, 1884-08-14
E-CLIMBING
An Occupation Which L. Fraught
with Hidden Dangers.
Narrow Escapes from Death-whers
Danger L~urks-Firnds who Cut
the Lffe-Lfne-waGes Re
eeived.


taAAlaeARa4h AhhDAI
Il have been In this p~erilous blsin-.- ever
ince the war; said Morris Rog.i. at Ls
b~oariing-house the other evening. Il am =
sioople-climber and, 50 far as l know. tss
only man in the country who relics sn:sly
up,il this trade for 4 living. There W. AZ
ctler nan who did the same work, - ard he
narrator sighed-"but, poor fellow, he fsli
from tho tower of the new structure Of
tho Old South church. in Boston, and died
after a few gRsTs on the pavement. He WA
a clever work man, full OF original ideas and
great ia u sudden emergency. His name
wa Watson-Bnl Watson. / was his helper
fer I've years. He was the coolest mnn I
ever knew. We were regilding a cros- On
the -lirc Of a Catholic church in st. Louis.
II was = snail snh, and he had taken It a a
snap AMI intended 10 finish IL, of hnnd. in
in one afternoon. He was not as careful with
his lines as be should ave been. We as
cended to the highest window in the spire
and he pu. a pair III climber on his feet steh
a, th= te!egr aph line-mon nsel and went up u
narrow ridge Of bard TO which the lightning
rod wns made fast.
HIGH IN rHE AIR.
The ball wis sixty feet above, and in less
than Eve minutes ho had n line around the
cross and was lAshed to Il. He stood nearly
2OO feet from the ground. Contrary
u uh NalhA fh~tuHl ut bthhA ~ Ahf
la G of tho cro.a- He worked around rapidly,
taiing down TO me, below, for moro foil Or
more shellac as be progressed These l seit
him in n small tin bucket, as the case might
10. which he drew up by means Of u mail
cord fastened to his waist. He had Just re-
ceived a roll OF foil for be had shellac the
dried very quickly In the sum when he sale.
In a perfectly natural tone:
@'Catch me, Morry'
IAN instant later l had him in my arms.
He clntched the window sill and sprnng into
the landing. ALI he said was. Curse that
rope. l have been afraid Of it for some time
His line had parted where 1t camo In contact
with the sharp edge OF the cap Of the Steepls.
He had felt tho first strand part, had real
ized fully what had happened and had fore
seen what was about to occur-al In five
seconds. Ny catching him saved him from
u hundred and eighty feet OF a fall, but after
eating a bite OF luncheon he was back again
and finished the job Just as If nothing had
happened"
WHERE DANCE LuRRs.
"Vhat Kind Of a steepls do you regard tbs
most dangerous to scalef7
"A slate-covered spire." was the prompt re-
ply. "There are many reasons why 1t Is
dangerous-reasons that would not occur
to you. To enumerate a couple: The edge
of a broken slnte is often as sharp as a knife,
and will cut the best MANILA rope like soap
when the strain Of q mans body is on it In
putting on the states q peculiarly finished
nail, with a beaten head, is often used.
Where there is a broken slate these nails ara
liable to work up, and they will nick a ropA
in such a why that you will never know
1t until you feel an ominous settling
Of tho slender perch upon which
you swing. That sensation is calculated
to cause any mans air to raise"
D you select your own ropes and fix all
your own ~scaifoldingsiT
"Indeed, l dc" was the reply. II carry all
my tackle with me and am very particular
who handles It. l have n compartment in m.
trunk In which l always carry about 400 fest
of line. The best rope for this purpose il
made of English hemp"