Morris tribune., 1881-01-06
HANGING ELECTRIC LAMPS.

You see, don't remember his name, but
have read about him somewhere. He
was young priest, in Spain believe, and
q cathedral had to be decorated for a re-
ligious festival. There was dreadful place
that ran sky high over the altar that wanted
some drapery hung on it, and there was no
way of getting to it save by creeping along
a narrow ledge away up in the air. Now,
all the young priests funked at it save one
who, having said his prayers, skinned along
the ledge and did the business. Now, it
Just happened that Cardinal OF Bishop
saw the whole business, and had his heart
in his mouth all the time. When the young
priest came down all right the dignitary Of
the Church complimented him, and in time
advancement came, and the priest in after
years became Cardinal or Pope or some
boss of that character. Now, when I got
to that exhibition in a city out West, not
more than four weeks ago, which building
had to be lit with electric lights in 48 hours,
under contract, and me sent on to under
take the job, just wilted when I looked
around. The whole concern had been run
up in hurry, and looked kind of shakey,
was to set up - electric lights, and they
were to be hung from an awful long beam
above, and this beam was held by sockets
at the end, and was exactly IS feet plump
from the floor. I just for the first half
hour, when was inside, kept looking at it.
I asked a carpenter working on the floor
how wide that beam was. Matter of 1G
inches, says he, "and it has been oiled,
then covered with some kind of stuff, anti
combustible they call it, it's most as slip
perry as glass"
And how am I to get it,"
"Blowed if 1 know" says he, Il wouldn't
walk that beam unless 1 was rigger with
my life insured"
Now 1 have pretty cool head, and am
something of an athlete, and don't give up
things until look all around EN-. There
was no way of getting to the beam in the
main building but by going to top room,
putting ladder from the roof of side
building, and getting on the roof of the
main building, climbing up that, opening q
trap door, and sliding downa sort of big
king post to that cussed beam. wasn't
afraid of the climb on the roof; did that,
and opened trap, and there was one of the
upright posts that held the roof, but the
COMPOUNDED thing, though it did abut on the
ON the beam, was most too big for me to
clasp and slide down to the traverse beam
"Why the thunder should break my neck
for 1875 week and expenses?" thinks 1
Ipuzzled for little while, and came down
the roof and then down to the floor of the
main building. didn't see my way clear
and the more I thought of it the worse il
looked to me. I saw the manager of the
concern. Get me big ladder" says L
COR have staging and trestles, and L can put
| up those lamps on time, otherwise you
won't have any lights for your show"
See here, young man, says he; "youl
concern is under contract, and there is q
forfeit of ST., 200 if they don't come up tc
time. Isn't that sop
agreed that 1T was So.
well, then, what the deuce are you bother.
ing me about, with your ladders and stagings
that amt my lookout, Is it,"
"But YOU wouldn't have me break my necl
would your says 1.
"Your neck isn't Of any consequence,
says he: land whether your people kill {
man, more OF less, in putting up your cleo
trio lights, that your lookout, and not mine
and this here exhibition don't care cent
any how, only it's $4,000 your folks vii
have to shell out, if this here sh ow amt a!
brilliant as July - o'clock meridian thu
day after tomorrow night"
| That kind Of riled me-he was that pig
headed. May be, if you haven't ladder
you might borrow balancing pole for me,
said I.
None of your chaff," says he. If you
people send boy to do mans work, thel
it's all the worse for them
Evidently there was no satisfaction to b.
had out of that manager. I went to tn
hotel and thought it over. Now, our PEG
pie had, 1 knew, great deal of confidence
in me. AS to the theoretical and practica
part of electric lightning, was perfectly a
home, and l had hired myself for that spe
cial work, but not for walking on a slipper.
beam 16 inches wide and IS feet from tn
ground. It was no use. ! should have t.
| give it up, and SO lose the place. So sa
down and wrote long letter to our Secre
tary explaining to him how dangerous tn
job was, Ito walk along beam $50 fee
| long, foot inches wide, IS feet from tn
ground" and underscored all that, ant
how sorry was, and SO on, &c. But
didn't post the letter that night, but went tt
bed and thought it all over. Next morning
I went to the building and walked arount
it, and hadn't the heart to enter, just like
fellow going to dentists door when he il
J. think I should have posted it. I looked
|
were just taking off their coats. The cleo
tro- dynamic machine was boxed up, an,
the traps and coils of wire were scattered al
around. There was the small ladder a lean
ing against the wall
The two men were busy now saving strip
into lengths, and alongside of them wa
their kit of tools. "They says" said on
Of the men, "that the party as was going t.
hang them tangled lights has kind o
petered out, afraid Of breaking his neck"
Jess SO" said the other; "kind Of SINAI
chap, looked as if he hadn't any pluck il
him no ways"
But, Bill, it's nasty job anyways. Tha
beam for foot-hold amt like walking II
to bar and taking q tod, you know
Didn't say it was" said the other man
"but if was to come all the way from Ne'
York to show us ignorant creeturs out Yves
how electric lamps was to be hung-pro
viding was that fellow-Td do it or bust.
Hearing these carpenters talk that wa
kind of put the nerve in me.
"Carpenter," says I, could you spare
bit of chalk?" 80. s.:... .......
eyes: help yourself. What do you wan
it for.?'
"To chalk my feet" says I.
''You amt in the rope dancing line?
says one of them.
mo" said I, a-gritting my teeth, but
am that mean cuss from New York that
just going to walk that beam and hang thos
lamps" "Whew," says one, "here's tn
chalk; put big lump in your pocket, an
just you strip for it, .s..
'tI will, g." says I, and peeled, only keep
ing on my undershirt and trousers and
light pain of thin shoes.
4 ''Take this bit of rope" says the othel
sit will hold You when you go down the mid
die post to the beam, which is as ugly
slide as know of. Take Ratchet an
drive in staple Or SO if you want the rop
to hold.
4 thanked them, borrowed Ratchet, too
some staples and rope, put handful {
nails In my pocket, and went on that roo.
I never could have got down thatpost with
out the rope. 1t wasn't more than 80 fe'
down to the beam, but having the rope tie
round me felt kind of secure as to whel
] should land. got a-straddle of the bean
I suppose I sat down on it for ten minute
before tried it. The COMPOUNDED thin
looked smooth and greasy.
"A1l right up there, old fellow" sung o,
the carnenters Fsaa .-f