DIVER HUGHES. FALLEN ON EVIL DAYS. APPEALTO THE FEDERAL PREMIER.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXII, Issue 63, 12 September 1911, Page 7

DIVER HUGHES. FALLEN ON EVIL DAYS. APPEALTO THE FEDERAL PREMIER.

8? Tetegrftph.—Frest Association.— Copyrlsti* (Received September 12, 9.40 a.m.) MELBOURNE, This Day. Diver Hughes, of Westralian mining rescue fame, has fallen on eviF days. Illnees prevented him from Working during the past year. A public appeal having brought only a poor response, a deputation asked Mr. Fisher, the Federal Premier/ to provide Hughes* with work to enable him to maintain his wife and six children. Mr. Fisher requested that the matter should be left in his hands. He declared that if ever there Was a hero in this country it was Hughes. Tho event which Wrought Diver Hughes into fame occurred about four yeaaß ago.* A sudden, inrush of flood water in the Westralia East mine caught nine men in the workings. Eight escaped, and one^-Varischetti, an Italian •— was entombed. Subsequently l^e was heard knocking. It took about ten days to unwater the mine. Meantime divers, at great risk, descended the mine and succeeded in passing food to the entombed miner. In order to reach him the divei* had to make their way down the shaft from the 9l»uft level, through water, down a ladderway, to the 1000 ft level. Then it was necessary to walk a, distance of 300 ft along the iOOOft level, then to ascend 30ft up a rise, at the top of which Varischetti was imprisoned, the compressed air acting aa in a diving bell, and keeping him from being drowned. _ Hughee, a miner, who was used to diving, volunteered to assist the Tegular divers who were brought to do the work. Hughes, in his third attempt, succeeded in reaching Varischetti, after a hard sii'iiggle, the rise being almost blocked with^ mud. Varieclietti was intensely surprised when the diver emerged from the water below. Water and food were supplied to him. After pumping operations had been»in progress for .several days the water had gone down sufficiently to permit Hughes to make four trips to the entombed man without his diving dress, though he had to swim the first time. At length, taking Varischetti's hand, Hughes led him along the level to a cage waiting in the shaft. There was a scene of intense excitement as the long-entombed miner reached the surface. He was too weak to stand, and his eyes had, to be protected by coloured glasses from the glare of light at the pit mouth. Hia face was death-like in its pallor. The spectators had been warned not to cheer, for fear of shattering the man's nerves, and only a. smothered hum waa heard as the skip reached tlie surface, Varischetti's head resting on his rescuer's shoulder. As the Italian was conveyed to the manager's houee, however, the pent-up feelings of the crowd broke forth in cheers for Hughes. When Varischetti started from the mine he seemed well, but when the water reached his waiet he seemed to lose strength, and Hughes had to carry him to the chute, where Hearne assisted him. The water wae very cold. Count Junni, the Italian Consul, telegraphed to Hughes, conveying to him the thanks of himself and his countrymen for Varischetti's rescue, and King Etlward afterwards conferred upon him the Albert medal.