Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1881-08-31
The Man On the Steeple.

Ferguson. the most daring steeple
climber in TIE world, TO a reporter 'l've
spent the greater part Of my life up
among those rolling cleunds. For
eighteen years l sailed the sea between
the East Indies and China before the
mast. and aftcrward occupied every
staten excepting that Of captain
When / was sixteen years Of age
climbed a steeple 10 Glasgow three
hundred feet it took the noted Scotch
man, 'Steeple jack three days TO per-
form. PVe been mounting stseples fer
the past seven years as business. The
last one ent up previous 10 this was
ths Chapel Street Presbyterian, in
Albany, which 10 three hundred feet in
height. | took down the weather vane
in the shape of a fisb, which weighs
three hundred and twe1ty-sevsn pounds,
being Of copper and load:d with lead.
1t was the Grst time any one had been
up the stespe in thirty years The
highest steeple ever clined went up
three hundred and seventy icet. This
was in Ay rshire, Scotland. The general
impression ia that when on a steeple it
is easier to 90 up than down. This is
all a mistake. When looking up an
almost irresistible feeling comes over
you 10 jump from yorr seat. / had sI-
perience ofths kind while on the steeple
Of DR.. Darling's church in Albany. l
gazed steadily up fer \ moment into
space, when, without any feeling Of
dizziness or anything Of that sort,
became almost beside myself and q
kind Of delirIum came ever me. [ had
10 quit right then and there, for q me
ment later would have sprung from
my seat. | can look steadily down and
it does not effect me. l seldom climb
steeples in Geld weather. It's too con-
founded dangerous, the sides bslEg icy
and slippsry. was up on a Hudson
steeple last January, and then vowed
I'd swear Of climbing in winter, as
nearly fell.
They tell me this here steeple shakes
when the wind blows. T. ou know,
it's all the better for that. I. gives the
iron rods on the inside play. Look out
for these tant and appeiently selld
'teeples. They 90 sometimes with a
sudden crash. And. besides, enjoy =
ride on a swaJing steeple. 1t reminds
me OF tie days when was at tssa.-
Troy looks immense from the top Of
that splre. The people appear Ike
mites, while the sky bears the same az
pect as trsm the street. Inever remem-
Der of having felt dizzy while on a
steePle. | feel just as much at home
away up there where Gods hsndiWerk
can be viewed ia sll its beauty as on
the ground. I've get to, IN fact, for if
didn't you'd never catch me hundreds
ef feet from good walking. That arrow
oo the spire Of the church 1 took down,
guided it and replaced it. 1t Is ten feet
in length, and weighs all Of two hundred
pounds. When putting it back held
it in position with one hand and tight
cned the boltJ with the other-ne EASY
task, l tell you. A man at thiI susi-
meas can earn lrsm 81 to tl0 day.
AS TO the mansr in which ascend that
must remain a secret. 1 never allow
an outsider 10 handle or examine my
ropes. l attend strictly to business
when up on high and if l even saw my
wife on the sidewalk would refuse TO
recognize her. l just glory in being as
high as ever can get. It's my home
up there, and l think if 60 below
when 1 die it will be terrible piecs OF
bad judgment on somebody's part
probaoly my own.