The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1910-07-11
SUPT. BANKS finds many
HOLES IN BRtAKWATER

Engineer George Banks, superinten'
dent In charge of the Portage Lake
ship canals, and assistants have beer
spending much time of late at the
upper end of the canals making a
careful Investigation Of the condition
Of the breakwater there. lie an
nounced today that the task is now
nearly completed and would be en-
tirely finished had IL not been for the
days Of last week that they were un-
able to work because of the rough con-
dition OF Lake Superior.
Thus far the investigation, which is
being carried on by the use of a diver
has disclosed several bad holes in the
lower portions OF the breakwater'
where the sandstone has been washed
out I'm some places and In Others the
rock backing Of the breakwater has
been dlslodged The present investiga- |
ton of the breakwater has only to do |
with that portion of it which lies be-
low the surface of the water as the
portion above the water was repaired
this spring.
Engineer Banks will make report
TO Colonel Fitch of Duluth of the
amount OF work necessary TO be done
is soon as he has completed the task
IF examining the entire breakwater. II
IS probable that the work of repairing
he breaks will be started this summer
n order that the breakwater may be
n irst-class shape before the heavy
cas- OF the fall an dearly winter make
he doing Of the work impossible and
ndanger the breakwater. 1t is prob
bic that the work of repairing the
reaks Will be started this summer in
rder that the breakwater may be in
rst-class shape before the heavy seas
the fall and early winter make the
ling of the work impossible and en- n
niger the breakwater.
The manner i'm which the breakwa-
r is being examined is of great in >,
rest. As stated above, the work is ;,
ing prosecuted by the use OF a div "
In this case the diver is Paul Lidt-
who is something of an amateur at "
; diving game, as the first time he =
sr donned diving suit was when "
United states tug Circle was stuck -
IN the racks at Eagle Harbor this
inner and Captain Mccormick and d
life savers of which crew Lidtki is -
went to the aid of the
cked tug. There was no experience "
diver to be obtained but the Croze IL
lpany furnished a suit and Lidtki p'
chosen from a number of the men II
, volunteered 10 do the work, TO te
'end and place a patch upon the IN
om Of the wrecked tug. He was bl
, successful in this first attempt at s.
ng aud so when Superintendent al
KS needed a diver for the work at fr
breakwatcr, he borrowed the life
n. w
ne suit being used for this work is hi
be latest improved pattern and IL te
ished by the Keys company of n,
cock. The principal Improvement W
d in this suit over the /d style p
RS uniform Is that il Is equipped fr
telephone attachment, which to
great aid TO the diver in his work. Sc
sing the old style diving suit the
RS only means OF communication n,
the workers at the surface was y
means of the signal rope but with n
new rig the diver is in constant si
h with those at the top. The pow
or the telephone Is supplied from
ries of dry cells which are slung
belt and are worn by the man at
top, who has a little combination
liver and transmitter set similar di
nat used by a telephone lineman i'm NJ
business. OF
with the hood of the div w
suit 9 a receiver transmitter COM sc
tion SO that the diver talks into B
hears the talk from above with the q
G instrument, which is very light. fl,
Banks acts as the man r.
he top in the work now being done h,
when the diver finds anything
ng at the bottom of the breakwater n,
Banks makes a chalk :
of the damage on the top of the :,
cture, also noting its location I'm
notebook for his use in making r.
his report 10 his superior officer, .,
mel Fitch. Mr.. Banks says that
new diving suit is the finest thing !.
he kind, that he. ever has seen and =
ares that without it the task that
IS now at would take him twice as /.
: as II has with the use of this i'm
n