Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1906-09-06
TOILET OF THE DIVER
OPERATION OF PUTTING ON AND
TAKING OFF HIS COSTUME.


Ono of tn" Requisites of the Divers
Dressing Platform Is an Old Tin
Can Le@sois In the Art of Taking
Things Ensy-NeoeSsity For Clre.
To watch a diver while he is dressing
er diveStin. himself of his professional
Gpparyl is rot only to be taught a les
ron in tn art Of taking things easily,
bat aIro inp -essc4 oae with the fact
that the divers is the only occupation
under the sun in which n tin can IS a
toilet requisite.
The can Ia question IS not an orna-
moatlI object, such rs a silver backed
hai"b.ush is or a set of manicure in
slrHmCHts. but tie divers valet needs
il in his business as much as any fop
needs either Of the silver implements,
for Il is III this battered old tin that
the valet drops the thumbscrews that
keep the rubber cloth of the diving
suit confined in place between the
outer and inner plates of the cuirass-
like shell the diver wears over his
shoulders ami across his breast There
they remain until the diver is ready to
Gre - again. when the valet carefully
picks them out Of the tin and screws
them back IN place.
The operation Of dressing a diver re
quirGs two distinct movements, one
taking place on the deck Of the vessel
or platform from which he is working.
the other at the head Of the ladder on
which the diver Iescends to the depths
below. 1t is a business that requires a
good deal Of time, for the divers life
depends on Just how carefully each Of
the several things are done, and no
ole racritica4 thoroughncss to speed.
The Giv"r always has comfortable
pia.r + sit on before he begins remov-
jHg lis shoes. after which he draws on
q ~ pti.. of h"lvy wOolen stockings
over t.e I,.~3 of trousers. Over these
uwa.u n2 ..'.3 on another pair Of
t'gC.crs. &at then he draws on the
lower ra.t OF h.s diving suit roper.
Aftcr taat IS done he is In the hands OF
his y.'., 40 is also the man who
ltl'iS 'tff .'lbc anu llsli'il lOlJC
the dive. has descended to the bottom
Of the So;
Oac O. the curiosities Of this opera
tion is the inmnbility OF the man who
IS berg drcss"l. He sits perfectly still
with his hans clasped between bis
knees, rarely spe.Eing, his eyes fixed
on some distant point as though he
were absorbed in considering some
wcighty p.n1.c.a.
Meanwhile the valet has been draw
ing the rub & auit up on the divers
arms and part Way Up over his chest,
and then he slips down over his head
the steel cui"aSs that keeps the pres
sure of the wafer away from his chest
ard also serves - support the weight
of the copper lc!.4ct OIL Ills shoulders.
At this Po'ul il tla orJ.atiOn the tin
can comes into use, and the valet takes
from il the b"ass thumbScrCws that
c0niine tie -.Der e IS Of the diving
suit between jlc cGiI.ss and the four
steel bands tat are fl3,gnol outside
of It. Then the valet pr a black silk
skullcaD on III" dives head and the
diver waddles over t. the head Of the
ladder after = Tair Of heavy rubber
bands are sii2nyl orer he rubber cuffs
of the suit, for. tho diver vo-.;s With
barred haEdS.
Then come the final touches Of the
costume. which are always made az
near the head of the ladder as possible,
for these operations consist Of putting
on the weighted shoes, the weighted
breast belt and the copper helmet. The
diver slips his feet into the shoes OF
cast iron, and his valet and another
helper buckle them around bis instep
Then he bends down, resting his arms
on the hca! OF the ladder, while the
belt, on which are fastened great, thick
squares of lead, is buckled around his
breast and across his shoulders.
Tie signal cord is fastened to the
brcastplate with leather thongs, and
then the signal is given to the man at
the air pump 10 work lively" which
means that h. is to send the wheel
around at much faster pace than he
does wEp2 the diver is at work, this
DclnS conc - %Hl Il gOOu current OF ar
passing through the pipe. Least time
Of al does it take to put the helmet
on. for it IS dropped into place, and
after one half tarn the thing IS done
Down goes the grotesque figure be-
low the surface Of the water, up from
the helmet cones a constant stream of
air buSI.es. and If the diver IS not
working 2 too great depth you can
presently hear the click OF his tools
ringing away at work. New York