the caisson and pier. The di-
mansions Of this air chamber are, three
feet radius by six feet In hight II is air
tight as has been said. We are entirely
cut of from the atmosphere and must be
supplied artiicially or smother TO death.
II takes u strong spirit TO stand up undor
the horror of his surroundings. A timid
person would die through sheer fright
Imagine ones self being locked WI in q
small, close iron chamber forty feet under
meath the ground and u rushing river,
Theoretically sealed in, his life depending
on air supplied by engines on boat
NllNil fNilllbA w WIN lIhll
this chamber, although signals may be
given from the working chamber. Tho
boat might he cast from il mOOrings,
something might happen TO the air pipes
and cut OF his life in a jiiIy. There
are no possible means Of escape because
thOrc Is a pressure OF forty.three pounds 10
the square inch against the door which
leads TO the exit shaft; this amounts 10
nearly 1000 pounds aud II would hc i'm
possible TO open II. Then, II IL could be
opened suddenly II would be- certain death,
because the compressed air ~ the cham
b would dash one 10 pieces II IL were al
lowed ~ escape NJ once. After being sealed
In Mr.. Noble turned ON the compressed
air nj stop-cock 4, telling us after We in
hailed a breath Of air 10 hold our nosiris
tightly, close our mouths aud blow the air
back into the ears. This was done 10 over
come In degree the pressure ON the drum
OF the ear. which lao said was 20 painful.
We hadn't got many pounds ON when Mr.
johnson yelled with an Intense pain on
the drums OF his cans.
Mr.. Noble told him to blow the air back
from the inside 80 rs TO put that part Of his
head gear in liz proper place, hut the pain
was M intense that The only way 10 relieve
him was 20 decrease the pressure. This
was done 10y slightly opening slopcock r.
Tho pain struck Mr.. johnson several
times, aud II was quite q while before We
were ready to descend into the working
chamber u. When We arrived here We
learned everything about the cniNon and
how Il IL operated. Six or eight expert
workmcn wcrc found engaged la the task
Of looking for foundation. The only
agencies usci In digging this deep hole Is
water and air.