The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-03-20

y; Az this answered my description prett
WE'LL The authorities at Key West ser
To- me, with the result that before nigh
4 4. had agreed 70 90 TO Havana to wor
lspon tho wreck OF the Maine without dc
u Nv. 1 WAS TO have three assistants 3
xoFk the pumps and ropes and was :
Il secsive 3l25 per day, TO be divided "
among ~ hands, A divers day consist
q four hours. Like to go down at II
IS tho morning when the waters are clear
and stay until noon. That is about u
rs iorg as ] like to be beneath the water, AZ
though 4 have remained under Two hours
K longer:
biying in Florida waters and In the
Glilf Ok Havana is different matter from
Mississlppi work The Florida waters are
4 as clear as Il Dell and diver need not
carry electric lights with him. He can see
the shells under his feet, and behold OBJ
jects long way off.
AZ am Florida diver aud have always
% worked IN tropical waters except once
when went to Lake Huron to recover
vniuabes from sunkcn steamship. |
understand working below the surface. and
/ can say that no diver can go down with
more ease and work quicker or longer than
! can.
But the work OF the Maine was differ
emit matter, Never in my experience had
been called upon to do such a critical
piece OF work Here at the bottom OF the
sea, or submerged far below the surface
4 was a si.00D,D0Q cruiser. containing 10000
In bank notes, silver and yaiuablee. Be
yides these were the ships Instruments Of
costly make and rare design.
.4i More than all there were bodies down
5 in the shin and these were to be recovered
long with the gold and silver
One Of my arrangements was for com.
plete electric light service wanted
d lights in my helmet and where | could
manage them in my hands | wanted to
pc able to work as distinctly as on land,
and even more so. wanted to go down
IN ire Maine and bring up everything that
could possibly be reclaimed for the sery-
ice OF the government.
shall never forget tho morning, sew
eral days later when tho wrockIng
schooner took me out to the great sub
merged vessel and lowered me down The
snit wore on that occasion was worthy
OF note, fori1 had brandt new one made
" was OF heavy canvas cloth waterproof
and atrong. Underneath IL, as the waters
are chilly, wore heavy wooden suIt.
Over the canvas divers snlt was belt
which 'connectcd by brass rods with cnl-
ar afs9unn my neck, to which were fas-
timed the tubes for raising and lowering
ma ,and for supplying me with air NV
boots had Iron solce, Weighted so heavily
that could not move around on land. and
my helmet was one with Ave wlndowa
so that ! could see out OF window
whichever way turned my head.
The helmet was fitted TO the suit. I,
'as large enough to permit my moving
neck with freedom. IL was OF glass.
al, copper outside. in which were win
cvs OF iron Noting.
E NY suit, when I wns ready to 20 down,
weighed 400 pounds and was so heavy
MAJ could not support its weisht I'M
lided. My feet. each OF which weighed
,eventy pounds, had to be lifted for me.
ma or going down the ladder from the
llhe OF the wrenker one OF my assistants
ock my feet OFF the rounds and plnced
hem below at each step My hands were
protected lightly with rubber gioyeg
which connected With my suit with broad |
'lastic bands, making my sleeves water |
light.
wanted TO 20 down with my bare
iandE, feeling that | could work better
Ind with more delicacy OF touch in that |
way. but knew from experience how
numerous the little fish arc and how they
lite and sting the fingers. | knew also
vhat formidable creatures the big fish
re in these waters and how they would
. attracted by the bodies that were with
n They nip of Divers bare fingers
part of my outfit which | have not
mentioned was a supply of iron nerve.
Or ! knew that the sights which would
ee below would destroy my courage ana
and me back to the surface.
4 once recovered two bodies from
unken ferryboat. They werc a man and
oman clasped In each others arms.
nth smile upon their lips When /
aw them shouted aloud, and the sound
eycrberated inside my hollow helmet un-
n opt,n |
Tasp the rope to give II three pulls. v
'hich would bring me to the surface S
ut all that ] could do was to touch 4, i
sebiy When they pulled me IN / had y
ainted inside the helmet, and for days Z
could ace that smiling couple before my h
yes, n
The Maine would hold no pretty sight s,
" must nerve myself for the work or
OF undertake 1t. Z
When tho captain of the tug called on, s.
,od- bye 10 me ! waved one OF my hands n
MN and began TO sink below tho u
alter ] could not hear his voice hui I o
lew what he WAS saying. His Inns were Il
iirmurjng Recover the bodies OF our d
'ilor boys, There's woman waiting n
If every one.'' I,
Az sank my attention was attracted y
large number OF small fish that seem D.
10 MI the wator as though In school
hey were of all varieties, and actually Il
'uld feel them beneath my feet as ! q,
nix, The water. instead OF being thin
a light, was thick. and | pushed INV n
y downward as though through a dense Il
ass, The hsh, as very quickly noted. r,
re cf the very small kind which make b
? I've Of diver. miserable. But this N
pc they did mt annoy me, for they were :,
ter greater game beyond Ii
some were beautiful. others ugly. Hide
: eculpins flashed around me- grinnIng s,
q blinking Huge cells that looked like II
! snakes. twined themselves around my n
y. Crabs and HOLSTERS were there also, h
wing about my divers suit. and little O
! can,a toward me with open mouths b
siieronsiy, In the lot were tiny sword a
scs with undeveloped swords, and there II
re crccr looking creatures with horns a
wing shaped fins. Others had beauti- g
( lying tails. and there was one big &
q that had only one eye In the center Vi
the head None Of these we're over
ae feet long, but many. having bright In
en or bright blue scales. looked larger. al
= 4 e2nk little deeper saw What ~
I9eted these little Dish. Floating about al
~ - fhough waiting 10 become water ht
& eAa hqbhirR around the water like al
20 (Ii&no-t n n{dEar onrs,a. ~ 49,. / hi