Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1913-08-29
JAILED UNDER SEA
Trapped In Ships Cabin When
Current Barred Exit.
DOZEN MEN TO SAVE DIVER.
Rescuers' Combined Strength Was Res
CURED to Bulge Door Kept Shut by
Force of Water Pounding Against 1t
In the English Channel.

Force of Water Pounding Against Ii
In the English Channel.
In the middle of August, 1879, there
was a terrible storm in the English
channel, the sea being so rough and
the tide rising to such an extent that
in some Of the streets Of Dover the was
ter was two or three feet deep.
Before we had been in the channel
very long, writes an old diver in Wide
World, we saw a steamer collide with
bark below Folkestone, the sailing
vessel being SO badly damaged that sha
quickly sank. The bark, an American
ship named the Delson, had fOundere0
about fourteen miles west of Folke-
stone, and | received instructions tor
blast the masts out of the ship in ordeT
to prevent other vessels coming into
collision with them.
was Informed that there was q
good deal of jewelry and money in a
locker in the captains cabin, and de>
termined to obtain these valuables aft.
CT | had carried out my orders.
The blasting work did not take very
long, three charges Of dynamite Prov
ing sufficient to get the masts out. AS
soon as | had finished these operations
l commenced a search for the desired
cabin. l quickly found it and also the
locker in which, in all probability, tha
valuables were located. The drawer,
was locked and it took me some time
10 1N,x% I
succeeded, and on putting my hand in
found some paper money, watch
and chain, some rings and lot Of
coins. These put into one of the big,
pockets Of my protection Overalls, and
then turned to make my way back to-
the door of the cabin.
TO my surprise, however, no light
filtered through from the direction Of
the door, although, after / first enter
ed, the opening could plainly be seen.
The cabin was now in almost complete
l. darkness. Rolling my hose and lines
around my arm | commenced to grope
my way to the three steps which led
up to the door. These l reached with
little difficulty, but when l tried to
push the door open l found to my con.
sternation that l could not even move
| it the fraction of an inch.
| IN the part of the channel where I
was working it is only possible to car
ry on diving operations for about four
or five hours during slack tide. AT
other times the currents are so strong
as to make diving a very hazardous
undertaking and practically out Of the
| question. When | entered the cabin
the tide was flowing down channel,
and in consequence the current kept
the cabin door open. A strong current
was now running in the opposite di-
rection and pressing with tremendous
force against the door, keeping ID
| as securely closed as though heavy
bolts were assisting the relentless cur
rents in their fight against me.
The horror of my predicament now
dawned upon me, and L could not help
thinking that l should be extremely
fortunate if / ever again saw the bless
ed light of day. l started to feel for
the spot where my hose and life line
passed between the door and the
framework. l found them at last
over the top of the doOr-and, luckily.
the tough life line was nearest to the
hinges, thus keeping the door slightly
more ajar than would otherwise have
been the case, and so protecting tina
hose
| managed to insert the rail between
the door and the framework and, using
it as lever, gradually succeeded iTa
forcing the door slightly open and let
ting down the hose and line. Now that
the pressure was somewhat relieved
the air came through more freely, but
very jerkily, although this was not to
be wondered at, considering that the
tide was running at the rate of twen-
ty-one miles an hour. Ny nerves wers
in an awful state by this time.
l now tried to signal. / asked for a
chain to be attached to the life line
and sent down, but the answer / got
was, "Come up" l replied with the
signal for Trouble" and almost i'm
mediately the desired chain was let
down. But here a new difficulty met
me. Inc Tue was So STRONG IudC my
lifeline made a wide curve, and the
chain did not come within several feet
of me. l therefore gave the signal to
haul in the line, as l felt that il those
above pulled it tight and then sent the
chain down again l might possibly
reach it. This call was also responded
TO, but was nearly jerked off my feet
when the slack line was pulled in.
A few seconds later / again asked
for the chain to be lowered, and this
time | was just able to grasp it and
pull it through the opening. l then
secured it to the door as firmly as pos
sible and once more gave the signal,
Haul in" Twelve men pulled on the
chain, and l assisted them with my
shoulder as far as possible. Some
thing had to give, the door or the
chain, and with feverish anxiety l
awaited the result. 1t is easier to in'
agine than to describe my JOY when
r potiaad that inch nv inch no dom