The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-23
A FAMOUS DIVER RETIRES.
HAIR-RAIsING EXPERIENCES OF OLD
JOHN CONKLIN.

Wreck watched by sharks In the Gulf
One Narrow Escape varied EKperi-
cncca of FIFTY Years Under the Water.
South street has lost one OF its most pictu-
resUue characters and the diving profession
one OF its most famous members with the re-
tiromcnt OF John Conklin. For more than thir-
~ years Old Conk " as lie is familiary known
to his neghhors. occupied a loft in ono of the
old buildings on South street facing the river
and in the shadow Of the bridge pier. He took
up his quarters there shortly after the war and
n few days ago gathered together his belong
ngs and left the old plncc, "a lie said. because
lam too old to work under the water any longer
and want to spend the rest OF my days with
my family up the State"
Nearly fifty years ago he entered tho service
OF the Government ut the United States. when
his father. also diver. was employed in the
| navy yard. His first employment was In hold
ing the signal rope and air tube for the men
who worked under the water. There Is no part
| Of tho rivers and harbors around New York
| that he does not know and his reputation Is
known In every shipping district in the coun-
| try. He was one Of the first men selected to
| work for Con. Newton in preparing to blow up
| Niger Head Rock at He'll Cato. He was also
| employed In placing the torpedoes and mines
| In the rivers leading to Washington during the
! war. and he served with distinction in many OF
| the naval battles from 1851 TO 1885. When
| n xar.hi, arr,,,,n, ~ o., ,a,.,, a.I ~ ~.
| SON, ,or on1 ,hrro No.. ,a,. -, ~. ,ao.ai.
| especially tho older ones. that he does not
know thoroughly.
| As rule the old man is retcent and he
| seldom cares to sneak of his experiences. A
| few days ago reporter climbed tho rickety
| cuniod hr VI C,nl,iin IL n.a, -, -,
| tinp rs,dv 70 sonI hnr,, cha o,,nor.,,s ~,
| .urtos H., Ind M, s,l1 III a. a .tou,
| win n,,n,ns hnIno,s no,roh,aI, 80 49,,
| lost v.,s.,t. a,,, noi,, 20 .>,'" 7, ,an, ny.
mi, .ha, t,o h,. , ,.a -. ~
io,rinn tto ,,Ionn ,,nt W., III. nv was
| 81, ,,nin,, s,n,, Ii,,r, o,, 80, ,, $50
| .,id M nrst n,,orionno haia,v ~. 80.
| W. ca i,,,, 400 ,,a,, ,,ar,.,r ..,,,,oIO..,t.
| ,oI, ~, ,,h.t ! A., T. haa ,,,', ,n,,.. w."
! oil storv ri,h mo ma r,y r,ar.,,,r ~ $500, aa
s.I o.,t Nv i"' 49,. ~, 10 nono ,oo
| ho -r rar, ronts - ,,i,a 80. 40 o WI
bic ,r,,i'ia, ,.,a ~ n iio, s'" ',op. aoi .1
| 80. -, ~ -" 10 .,r ~ wy ~ e,o Inv
| $50. ~ 49,, rs nc "oI, un"o, '"e
WAFER AT the navy yard across the river had
been down In tho diving bells many times be-
employed in the yard at that time. Itwasn't
and the water was very dirty nnd bl,rk Ona
~ ,hs old uoo',.r si,ina ho1 a.Di',sn , ny
a foreign station. much the worse for wear
| Nobody on board could tall what tho trouhla
was aud the ship needed docking. Father
was too sick to 20 down and the lob fell to me.
az '',i, vs., ~, n,u novrr put on
tuoHer SUI; nnen .ne nelme. was made
ringing in my ears and I WAS div Father
h,ht tha ~ 49,, 5 na,aa "as u."",' rune,
out from the glass in front Of tho helmet"
Here the old man stopped and look d along
the floor, Picking up an old copper helm e ct. he
| continued This is the came old bonnet.
n n use II any more. but have Just
VIII VII = n ie mn ILL., %. sne ".u uays.
ON '" NV wav 80 ,hs ' hotton, anu ~as soon
the hull and it was a good thing it was
100 feet Of the keel had hoen torn nv,v md
was dragging. The vessel had struck some.
thing that caused the trouble. II tho same
thing had happened one Of the modern vessels
she wonlu never nave reached port Alter that
Giving was easy or ,h M" and have been down
.,ranea th,pg. "''l '''0 '''" 'ol'
S "unee 'T Was called on to go to a wreck off
s carso come H to grief ei'S had BEEN WoTs
nS two days bGt"T' the
occurred oEEI no one Kill ever know l had been
when was brought to by sudden jerk. Then
nhh ar Ia. seemed aa, 10 give out ana thought me
tne sigma r"pe Tor more ar 1pt there was no
Tesnonse grew iaiht, anu all ne blood II my
Dndy seemed 10 starr toward m mead ana there
was luceT nuZIlng sound IN my ears.
must narn become unconscious and fallen
from from me ueEk, LOT knew hothlng more until
iouhd myself ylhR on my PACK on the pump
6@at locking INTO the startled ana anxious faces
pi my IriehuS remember asking what had
mhrPeneHi zoe ,arter. VINO heIn me ropes,
Sa,u , ne ielt Che SlEnhl 10 pau W. lhht Slgnal
uSt nay -, n," y. g'Eeh Wheh iel anu always
o!teNeu ,haI tnat laii anu iroViuence saved me;
| on iuf Ks heNrI nP' licTtu III" M; althouGh
| hhaNNe killed. seNeral oi thtSm. WINE we were
uo,h h sU Tt WIZ iot 'n MI hltnn Io'"Tnnent
| ID tno un!i saw lols OF What they cal man
TrIiters, ney st'n"u 70 ne very lnlulsltiV,:
ineS Mouiu MnICn VI lor nouLS dt y time. III
Was WY mnconii f i, nut Wi'"h they came
| 70" G'4se we woui,i KNIFE men. , a..
| i. f naHo N Uefn 10 IHahy "Terks along tho
| Goast from haihe 70 HaIteras; lhore are some
| !r, mouu nov x in'o nsnln iof any amount
G ~ nv " II. .eIi you I,'nut mat nap.
I,'n"u curry ~ .hf seS entleS IL was my worst
eMpe ' Win qehu people, ana ! nave seen
iIiay w rii ih, NJ taSv rnueea III" many
| sleeliesS hlehtS anu destroyed my peace OF