The San Francisco call., 1896-05-04
Divers Cut Away Her Broken
Fore and Main Topmasts
With Dynamite.
VERY DANGEROUS OPERATION
After the Load Had Been Put in
Place 1t Was Fired by
Electricity.

The work of raising the sunken British
ship Bairmore was fairly begun yester-
day. During the early morning hours the
divers were at work, and q number of ex-
cursionists on boats from the Union Iron
Works and adjoining points watched the
operations with absorbing interest.
The dressing of the diver was revela-
ton to all who looked on, and one woman
remarked, "Why, 1 could dress my baby
as quick again as it takes to dress that
man." When "the man" was down, how
ever he did what no baby could do. He
discovered that the Blairmore's fore and
main topmasts had been broken off, and
that while they were swaying in the tide
it was almost impossible to work on them.
The diver who went down aft found the
mizzen sound, but the rigging all snarled
up with floating ropes from the other two
masts.
Captain Caw, the master of the Blair
more, was on board the wrecking steamer
Whitelaw when the divers made their re-
port. He and Captain Whitelaw held
consultation and it was finally decided to
cut the tops of the fore and main masts off
with dynamite. A big coil of insulated
wire was procured and for want of better
drum it was wound around galvanized
bucket. Two sticks OF dynamite were
taken out of the magazine by Captain
Whitelaw and carefully wrapped in can
vas. A cap was placed at one end and
then the dynamite, canvas, cap and in
sulating wire were all packed closely to-
gether with cord.
This deadly com mbination, that was pow
erful enough to wreck the Whitelaw and
half dozen other ships, was calmly taken
in hand by q diver and carried into the
depths of the bay.
With it in hand he walked to the fore
mast of the sunken ship and just below
| the break he bound the canvas containing
| the dynamite. Then without any undue
haste he meandered back to the ladder
| hanging over the stern OF the Whitelaw
and reported progress.
Two other divers were down at the time
and they were signaled to. They came to
the surface and their helmets were taken
off. A few minutes later the signal was
| given that all was ready and Captain
Whitelaw touched the electric button.
| An upheaval of the waters of the bay fol-
| lowed, the Whitelaw shook like an aspen
| leaf and one of the divers was almost
thrown from the ladder. When an exami
nation was made a quarter OF an hour
later the diver found that the broken fore
| topmast had been cut off as clean as with
| a chisel.
The mainmast was treated in a similar
manner and during the afternoon tide the
| work of removing the standing rigging
was begun. This will occupy several days
and then the yards will be taken off and
sent aloft.
Once these are removed the task will be
easy, as far as removing the masts is con-
cerned, Then the really hard work will
begin. The vessel has to be put on even
keel and raised. This can only be done
by great skill and experience and that
If f<a1a ffar
ting the Blairmore on an even keel set
OF pontoons will be placed in position and
these will be fastened to the hull of the
sunken ship at low water. The rising OF
the tide will do the rest and once the
hatches are above water it will not take
| long to pump her out.
| Captain Whitelaw. who has the work in
charge, Captain Burns, who is directing
the operations for the English under
writers, and Captain Cav, the master of the
sunken ship. are all confident that the
Blairmore will be afioat again inside thirty
| days.