The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1904-04-13
DIVER MET
AWFUL FATE
Pinned Down by the Foot at the
Bottom of a New Jersey
Reservoir.

BOONT0N, n. j., April 13.-Pinned
down by his foot by two tons Of lead
in the darkness and silence of seventy
| two feet Of water at the bottom Of the
big reservoir of the Jersey City Water
Supply company at this place, a diver
has lain since 2 O'Clock Monday after
noon. At intervals during his impris-
onment he has signaled TO the men at
the air pumps on the shore of the reser-
voir, letting them know that he was
st1ll alive. The movements Of the sig
nal line have become weak and irregu-
lar, and 1t seemed to the men at the
surface that the unfortunate man had
weakened and might even be signaling
in his death struggle.
Forty men, including two expert SUBJ
marine divers, have been working try
ing TO rescue the imprisoned man.
That he was still alive at noon was
known by repeated signals that came
up the life and signal lines In the
hope Of releasing the man from his
predicament before he collapses from
exhaustion or starves TO death his part
ners are working with might and main.
Thus far there has been no interfer-
encs with the imprisoned mans air
supply. Gangs of four relieve one an
other at the pumps and keep up reg
ular pressure. All through the night
the rescue gangs remained on duty,
and more divers were sent for from
New York.
The reservoir where the man is In
Gagged beneath sixty-five feet of water
il near here. 1t is owned by the Jer-
sey City Water Supply company, and
a conduit leading TO that city Is being
constructed. Last week 1t was found
that one Of the valves did not work.
To shut of the water in the conduit
so that the valve might be fixed huge
wooden ball, weighted with lead, was
sunk, with the idea that II would FIJI
the opening to the conduit. 1t did 30
partially, but seemed to fail to work
properly. 1t was TO put this ball in
place that the diver was sent down.
This was at . o'clock Monday after
noon. At 8 he signaled Trouble"
Another man with whom he had been
working went down TO find out what
was the matter. He found his mate
caught by one leg between the huge
ball and the mouth of the conduit, and
every effort made to free the impris-
oned man was of no avail.
Since then attempts have been made
repeatedly TO move the ball. the divers
working in relays, but in vain. From
time TO time the man in his living tomb
would signal to those at the air pumps
for more or less air as he needed 1t.
His signals became fainter and fainter
aud at 1855 yesterday ceased altos
gather
In addition TO the extra divers sent
for the man who went down to help
his partner have continued work right
along. One became so exhausted that
he had to be taken ashore. Ordinarily
a diver will work only for an hour and
a half in more than twenty fathoms Of
water, but this one in efforts to save
his partner went down repeatedly and
spent the greater part Of twenty -four
hours below the surface.
Dr. ]. L. Taylor, who has been at |
the scene day and night, believes the
imprisoned diver is dead.
The imprisoned diver is William |
Hoar of One Hundred and Sixth street |
and Third avenue, New York. He is
unmarried and has no relatives here, |
30 far as is known. He was employed |
by the J. s. Burdick Submarine com
pany. He was sent TO the works and |
was caught in his death trap on his |
third descent in an attempt to stop the
pipe.
Before he went down on his fatal trip |
to the bottom of the reservoir the diver
reported that the job was a perilous
one and that the suction at the mouth
Of the pipe was strong enough to sweep
a man of his feet.
While they worked the rescuing div
ers below the surface of the water
were able TO look at the face of their
doomed comrade and see the hopeless
look in his face as he felt his strength
ebbing beneath the pangs of hunger
and the strain of suspense waiting for
the death that he felt was certain, as
through the glass Of his helmet he
the heroic efforts that the res
cuers were making to save him and
saw every effort fail.
AS best they could the doomed man
md the determined rescuers communi-
lated with one another by hand grasps
and looks. No more could be done,
md to the rescuerR the task was heart
breaking. What 1t must have been to
he man lying in the darkness awaiting
ais end can only be surmised.
Expert divers express the opinion !
hat it could not be possible for Hoar,