A DIVER'S ADVENTURE.

Waikato Times, Volume 2537, Issue XXXI, 13 October 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

A DIVER'S ADVENTURE.

A Heroic Kescue. '

A diver, named Cliarle3 Byres, 40 years of age, had a mirculous escape from death at the works in connection with the New Falls bridge. The cofferdam which had been erectud was leaking, and Byres was sent down on the outside to pack the leak with bags of clay. He got to within 6 feet of the bottom, when, from unaccountable reason the leakage burst, and the water an 1 -silt rushed violently in to fill the vacuum in the cofferdam. The suction drew Byres down with it, and his right leg was drawn through the aperture, whilst hia left leg was forced against his chest, and his left arm pinned aga n=t the outside wall of the cofferdam by this great rush of water and silt. Fortunately for him, his right arm was free, and he signalled with the life line. His fellowworkmen on the top attempted to draw him out, but the great mas 3 of silt that was on the top of him was too strong a resistance, and the life line broke. Two other divers, named Hearne and Curtis, immediately put on their suits and descended to the asistance of Byres. Curtis went down on the inside of the cofferdam, and finding Byres' leg through the aperture, reascended. Meantime Hearne, who had gone down on the outside, after shovelling his way through about Bft of silt came across Byres' right hand, which was raised above his head, aud was swaying backwards au l forwards, in order to prevent the silt from clogging the valves which regulated the supply of air which he was receiving from the surface. Hearne grasped tho hand and shook it, to let Byres know that help was at hand. Byres retained Hearne's hand, and drawing it towards the timber of the coffer dam, pushed it upwards, wishing to convey to Hearne that he wanted the sheet piling raised. Hearne understood him, and sig:i i!le I thU to t'l: surface, and the men were at once set to work to withdraw the piles. This wis a laborious work, aud toon fully half an hour to execute, but when at last they were withdrawn Byres and Hearne cuioe to the surface together. When the dress was removed from Byres he wa< ftuiud to he quite exhausted. He states that the pain lie suffered was something terrible. At fif.-t the suction almost tore his right leg off, whilst, the great mass of water pressing against his back seemed as if it would cru-h in his chest. He says he knew that if it was possible to rescue him, Hearne would do it, and do it as quickly as iteould be done, but siill the time seemed very long. The inomeuts seemed like hours before lis felt Hearne's hand, and when he tried to convey to him that he wished the sheet piling pulled up ho was afraid that Hearne would not understand him, but. would attempt to dig him nut. Ho was quite sure that ho could not have borne the pain during tho hours lint it might have taken them to do this, for he was growing weaker every minute. When the first, movement of the sheeting that his message had been understood tho rest of the tune he was confined seemed to fly rapidly past. He remained at home a c > ti; >l jof days, but is now quite recovered.