The Dawson journal., 1886-04-15
A DARING CLIMBER.
How Clarence Ward H0istS Himself
Into Heavens Without Ladder
or ScaffOld.
indianapolis journal.

Indianapolis Journal
The good people of the east
side, who are occasionally con
strained to seek amusement at the
museum, the shooting park, the
"hoss" race, or the cock fight, last
week were afforded entertainment
without money and without price
and all at the expense of the Gen.
man church at the corner Of Ohio
and East streets. Clarence Ward,
the steeple-climber, was employed
III gliding the cross that sur,
mounts the church at the dizzy
height Of nearly two hundred feet
From tie highest window in the
steeple to the cross at the top is
over fifty feet. To reach the PIN
nacle from the window was the
daring feat which the painter &C,
complished without ladder, scat
fold, or other assistance except
two ropes.
Ward by training is sailor.
IN seven years before the mast he
acquired great agility, and tho art
OF shining up pole so slender
that it swayed as q sapling with a
coon on the top. "But climbing
is kind O gift to me-" he says.
Il used to climb flag poles for
fun, There is a pole $50 feet
high on the the top Of the City
Hall at Albany. The topmast is
fifty feet, and have been at the
top of it often
A considerable number of spec
tors gathered in front of Trinity
ohnrch, this city, to observe how
Ward would reach the top of the
steeple. He literally hoistel him
self into the heavens. He carried
three ropes, One Of these was a
long thin one, attached to block
and tackle on the earth. The
other two constituted his working
harness. Standing on the highest
projection which he could reach
from the window, Ward cast q
rope which he held in his right
hand lasso fashion around the
steeple, caught the end, quickly
made a loop and drew it taut. OF
course, the harder he pulled on
the line the tighter it became.
The cone-shape Of the steeple,
with increasing circumference to-
ward the base, made it impossible
for the tightly.Iooped rope to
slide downward. With the loose
end of this rope Ward quickly
made q "bowline on a blight, or in
Gland lubbers' English, loop
into which he could swing him
self. From his perch below
Ward then swung himself into
the loop, the multitude trembling
meantime below.
Having thus gained few feet
in ascent, the climber with his
other rope made another running
bowline few feet above the first,
and into a loop constructed aftel
the. rope was fast around the
steeple, he swung himself as be-
fore. Thus laboriously he made
his way toward the top, until in a
half hour he hung suspended III
mid-air, far beyond reach of either
the window cap below or the
broad arms of the cross above. In
this position he whistlod merrily
and unconccrnedly, while light
headed persons turned their eyes
fearfully away. At a distance, as
from the court house tower, Ward
in this attitude appeared as a log
or block suspended to one end OF
a rope. the other end Of which was
fastened to the tower. In an houl
he reached the cross; coolly sal
down on one arm Of it, and mop
ped his brow with bandanna.
With the small line spoken of he
then drew up rope and tackle and
made comparatively easy sailor
ladder. Several days were con
sumed in gliding the cross, and
to-day Ward, having completed
his job, took down the tackle.