New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-27
WORKING UNDER WA EN-
HANGERS AND DIFFICULTIES OF THE
DIVERS OCCUPATION.
CAPTAIN EvERETrS THIRTY-oNE fHAh1'
rr,n,r,,rcus WITHOUT AcrDENr-rHn
EQUIPMENT THAT fs usED-So
ELECTRIC LIGHTS OR TTI-FI
puoNEs FOR HIM.
PHONES FOR HIM

ELECTRIC LIGHTS OR TEi-f%
PHONES FOR HIM
=, 4. common saying that dangers whicn
hoys become familiar through long custom
..aoe n be reckoned as dangers. In great
,ne,sure this IL true Of the risks attendant upon
Tho work of diver. His is generally regaroeo
nv outsiders as a perilous profession, and. even
when every precaution is taken to guard against
accidents 1t must be admitted that diving pre-
sents dangers peculiar to itself and often'imes
Impossible to foresee and avert But the aver
himself has grown used to facing the cohoi-
tons Of his work, and they have none OF tnat
terror for him which they would inspire In a
man entirely unaccustomed to remaining be-
Meath 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 lowers and pulls him up.
Yet the experienced and Trustworthy diver is
anything but reckless 1t is well for him to
dwell little upon the various mishaps which
might, but probably will not. occur; never
theless it is essential that he should be sufli-
GENTLY mindful Of his position to induce 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 Ha-
eana at the head Of band or divers to take
charge Of the work on the Maine. is recognized
everywhere one Of the most successful men
in his profession. and has been diving now for
thirty-one years without accident He Is
very modest IN speaking Of this fact. and merely
says:
Il have been fortunate so far. There is
great deal In that. OF course | am always care
full not to any unnecessary risks, and all
our apparatus is examined to see that it is in
I..F.., do
but even then there are certain chances of acct
dent. Personally. l don't think they are very
great if a diver knows his business. l feel just
as safe when working under water | should
on the deck Of vessel i have been diving for
so many years that every phase of the work Is
an old story to now"
Captain Everett has. indeed in the course of
his experience. tried every kind OF diving which
is practsed with view 10 recovering sunken
property. He has been deep under the waves
in the open sea. on the mud bottoms of har-
bors on the beds OF rivers where the current
was swift in lakes channels. and. in short. in
all places where wrecks are found. In prosecut-
Ing this work he has travelled extensively not
only throughout all the waters I'm the neigh
borhood 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 Mountains This.
naturally was not a case of shipwreck. A coal
mine had been flooded, and Captain Everett
Owed into It's black depths to ascertain the
.ent OF the damage and what could be done
'5ward repairing it. You see. l a dry land
As well deep-sea diver" he remarked, laugh
lngy.
The diving suit which Captain Everett wears,
and which is the generally used now by all
divers. Is made Of India rubber. with helmet
and breastplate Of copper Outside Of the rub
Der TO protect 1t from hard usage, extra suit
of overalls Is worn, and after a 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
weighted so that he can maintain erect posi-
ton easily and the entire suit with which he
enters the water weighs about hundred and
seyenty-hve pounds This is essary to ena-
bic him to sink to the required depth. The he'll
met Is supplied with windows Of thick glass
In front and two others at each side OF II, so
that by turning his head slightly inside the
helmet the diver for 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 pump. This tube,
before reaching the opening In the helmet
through which the air is supplied to the diver.
Is carried through ring the breast plate at
the divers left shoulder This Is so that he may
be able to grasp 1t quickly. without having to
grope for II. in case he needs to signal to those
N he M me q