The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-03-29

when every precaution is taken to
guard against accidents, it must be adj
mitted that diving presents dangers
peculiar in itself and oftentimes impos-
sible TO foresee and avert. But the
diver himself has grown used to facing
the conditions of his work, and they
have none of that terror for him which
they would inspire in a man entirely
unaccustomed to remaining beneath
the water. He deScendS trusting to the
proper working of the mechanism by
which he is supplied with air and TO
the strength of the lifeline which low
ers and pulls him up.
Yet the experienced and trustworthy
diver is anything but reckless. 1t is
we'll for him to dwell little upon the
various mishaps which might. but
probably will not, occur: nevertheless
it is essential that he should be suffi-
GENTLY mindful of his position to in
duce him to exercise all possible care
in his movements. Captain Charles
Everett, the most expert diver of the
Merritt & Chapman Derrick and
Wrecking company, who has just gone
to Havana at the head of a band of
divers to take charge of the work on
the Maine, is recognized everywhere as
one of the most successful men in his
profession, and has been diving now
for 81 years without an accident. He is
very modest in speaking of this fact,
and merely says:
Il have been fortunate so far. There
is a great deal in that. OF course l am
always careful not to run any unneces-
sary risks, and all our apparatus is ex-
amined to see that it is in perfect work
ing order before a diver descends, but
even then there are certain chances
of accident Personally, l don't think
they are very great if a diver knows
his business. I feel just as safe when
working under water as | should on the
deck OF a vessel. I have been diving
for so many years that every phase OF
the work is an old story to me now"
Captain Everett has, indeed, in the
course of his experience, tried every
kind of diving which is practiced with
a view to recovering sunken property
He has been deep under the waves in
the open sea, on the mud bottoms OF
harbors. on the beds of rivers where
the current was swift, in lakes, chan
nels. and. in short, in all places where
wrecks are found. In prosecuting this
work he has Travelled extensively, not
only throughout all the waters in the
neighborhood of the United States, but
also in South America and the West
Indies. One of his latest pieces of
work was performed about four weeks
ago, high up in the Allegheny mount
aims. This, naturally. was not case
of shipwreck. A coal mine had been
flooded, and Captain Everett dived into
its black depths TO ascertain the extent
of the damage and see what could be
done toward repairing it. You see, L
am a dry land as well as a deep sea
diver" he remarked, laughingly-
The diving suit which Captain Ev-
erett wears, and which iss-the one gen.
orally used now by all divers. is made
of India rubber, with helmet and
breastplate of copper. Outside of the
rubber, to protect it from hard usage.
an extra suit of canvas Overalls is
worn, and after rough piece of work
this canvas is frequently torn to
shreds. Around his waist the diver
wears a belt made of bars of lead
fastened crosSwise on a leather band.
His shoes are of metal, heavily
weighted. so that he can maintain an
erect position easily, and the entire
suit with which he enters the water
weighs about 175 pounds. This is nee
essary to enable him to sink to the
required depth. The helmet is sup
piled with windows of thick glass. one
in front and two others at each side of
it, so that by turning his head slightly
inside the helmet the diver can see
for some distance around him.
The air tube, upon which his ability
to remain below depends. is of strong.
flexible rubber, through which the
fresh air from above is driven down
by means of a pump. This tube, be-
fore reaching the opening in the he'll
met through which the air is supplied
to the diver. is carried through a ring
on the breastplate at the divers left
shoulder. This is so that he may he
able to grasp it quickly, without hav-
ing to grope for it. in case he needs to
signal TO those at the pump above One
pull on the tube means that he wants
more air. aQd two pulls warn the
bumpers that he is getting too much.
If the air were supplied in excess, the
suit would become so buOyant that il
would tend to rise, and thereby inter-
fere with the divers operations After
being passed through the shoulder ring
the tube goes around and enters the
helmet at the back. From here the air
passes through fiat rubber tube to
the top of the helmet. where the single
tube divides into three branches. one
OF which goes down to the nostrils and
the others to the ears.
After the air has been breatned it
passes on down inside the suit. in
tiating this sufficiently to overcome to
a certain degree the i1ydrostatic pres
sure. Without air inside it. the rub
divers body and limbs by the weight
of the water, and would drive the
blood up into his head There is an
other opening in the back of the he'll
met through which the foul air fnds
its escape. This may be seen coming
up to the top of the water in the form
of bubbles.
The liferope by which the diver is
lowered and raised is about as thick
a1n T+
wound securely about his waist and
fastened under his arms. Three pulls
upon 1t signify to those above that
the diver wishes to come uD.
1t is possible to use electric liehts
under water, but, as a matter of fact.
it is not widely done Captain Everett
prefers to work without a light rather
than be put to the trouble of carrying
and looking after one. "A diver has
only two hands," he says, and if he
has to use one to carry his light. he is
badly handicapped in his work. When
l am II places where l cannot see at
all, either by reason of the great depth
or because the water is muddy or
foul, / work by the sense of touch
Often l can do just as well that way as
if I could see what l am handling. and
this faculty is useful in night work
Telephones are sometimes used,
where frequent and detailed commune
cation between the diver and those
above is desirable, but here again
Captain Everett shows his preference
for having as little extra incumbrance
as possible when he is below. He uses
the telephone sometimes, but says that
they are more or less in the way.
They are said to be useful" he re-
when a diver wishes to in
form those above that he is caught
fast. but they can always tell that any
way, by the feeling of the line. 1t
gets tangled sometimes among the
wreckage below, but the diver
can usually get himself clear
q ga in with a little time nd care DC