Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1906-08-15
TOILET OF TIE DIVER
OPERATION OF PUTTING ON AND
TAKING OFF HIS COSTUME.

W CfNN wv VI ~ ING CN AND
TAKING OFF HIS COSTUME.
One OF the Requisites 81 the Divers
Dressing Platform Il an Old Tin
Cana Lesson Tn the Art OF Taking
Things Easy-NccoSSsts For Care.
To watch diver while Ice is dressing
* dives. nc himself ~ lis professional
spparc. is not only o. d. taught les
ten IN tho art os taking things easily.
bat Gls0 iwprcseee ono With che fact
that the divers IS the only occupation
undCr The san in which n tin can is n
toilet requisite.
Tho can in question 81 not an orna-
mcnta! object such rs q silver backed
hairbrush "a or a set Of manicure IN
strumonts, hut tho divers valet needs
il iu his business rs much us any fon
needs either Of tho silver implements.
for il IS ia this battered old tin that
the valet drops The thumbscrews that
keep the rubber cloth Of tho diving
suit confined IN place between the
outer GnG inner plates Of the cuirass-
lillo shell tho diver wears over his
they remain until the diver Is ready 10
dress again. when the valet carefully
picks them ont Of the tin and screws
them back IN place.
Tho operation % dressing a diver TO
quircs two distinct movements. ono
taking piacc on the deck of the vessel
or platform from which he IS working.
/ the other az tho head OF the ladder on
which the diver dcscends to the depths
below. IL IS a business that requires q
good deal of time. for the divers life
depends on Just how carefully each OF
the several things are dono, and no
one sacrifices thOroughneSs to speed.
Tho diver always has u comfortable
| place 70 sit ON before no begins remov-
ing his shoes. after which he draws on
a long pair Of heavy wooden stockings
| over the legs OF trousers. Over these
again no pulls on another pair Of
/ trousers. and then he draws on the
lower part Of his diving suit proper.
/ After that s. done no Is IN the hands Of
! his valet. who Is also the man who
| tends the air pipe md signal ropc after
/ the diver has descended to the bottom
\ Of the sen.
One Of the curloSitles OF this opera
ton Is the immob!hty Of tho man who
/ IS being dressed Ho sits perfectly still
with his hands claspCd between his
| knees rarely speaking. his eyes fixed
ON some distant point as though ho
were absorbed IN conSidering some
wGighty problem
Meanwhile the valet has been draw
ing the rubber suit UP on the divers
/ arms and part way UP over his chest.
and then he slips down over his head
the steel culrGss that keeps the pres
/ sure Of the water away from his chest
and also serves TO support the weight
OF the copper helmet on his shoulders
At this point IN the operation tho tin
! can comes into use, and the valet takes
/ from II tho brass thumbScrcws that
cOnf1ne the upper edges OF the diving
suit between the CuiraSs and tho four
steel bands that are Fastened outside
OF It. Then the valet puts black silk
skullcap on the divers head, and the
diver waddles over TO tho head Of the
ladder after o pair OF heavy rubber
bands arc slipped over tho rubber cuffs
OF tho suit, for the diver works with
barred hands.
Then come the nnal touches Of the
costume. which arc always made MS
near the head Of the ladder as possible
for these operations consist of putting
on the weighted shoes, tho weighted
breast belt and the copper helmet. The
diver slips his feet into the shoes oi
cast Iron. and his valet and another
helper buckle them around his instep
Then he bends down, resting his arms
on the head Of the ladder, while Tx
belt, on which are fastened great, thicl
squares Of lead, Is buckled around hi:
breast and across his shoulders
Tho signal cord Is fastened 60 IN,
hreastplate with leather thongs, 0n(
then tho signal is given TO tho man a
the mir pump TO work lively" whicl