The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-08-12
KING HONORS HERO
OF CATHEDRAL WORK
CongratulateS Diver Who La
bored Five Years to Save
Historic Church.
IMPRESSIVE SERVICES
Skilled Artisan Takes Tributes
Modestly; Worked Six
Hours Daily in Water.
Special Cable to The Tribune.

Special Cable to The Tribune.
LONDON, Aug. 11.-Oncc more the
king has shown his personal interest in
those who do the hard manual work
of the world. His visit to Winchester
for the service of thanksgiving which
marked the saving of the cathedral
from decay has had as its hero a work
ing man.
Tho danger to the stability of the
cathedral was due to the foundations
being laid upon marshy soil. When I.
G. Jackson, the architect. called in to
advise the dean and chapter, and laid
bare these foundations seven years ago,
he found that there was great guam
tity of water under the church. Eight
hundred years ago the eastern arm of
the cathedral had been built upon the
trunks Of trees laid lengthwise upon
soft soil. Gradually these sank, and it
was necessary to supply the support
they had ceased to give by underpin"
ming the cathedral with blocks Of con-
crete.
This was work which had to be done
in water and under water by diver.
This diver, William Robert Walker,
figured honorably and prominently in
preservation of the cathedral which
was sent to the king. the diver was
thus mentioned;
Labored Five Years.
''The same diver has carried through
the whole work of uDderpiunlng. For
five and a half years he has been bur.
rowing under the cathedral, laboring
in the dark the water being too dis
colored to allow Of the use of electric
light, No one could supervise him, but
no portion of the work was scamped.
Whenever Mr.. Fox, the engineer, put
spect he found that the diver had con-
scientiously and most effectively per
formed his task. The public owes Mr..
Walker a great debt of gratitude
The king. having read this tribute,
said he would like to make Mr.. Walk
er s acquaintance. After Che service,
when their msjesties went to look at
tho new buttresses on the south side of
the nave, the diver was presented. The
king shook him cordially by the hand.
''How long have you been at work
here?'' he inquired.
''Nearly six years. your majesty,
was the reply.
"Aud how many hours a day were
you actually in the waterG"
''Six hours day, sir
"Really?' the king said. ''I con
gratulate you upon your feat in saving
the cathedral.'
Honored By King.
Mr.. Walker is Londoner. sturdy
fresh compleXioned, pleasant hammered
type of skilled artisan. He received
the congratulate of his majesty and
other guests with charming modesty
The archbishop Of Canterbury in his
sermon spoke of him by name and in
terms OF high commendation-
The total cost of this work up to the
present has been $50, 900. This wa,
raised by public subscriptions without
any great difficulty, not in large gift:
but for the most part in quite small
sums. Special prayers were included il
the service with reference to those wht
had contributed and taken part in thu
operati
The king, wearing frock coat will
grey waistcoat and hat. and a whit
1ower in his buttonhole, and the queen
in pink. with feathered hat, arrived
at the cathedral after their visit to th
Guildhall