New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-04-13
DIVERS AWFUL FATE.
Continued from flrst psge.

sorting 70 every method possible to dislodge
the ball, but its weight made the task
an impossible Late in the evening
and this morning more divers reached the
dam and went TO work. Several OF them
were overcome while below the surface.
and the one who had worked all night is now
suffering great agony. The other four men have
worked in relays, and all day have sought means
10 dislodge the ball. A special train had been
run out last night from HcboEen. bringing up
the divers their outfits. and all sorts of stuff
which they thought would be useful in releas-
Ing Hoar.
All through the long night and the seemingly
longer hours OF this morning Huar repeatedly
signa!led 10 those above by the line. After the
first diver reached him he kept signalling at
Intervals that all was well. He did this UP to
100 this morning. Less than half an hour
later there was a twitching OF the rope which
was not readable and this continued at inter-
walls FOR fifteen minutes. The divers above at
that hour expressed the belief that the end had
come and that the twitching Of the signal rope
was caused by the death agony.
Half an hour later there was an alarm from
one OF the working below. and he was
hastily hauled up. He gave no help. and It was
feared until he was stripped that his heroism
had cost his life; but he was found TO be only
unconscious. lie was the man who had worked
all night and continued spelling with the others
all morning. He bIed from finger tips and from
the ears and nose. and his hands were swollen TO
almost double their natural size. When he be
came conscious he reported that the imprisoned
was dead. a little later the other diver
was brought UP. and he reported that the man
below had been apparently dead or in faint for
some time.
He said il was practically useless 10 continue
the work but as he had succeeded In bending on
g new moose about the great hall. the second re-
1f.f =
again the rope was rove through the multiply
ing blocks and led ashore. team of horses
was hitched 10 the end. The pun on the rope
was supposed. owing to the blocks, TO be equal
TO fifty teams. but il only resulted in the break
ing Of the rope. A heavier rope was run out. as
the moose still held about the ball, and two
teams were hitched on. but. although all the
men who could get hold also lent their aid. the
big ball did not move, and at o'clock it was
decided TO abandon the attempt
The divers were all practically worked out the
water was rough that they were In constant
risk OF having the air pipes become tangled and
Il was seen that TO continue was TO invite a sec
ore disaster. which might result in one or two
more deaths.
The wind died down at dark. and work was
resumed under the water. But after brief in
terval the divers quit work until the flow of
water has been stopped, they say the suction
is so great that no power can move the bah
while the suction remains &c is. Under direc-
ton Of engineers d gang Of laborers IS now at
work trying to dam the conduit outside Of the
dam This work VIII take until morning, and
perhaps longer. Bags Of sand being intro
II is expected that eventually all flow Of water
VIII be stopped and the suction broken. The
divers say that as soon as the suction ceases
they VIII be able 10 roll the ball aside with Jacks.
In discussing the fate OF the imprisoned diver,
Leopold Hansen, man Of sixteen years expert
ence as a diver, expressed wonder at the vitality
displayed by HoPr. Nj Hansen said:
I have been down in all parts Of the world,
but always in open water. have no expert
ence with fresh water work, and was never
down in a reservoir. but the resistance condi-
lions are practically the same. The broad rule
in supplying air TO a diver is one pound for each
two feet. As 4 result. this man WIS working
under a pressure Of thirty-five pounds. diver
cannot work longer than four hours at q
stretch under that pressure and return 20 the
surface in fair condition. To remain down
long eight hours would mean that he would
be in such condition he would probably never
straighten out again. and more likely would die
That a man should live twenty-four hours seems
almost unbelievable. especially as he had been
injured. urless IL be that the injury aided him.
II might do that in this way: II he cut, the
blood flowing from the body might keep the
brain from congestion. and delay paralysis"