The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1902-02-15
4.-TNE.FuETOn. - - = = :
RUM ING or. TINE >>SuREACE !.

apove. AS she moved quickly out or ner
dock under electric power and pointed
over the Kelpie'S track the water rippled
to the feet Of the men standing on deck +
i Below, down a ;hatchway just wild:
enough to admit a mans body freely,
only the electric and gas engineers were
needed. The boat seems decidedly roomy
at first glance, but that is only because
she is all in one compartment. Every
thing is open, and one can see from her
bow to her stern-from the end of the
torpedo chamber to the electric motor in
the stern. Despite the fact that owing
to a blunder she had sunk mot long ago.
on Dec. IL it washer interior was as
bright and clean as new pin. And, by
the way, the mate, James Wilson, had a
little experience the time that the Fulton
sank that he ney er told until on this trip.
He told about it in a modest way, but it
was evident that he had a fight for his
life and only his cool head saved him. n
AS the Fulton lay at her pier her stern
was raised to permit an examination of
the nuffler. This depressed her nose, as
was expected, but what was not expected
was that some one had left the torpedo
valve open in the bow. Wilson was with
in the boat at the time and as she began.
to fill he ran forward to try to climb to
daylight, but the solid body Of water
pressing on the hatchway was too strong
for him. AS the Fulton sank she tilted a
little to one side, then lay hard on the
lot TOM In perfect darkness The cool fell
low stood straight up In the boat until
his head touched the steel frame. Every
few feet there are ribs of steel about six
inches deep, and between this, as the water
I raised, air cushions formed. BY pressing
Ibis face close and sideways to the shell
Of the boat he could breathe; with some
difficulty and gasping, but still breathe.
| There he stood until the boat had filled
as much as she could, the air cushions,
of course, preventing her from filling
| completely. Then, in darkness, when he
believed she, had taken in all the water
i she could, he started for the ladder. II
/ was only a short dive, as he knew right
where it was, but never was there such
la dive under such circumstances. He
passed up through the hatch which he
easily rs.ised, as pressure had been equal
/ ICED, through solid water ard In a few
| moments was being congratulated. by his
/ friends above. They had counted exactly
on what he would do, and decided not t
lsend down after him. for fear Of mixing
4 things up with two men in the narrow
4 fatchway. In another minute, however
4 Charles Bechtold, the gunner, Woule
have been after him., as he was stripped
Bechtold made his dive anyway, and
with little trouble closed the torpedo
valve. The raising of the beat then was
easy. Thus luckily ended tie only ac.
j cident. s3-ss5E Nj
, After the hero Of the story had told il
i with the scantest detail, Capt. Cable per.
/ mitted the reporter to stand in the con.
4 ming tower, to see how, the boat il
4 steered when submerged. Above watel
one can gee plainly through the small
/ thick glasses In the tiny tower. which i,
/ ire head ma srtosi;ders of one man. and
I when subrne rEed he steers only BIZ
/ compass, which i IN front OF him. AZ.
tached to the side OF the boat Is 2 queer