The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1906-08-01
TOILET OF THE DIVER
OPERATION OF PUTTING ON AND
TAKING OFF HIS COSTUME.

TAKING OFF HIS COSTUME.
ene CT the Requisites of the Divers
Dressing Platform Is an OH Tin
Cana lesson In the Art of Taking
Things Easy--Necessi,y For Care.
To watch diver while lie is dr.ssing
or divesting himself of his professional
apparel Is not only 10 be taught les
non in the art of taking things easily,
but also impresseS one with the fact
that the Divers is the only occupation
under the sun in which i'm can IS
toilet requisite.
The can IN question Is hot an orna-
mental object such as silver backed
hairhrush IS or set OF manicure in
struments, hut the divers valet needs
II IN hts business as much as any fop
needs either of the silver implements,
for it IS IN 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 and across his breast There
they remain until the diver IS ready to
dress again, when the valet carefully
picks them out of the tia and screws
them back In place.
The operation OF dressing Il diver re
quires two distinct movements, one
taking place on the deck OF the vessel
la 10
the other at the head of the ladder on
which the diver descends to the depths
below. II Is Il business that requires
good deal of time, for the divers life
depends on just how carefully each of
the several things are done, and no
one sacrifices thorouglness to speed.
The diver always has comfortable
place to sit on before he begins remov-
Ing his Shoes, after which he draws ON
long pair of heavy WOODEN stockings
over the legs Of trousers. over these
again he pulls on another pair of
trousers, and then he draws on the
lower part of his diving suit proper
After that Is done he Is In the hands of
his valet, who Is also tho man who
tends the air pipe and signal rope after
the diver has descended 10 tho bottom
of the sea.
One of the curiosities OF this opera.
lion Is the immobilty of the man whu
Is being dressed. lie sits perfectly still
with his hands clasped between Ills
knees. rarely speaking. his eyes fixed
on some distant point rs though he
We're absorbed in considering some
weighty problem.
Meanwhile tie valet las 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 eurass 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 the tin
| can comes into use and the valet takes
! from IT the brass thumbsfrews that
| e0ahne the upper edges OF the diving
suit between the cuirass and the four
steel bands that arc fastened outside
of 1t. Then the valet puts a black silk
skuIlcap ON the divers head and the
ladder after Il pair OF heavy rubber
bands are slipped over the rubber cuffs
OF the suit, for the diver works with
barred hands
Then come the final touches of tho
costume, which are always made as
near the head of the ladder as possible,
for these operations consist Of putting
4 a.. al. -
breast belt and the copper helmet. The
diver slips his feet into the shoes OF
east 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 the
belt, OH which are fastened great, thick
squares OF lead IS buckled around hi9
breast and across his shoulders
Tie signal cord is fastened 10 the
breastplate with leather thongs and
then the signal is given to the man ut
the mir pump 10 work lively" which
means that he Is to send the wheel
around at much faster pace than he
does when the diver IA ut work, this
being done to get good current of air
passing through the pipe. Least time
OF ali does 1t take TO put the helmet
on, for it Is dropped into place, and
after one hair turn the thing IS done
Down goes The grotesaue figure be
low the surface of the water UP from
the helmet comes a constant stream Of
air bubbles, and Il tho diver is not
working at too great depth you can
presently hear the click of his tools
ringing away at work New York
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