The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-07-26
L In WHALES BLOWHoLE
sBLTSER COULDN'T CLOSE IT WHEN
HE WENT UNDER WATER.

ODVHO - INV
HE WENT UNDER WATER.
-
Gradually the water Got Este the Aauarium
whales LunEp-Dr. Bean Tried 70 Land
Hin for an Bxaminatiop. bat the Tank
Euptied Too slowly and seltser Died.
There was mourning at the Aquarium yester-
day. Seltzer 10 dead and everybody connected
with tho place refused TO be comforted. Seltzer,
rs nearly everybody knows. was one of the two
whales brought from Canadian waters to the
Aquarium on Juno 3. His death notice, setting
forth that he died Of 4dema Of the lungs at S:45
o'clock on Saturday night, was printed in THE
Sun yesterday, Settler had no relatives in tho
city. and all his friends were go overcome with
grief Immediately after his death that 1t was
not possible to obtain from them enough facts
to mako up q proper obituary.
These were obtained yesterday afternoon from
DR.. Tarleton H. Bean. director Of the Aquarium,
and from the Aquarium's custodian. Eben r.
Sampson. From the information furnished by
these gentlemen, It appears that SeltSers death
was really a tragic one. There was no mystery
about It, however, SO the Coroner was not noti-
fed.
To all appearances Seltzer was a. healthy q
whale az ever spouted until late on Friday after
noon. Then ono Of the keepers noticed that
something was wrong. The keepers attention
"uo abtThCttu ny ~ IOuu Wnocblnk tuhb hCCOn-
panied each blow that the whale made when he
came to the surface for fresh air. The wheeling
could be heard all over the Aquarium. Tho case
was reported to DR.. Bean as soon as he came
downtown on Saturday. The general opinion
among the keepers was that Settlers lungs had
become affected.
That diagnosis was not accepted by DR.. Bean.
He was positive that the whales lungs were all
right. He cited q fact, known to tho custodian
and to all the keepers, that the mammal for tho
past month had, as 1t seemed, remained under
water a little longer after zach time that ho
came to the surface to blow. This convinced DR..
Bean that Settlers lungs were all right. and
that some other cause Of the illness must DO
found.
Seltzer was never left alone for . moment all
day Saturday. Shortly after noon the keeper
on watch hurried to DR.. Beams Office and re-
ported that Seltzer had just got rid of some for
eign substance through the blow hole. DR.. Bean
found the foreign substance floating on the sur
face of the water. He saw at once that 1t was q
piece Of Gel.
Now" said the doctor to the keeper, II know
what's the matter with him.. He's been eating
moro cells than his stomach could digest. He's
like many young things. His eyes were bigger
him ill-nauseated him. He tried to throw them
OF. In doing SO q piece got stuck In the blow
hole; c, All this biz ,S Wheeling o e ths 4. we web s1 fsfio heard ard
been making 70 get rid Of hat piece OF eel. Now
Just as DR.. Bean finished speaking the whale
came to the surface again, and he seemed to
M VI louder than ever. Dr: Bean watched Th;a
time the doctor exclaimed:
"Jehosaphat! A whole eel must have lodged
in the bloT hole. There's still a pi:ee hanging
siSle and zen, try to help the pNof boy" ,...,
the tank, remarked one OF the keepers.
Vel have to take that chance. replied DR..
As soon as possible they began to let the water
out Of the tank. his was a slow process and
the afternoon had worn away and evening had
come and yet the water in the tank was not low
enough for any one to reach a helping hand to
and watch the exasperatingly slow fall OF tho
water. Every time the whale came to the sur.
face the keepers would shout to him a word of
Chez 1p; old bGyt Hang on a little longer
and VEL bear you a hand!, the men eried: DR.:
understood all that the men said to him. 49,.
Why, said the doctor. "the poor fellow
and he seemed to try to wheeze . little louder.
just to show thst he understood"
was still two or three feet Of water in the tank.
It seemed to be running Of a BIZ faster. how.
encourage the whale in his life and death strug.
gle. About $3.50 one OF, the keepers remarked
That either the mammal had got rid OF some
as his wheezing was, not nearly SO loud. The
other men listened when Settler came up again
and they noticed that the wheeling had dt.
minished. Some OF the men pulled out their
watches.
There was only a few inches Of water covering
the, whales back, and II he could hold out a
little longer he would get the help he needed.
WITH more and more difficulty the whale got
The men realized that, unless there was an in
terposition, OF Providence, and that soon. their
| frtAn rrnn1H Ia hArlrH tho rAanh ~ tlnsr old
At exactly s:45 there was o slight upward
movement of the body. q feeble blow. and the
His spirit had wandered Off to the happy swim
ming grounds.
therefore, no one here can DO more than guess
how old he was. 1t is known. however. that he
was a young whale, He was born near the
Lawrence. about 200 miles northeast Of Quebec
He and his companion. possibly his mother, were
by, Canadian fishermen and both whales were
shipped to New York. They arrived at the
A 1snion Mas e Called sHn lived d j Miik; a Ss sS Says' S sG%
her death her body was taken to the American
Museum OF Natural History.
1t was there that Settlers body was removed
yesterday afternoon and where 1t will be pre-
served. The body Is between nine and ten feel
long: In speaking Of Settlers death. DR.. Bear
Y see a whale has TO como to the surface
about every 10 seconds TO blow. There is &
valve in the blowhole which works very rapid,
as The whale efhaieS the impure and inhales tn,
tor in his stomach Settler pushed, as we hav,
since learned, a whole eel into the air passage
This prevented the air valve from closing tight
ly. BY continued wheeling he pushed more ant
more Of the eel outward, thus opening the ali
valve wider. Finally the valve became 30 IA
open that the water rushed In, flooded tn,
lungs, and Settler d%rowne l feel as IL / hat
lost one Of my own family; So docs everybod.
The whales blowbole was examined after hi
death. and what appeared TO be a part Of an ee
was found protruding from 1t. One of the mel
started TO pull this out. and he pulled until b,
got to the end Of an eel about two feet ionI
that had been partially digested In the whale
alcohol.
Long Branch Compromises Its Paving Debt
IN BRANCH. n. j.. July 25.-The Board o