Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-02-07
pERILS OF DIVING.
interesting Stories Of Adventure Told
by Robert {. Chase.
He is Now Employed at Washburn
Aroostoek County.

Submarine divers are called upon to
perform some very strange kIudc Of
work In the course of their lifetime. but
Robert Z. Chase. formerly Of this city,
! but now of Portland, one OF the best
engaged in this work on the Atlantic
coast, now has, without doubt, the
most unique piece of work on his
hands that ever fell to the lot of a
diver.
He is engaged in taking up a steel
bridge from the bottom of the ARGOS
took river. up in the northern part of
the State. and it is as cold and as diff
! cult q job as ever man undertook.
| The bridge spanned the Aroostook 1T
the town Of Washburn and was much
| appreciated by the people of that part
of the potato country. When the big
rain and flood of last December came
the river was swollen to a height never
b, fore reached. and the ice and water
carried the bridge from it's foundations
ana down stream a distance of about 20
rods, where it sank to the bottom.
All that remained to show where it
was were . few twisted steel rods.
which stuck w out Of the ice and water
ICE ar iIit W INT tcHfdlIS u ="
wrecked warship.
1t was deemed advisa BILE to secure
diy er and recover the bridge and re-
place il, rather than to buy new one.
and that is how Chase comes to he at
work up there,
\ scow is anchored out in the river
at the point where tine work is to be
done and there. with ice whirling
= Ia, tt M al
lines, the diver works at the bottom Of
the river as unconcerned as can be.
while the people of Washburn stand
uron the banks and watch him, for pre-
vious to his coming there were but two
persons in the entire place that had
aven seen diver at work. Now there
arc not more than two who have not
seen one.
In the course Of his experience as a
diver Mr.. Chase has had some exciting
adventures. Once, few years ago
while engaged in raising wrecked
fishing vessel in Boothbay harbor, his
life line became fouled and he vas
under water five hours before being
rescued 90
Another time, while at work on the
Florida coast. he was nearly killed by
shark. He nov has at his home in Port
land a cane made from the backbone OF
the big man-eating fish. An odd part OF
this last adventure was that 1t was the
first descent on which Mr.. Chase had
ever taken q Knife with him as pre-
caution against, danger, and had he not
had IT he must certainly have been
killed ~
His most startling adventure was
while engaged in blowing ledge in the
bottom of river. The accident oc-
Cured early one morning. just az
Chase's helper had completed screwing
or his helmet and the diver had started
down the ladder into the water.
Through the carelessness Of some one
six dynamite cartridges were acciden-
tally exploded.
The diver was thrown from the lad
Ger and went TO the bottom with great
rapidity, his life line and hose being
torn from the helpers hands by the
explosion. Fortunately. the scow upon
which the men were stationed with the
:i,r lump was. uninjured.
Tns men working the pump were
TIM own to the floor of the scow, but one
IA lHtiii, IL didii WIN Huu DSCh Will
Chase for five years. understanding,
Though half unconscious. that the div
rs life depended upon the pump being
worked, struggled to his feet and while
the blood poured from Jagged cut In
his head and one arm was broken.
kent the pump working until the ten
Jer could draw Chase to the surface
aid remove the helmet.