Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-04-23
Expert Diver, Then Worlds
Record Holder, Explains
Diving Feats

a.
Stephen J. Drellishak. just before Drel-
lishak left the Brooklyn yard TO come
to Hawaii IS an expert diver on the
"a salvage job.
As already published here. Drelli-
shak is a bridegroom. He married
Miss Alice f. Humphrey OF New York
two hours before the divers party left
for San Francisco and Honolulu.
lust about the same time the Eve
ming Sun reporter interviewed Drelli.
Shak. Here is the Sun story:
Its all in the DAYS work"
Think of sinking nonchalantly into
30 fqthoms Of water That's all in the
days work. according to Chief Gun
ner's Mate Stephen J. Drellishak. rec
ord holder in deep-sea diving. who
with five others started at midnight
for Honolulu to help raise the sunken
submarine F.4 from the bottom OF Ho-
nolulu harbOr.
Drellishak's record includes diving
PA feet to the bed of Long Island
Sound, off Race Rock, on November
3. 1914. and remaining under water
one hour and half That was all in
the DAYS work Of experimenting for
the government under the direction OF
Chief Gunner George D. Stillson who
Is in command of the diving crew of
FIVE and surgeon, now speeding to
the Pacific coast The chief gunner
himself is an expert. and with the
others OF the expedition he has per
formed feats almost as great as the
record holder.
There is some question regarding
the championship in deep sea diving,
Drellishak will not say he is the cham
pion. Chief Gunners' Mates Prank
Chilly, William F. Loughman and FIRE.
dolin c. L. Nelson, his companions,
cannot decide who is champion. Pass
ed Surgeon G. w. R. French remains
neutral. The champion deep sea diver
is the one who dived farthest. Drel.
lishak did this But what's in a cham,
pionship? IT'S all in the days work. >
OFF on 5ooo-MiIe Trip.
The order issued yesterday by Sec.
rotary Daniels set the crew of stocky
divers working in hasty preparation
gunner was the busiest man in the
Brooklyn navy yard: Drellishak the
most shy. But his mates discovered
him after a search Of several hours.
Skinny" Loughman is probably get
ting his" at the hands of the powerful
Drellishak today, for the champion laid
all the blame on him.
81 don't like the limelight-it doesn't
agree with me-" he said, walking upl
and down in the parlor of his home
Some people like that kind of thing
but
Drellishak, who is 80 years old, en-.
listed in the navy 10 years ago from
Cleveland, o. For five years he has
the Atlantic coast. He is a blond, 5
feet inches tall. weighs $50 pounds,
and objects seriously to being inter |
viewed.
It's all in the days work." he re-
thrusting his hands into his |
pockets. LAS for that record in the
Race, it might have been any one OF |
us. 1t just happened to be my trick at |
going down. Been doing that nearly !
right along since then-all in a days
work-Im not the only one that went |
deep; every one connected with the
work has done it,"
But you will admit that you were
the man who reached the lowest
depth?" |
Insists He's No Champion.
Yes. but that doesn't make ME any
champion, for all of us made the same
depth since then"
Then after walking nervously back
and forth several times Drellishak de-
cided to forestall questions and finish
the days work by telling his own
story.
This going down into the sea is no
more dangerous than any other call.
Ing. There is no question about doing
It, if man is physically able and has
a good, cool head. OF course, if you
go down under the old methods there's
B whole lot of danger on account of
the nitrogen bubbles forming in your
blood and stopping circulation. But
with the new equipment it doesn't
bother me any.
The F-4, as l understand it, can't
De-down below 300 feet. 1t will be a
particular job. Of course, and the big
sest one we've taken, but it's only on
account of the prominence given
The F4 that it sounds so big. We're
ready to go down any time A man
will only do so much-he can't do any
more.
We'll go down. look over the sit,
nation and size up the way she's lay.
ng. Then we'll run light line under
her "a diver can't do much hauling,
you know. send it up and keep add
ng heavier line until it's time so se.'
cure her so she won't slip out of the
chains. They'll probably use the pom,
loon method of lifting her up. / think
we'll get her up, and then the bodies
will be recovered. And that's ALL
there is to it,. | guess wen be back
here in a month or So" /
Anxious to Get Away. Il
Drellishak picked up his hat and
coat, and said: /
Pm going to get away from here
before anybody else comes after me- III
He was as bashful as his chief was
busy. Stillson is a brisk and active
man, some ten pounds heavier than +
MS ecord-holding Subaltern. and he I