The morning call., 1894-12-17
RICHARDS CLIFF HOUSE DIVE.

seekers at the park and ocean beach.
The park, indeed, was almost deserted,
and as there was no music to enliven
matters the carriages were few and far
between. Captain Thomson of the park
police wandered about all day looking for
something to do, and wondering why the
snow did not fall and so harmonizs things
generally.
But, all things considered, there was
goodly crowd out at the ocean side. A
large number of visitors left the Sianysn-
street steam cars at the corner of the ROAD
and iourneyed down to where, on the
sands near the Ocean House, lay the last
remains of the ill-faed schooner William
II. Beebe. The wreck was the great
attraction, and near by had been rugged up
a shanty labeled "SalOon, Ocean House
Beach" a praisew orthy enterprise, and
deseryedly succ essfGl, for many a weary
ozone-seeker tn rned thither in search of
something that would keep the marrow in
his bones fro N freezing.
There was Sn incident or two to mark
the Jay. & candy man from the hills of
SUNNY Gree ce was peaceably selling bis
wares to the wrecks visitors when some
young hoodlums in The crowd made trouble
for him, upset his stand and began to NAL
treat him In a general way. But George
Noopoproc-that was the candy mans
name-was not so easily disposed of, for as
the fight waxed furious the Greek suddenly
drew knife and stabbed one of his as
sailants in the thigh. OF course this ne
eessitatei the summoning of the police and
a patrol wagon. and all that sort of thing
lent interest to the scene.
They have been carting lumber out of
the wreck for some days past Manager
Perry j. Smith of the Mission Lumber
Company. which purchased the wreck, was
around there and said he was not yet de-
iermined what TO do, whether to strip his
wreck and get all the lumber from her or
let her lie there and rot for the purpose of
afterward extracting the iron. There was
a large crowd of persons standing around
the wreck all day.
Up at the other end of the beach there
were rival attractions. Early in the moru-
ing some visitors standing around on the
walk immediately below the Cliff House
saw what looked like the dead body of
man floating past in the water The re-
port quickly spread, and two park police
men hurried 70 the scene. One of them
babe the crowd stand aside. and, making
his way down to the waterside, swung his
larat at the body as it flOated by.
The policeman said afterward that the
crowd interfered with him by stepping on
his rope and not giving him room to
swing it in. Anyhow, be missed his aim,
and, big wave coming up just then.
lifted the body and carried it out of reach
in the direction of the Golden Gate. The
body was described by the officer as being
that OF very old man. with gray hair and
beard. Who or what he was must remain
mystery for some time. if not forever.
In the afternoon the people were at
tracted By the annouu cement that some
n = W. mir IN a iyn
rock Immediately below the Cliff House
into the snrf below. Then il turned out
that a. Orr Richards, champion diver
aud inner Of many medals, was to at
tempt this perilOus feat The ledge from
which the dive was to be made is IS feet
above the water, and there is not more
than feet to dive into, with a bottom Of
Jagged rock. SO there were not want ng
persons who shook their heads and NUT
Tered things about foolhardineSs. But
they stayed to see it,
By way of springboard the diver had
rugged up a long ladder with PLANK on it
for him TO stand on. The ladder lay along
the surface OF the rock and jutted out over
the sea, giving very fair imitation of a
sprngboard. These arrangements COM
pletec, the athlete, who is a small, thin
man and lame, rigged himself out In Co.'S
tune and paraded around among the
visitors on the terrace preparatory 10
making bis hazardous leap. He drew
fairly well. although most PEG lie won
oered what on earth he was going to do
such thing for on such day. And be
was besteged by people begging him not
to do II aud in the same breath asking how
long they would have to wait to see him.
1t was arranged that Joe Fleming, the
well-knOwn California swimmer, should
go out In boat TO where Richards was TO
Give, SO as to be ready to go to his rescue
In case OF necessity. But the project
gained lltue favor at the Life Saving sta
ton. That morning number of the coast
guardsmen had been around when the
policeman tried 10 lasso the dead body.
aud hen they declined to send out boat.
on the ground that their mission was to
save life, not TO haul out dead bodies.
Now 1t was different, of course, and
Captain Blakeney, who is in charge of the
station, went up to the Cliff House to see
Richards. He found him. aud had but a
few words to say. They were: You are
fool. Richards, to take this dive. But let
me tell you. you m ust take the con sequences
II you do. The station will send no boat
to your rescue, no matter what happens"
Richards. however. said he would take
chances and trust to his own boats, and
pretty soon be was ready and the people
fiocked out upon the terrace. 1t was lust
the day for SWIM. There was a nice.
high. piercing wind that chilled every-
body TO the bone, and the breakers were
rolling high and dashipg furiou,ly upon
the rocks. But richards did not mind
and pretty soon two boats hove in sight
and padded around under the rock.
Richards Stepped upon the ladder and the
crowd watched anXiously.
Richards walked out to the end of his
ladder, balanced himself upon it, sprane
up and down a few times and then
walked back on dry land once more. Then
he scrambled halfway down the cliff and
tumbled into the sea from less dizzy emil
nence than that upon which the Imposing
looking ladder rested. And yet some OF
the people expressed dissatisfaction at the
exhibition provided for them.
Two sea lions and q boat made for
Richards as he rose to the surface, but
the boat got there first. anu the In trepid
diver was dragged on board among few
plaudits frem the benumbed multitude,
1t was getting dark by this. So nearly
every body went home. Richards, it ap-
pears. is diver of some note and has been
all over the world. he was down al SAINTS
Cruz recently, giving exhibitions. His
record is 81 feet, dive when at Salt Lake.
During the whole afternoon Cassasa's
band played TO a small crowd at the Sutrp
baths. The piece de resistance in the
programme was grand descriptive battle
scene. representing the terrible encounter