Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1884-08-15
A WRECK FISHERMAN
The Method OF Operating III Q
Peculiar Industry.
How a Veteran Diver Searches iof anu
Finds Lost Vessels

How a Veteran Diver Searches for anu
Finds Lost Vessels,
Capt. Thomas A. Scott, Of New Lon
don. the veteran diver. who worked VI
the schooner Teazer in New Haven
harbor. last spring, says the Ne"
Haven Register, is a wonderful man u
his business. and carries on the larges'
individual wrecking concern IN the
country. lie is a large, genial, daFlnB
person. and one to whom the incessah1
dangers of a divers life are fascinating
Wherever a wreck occurs on the coast
from Martha's Vineyard to Barnegat,
the gallant captain is generally called
in counsel, and he never gives up a
wreck when there is any chance OIL
raising it. And when the veteran
wants bit of recreation, as it were, ne
takes a jaunt over a few hundreds OF
oyster land under the Sound, looking
after stars-down, not up. His inyes-
LEGATIONS in these great oyster gardens
are very satisfactory to oyster ralsers
They are able to ascertain just what
condition their crops are in.
Captain Scott's latest task has been
the locating Of the barge President
containing Al tons of block tin and ~
tons of steel wire, This cargo was en-
route to New Haven from New York,
where it had been reshipped by the inn
porters, and was in charge Of the New
York Lighterage Company. The Presl-
dent was being towed in company with
other barges, and it is believed that she
struck a rock off Penfeld reef, near
Bridgeport. Captain Scott was offered
$4,000 to locate the vessel, the value
of its freight amounting to very large
figure. His fishing for her has
been conducted on a very extensive
scale. Search for the vessel was begun
off Southport, nearly three miles from
shore, and at first clean sweep Of the
bottom was made toward Stratford
light, one-half mile in width and six
miles in length. Two tugboats, the r
A. Scott and Alert, a schooner, FIVE
small rowboats and IS meu, together
with several miles of stout lines, con
stituted Captain Scott's fishing Kit
The sweep was made by Il e tugs sta
! TONED half mile apart and connected
| by hawser with venasuts, s,,,s, sssssss
alternating so that the line was KEEP
close to the bottom, while the tug
moved very slowly forward. 1t re
quired Is days of this kind of subma
rine surveying before the sunken barge
was discovered and then it was found
a. miles off shore and 5 miles from
Penfeld reef, far away from the ap-
proximate position pointed out to Cap
tain Scott. During the progress OF
this gigantic fishery Captain scott
found sunken schooner with load OF
scrap iron off Southport the timbers he
ing almost eaten away by worms; then
he found barge loaded with Goa, bear
ing south southeast, three miles from
Southport, and close by another sthoon-
er loaded with stove coal Several
days afterwards, he came upon wrecks
of three vessels laden with coal, close
together, and still later. o schooner
laden with water pipe IL tathom'
down. Capt. Scott personally inspect
ed all these wrecks and took down
their bearings for future reference and
, may possibly fill Up slack sp"f !"
bringing some Of them to the surface
A dinner kettle was found on the galley
stove of one of the schooners, just a. II
! was left and full of young growing
! oysters.
Faptain Scott says his business Is
dahgerous, but it pays. lie has losi
one man, and that was his son
aho was drowned while work ng on
glish wreck Of the Earragansett Oft
Connecticut river in 1850, lie
,es all risks himself, and never ask,
men to 60 where he dare not a
fcult lob suits him, because there'
.ore beadwork and more money IN ID
IlEIIe greatest depth Captain Scott ha.
,reessfully worked in is lob feet. IL
All worked at depth Of SO feet i'i
averal hours on a sunken sloop al
ristol ferry At the time the English
eamship scotland went down OIL
'n' andy Hook, Captain Scott was en-.
'ac' Moved by the government to clear me
~ bapnel of this dangerous wreck 50 0,a esl
nown to mariners. This was IN io0.
nd two years time vas necessary III
Which to tear the vessel in pieces 'u.
smoye the cargo He was 0no'.
0nnllater 500 hours altogether at woTh ~. ~
IUlluU is task. While at work on the Cl,y ~,
colnmbus. which was lost Feeen'4
\. w CAV Head, he experienced Fops.
a,thT. and his air supply pipe became l,'
Ra aat,ngled ss,,, in the chains of the wreck ,'.
~ rhe =, air was cut of for a moment gu, ~
.TIbe ", ktnk in the hose was found In IN 'n. .,I.
NJ 4 prevent serious results. s,5 ne - =.
y when under water he would -. !.
T. az. Tlys %,ye a hole punched through .,.+ 'a'
%" If p%i bis skull as through his hen.r ell ...
. s,ss G in such event, the water voaio q. .nl NJ
N N ..soIv =, 4 expe all air from his suit ,.o ~,
re- bv its pressure from his ,I,nTsd Irrgs By
soae %sa pg business cannot be follower ",5i,,r1
'eao- Inc O0slHl l,h weak lungs. OFdlnA'