The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1904-06-08
ADVENTURES OF DIVERS.
Bloodcurdling Experiences Beneath the Wa
ters Of N ew Y ollk Iarbor.
New York Times,


along West and South streets, few
casualties caused such sensation as
the frightful death OF William llosr,
who became hopelcssly pinned in the
suction Of four.foot outlet pipe, 60
feet under the surface of the new re-
scrvoir at Boonton. y. j., and whose
almost titanic strength gave way only
after 22 hours of what must have been
cxcruciating mental and physical
agony. lloar was known throughout
his profession as an experienced diver
and as man Of extraordinary cndur
ancc.
I've heard Of good many blood
curdling scarcs AMI fatal accidents and
slueaks thas would turn your hair
gray, and I've had several narrow
shavcs myself, but poor Bills scrcpe
discounts them all, said Capt. An
drews, veteran diver employed by
one of New York 8 best,known wreck
ing companies.
Gone of the toughest accidents on
record happened diver who met
Hoar's fate about six years ago down
in 50-foot mill dam at Holyoke,
Mass. The dam had sprung q leak
near the bottom of the lake, and q
cataract Of water as big around as q
beer keg shot through the masonry
and threatened every moment to en-
large the aperture and take the whole
wall with it. The only hope TO save
the dam was to stopSthe leak by means
Of bags of Portland cement, and o
diver was sent below to make prelimi-
nary survey.
He never as much as signsled. No
sooner had he touched the bottom
than there came quick, vicious tug
that almost hurled the tender into the
water; then all was still save the air
bubbles which rose to the surface
showing where the escape valve in the
helmet was doing duty in releasing
the used-up air pumped down through
the hose to the man below.
In vain the tender signaled again
and again, inquiring whether all was
we'll. There came no answering tug
on the line, and when the combined
strength Of three men failed to bulge
the fellow underneath, another diver
was sent to investigate. He found
his mate doubled up, chin and knees
together, hopelessly v 'ssd six feet
deep into the aperture.
'Not Sign Of life was left in the
unfortunate man, nor was it possible
to bulge the body, which afterward
was entombed by cementing up the
hole.
fright here in,NeI York harbor
We have about as many narrow shaves
as come to men in most parts Of the
country. A brig, the Chatfeld Tay-
!oE, had touched one day on her way
into the port. According to the Jaws
Of underwriters, she had to be inspect
ed before going back to sea.
"The:vessel was anchored over in
the mud fats off Communipaw, and I
put of one Of the coal docks, intend
ing to walk out the hundred feet or
80 and examine her bottom. Every
thing seemed in perfect working order
as I started. [ could hear the regu-
lar, everlasting liok.oliok.cliok' of
the triple -barreled air pump, and felt
each gust Of air as it came in through
the goose neck at the back Of the he'll
met.
Suddenly I started. The click
had ceased abruptly. Something had
gene wrong. For an instant I stood
stock still, scarcely able to believe my
ears. I felt thrill shoot through me
from heels to nair. It wac my fret
serious accident, and in q moment
had lost my head, and was all excite.
ment. I forgot even to signal to be
hoisted by the life line. 1 dared not
stand up in the current, which would
have swept me of nv feet, and so |
crawled back on hands and knees, fol.
ing the line and hose, all the time
feeling the air growing rarer and rarez
and the pressure of water increasing
as the air escaped out of the he'll
met.
"My hands and legs and trunk seem.
ed to be grasped as if in 7;se. and
blood was being pressed to my head |
until my nose began to bleed and I |
grew giddy aud weak under the strain
Of fear and the scarcity of air. What
might have happened is not hard to tell. !
But just as was ready to give up / |
D felt pull at the life line and felt my
self dragged quickly upward.
ST waa nncon acioua when nulloS o,,.