Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-11-07
POISED IN MIl-AIR.
4 srlTpIH.yAcK AT WORK UNDER
AvANE.
xsw q Historic spire 10 Painted
By an Adventurous, Fear
iess Man.
tpos,ou close.l

tho Psfk.strte' church. where the golden
wealhoI-vaBe swings Idly IN The wind,
where no slen Of life il ever Visible save
when a tim;d, II Ell bird rests for n mo-
spent IN IT, Night 70 earth. human figure
Just perctptibie 10 the pedestrian hundreds
Of feet beiow, piakcs an uncomfortable In
crease to the pfolfI I ons OF the towering
cross.riece, ano incltes universal amize-
mcnt aud admiration. 80 high indeed
does the figure stfnd that dozen feel
away Il is easily counted portion OF
The church archlts ciure. and even
when directly al tie bsse OF the tapering
kfeerIe q elape, upWnds reveals little else
than dimirudsc ol icct standing on III
circular apex 81 the aain tower. AT tirst
Il has but the appearance OF long narrow
piece Of timbr m, hing, 10 fact. save O
human 6g ure, sTu the closest scrutiny can
discern not tbc sii. hest evidence OF ani-
nation. YET a human Il ,ufe il Is, working
way up almost into The clouds, with Wiz
tuSiy
NOTHING TO suPfoRr HIM
save an eighteeu.inch platform under his
feet and the embrace OF the weather-vlne,
while the faded fkuies. which tell the
curious bow tie wIDd blows, are given
new life und,T brilliant and plentiful coats
OF colleen paint.
Charles Aubin. the daring climber. or
"Steeple Jauk,' a. be Is familiarity called,
Il the sole parisker II the beauties and the
dangers OF that immense height, and here
from sunrise aud before until darkness
precludes continuance Oi his lSbors he
works al his chosen profession, indifferent
70 the human panorama Jel0w him and the
dangers which ms reckless height invites.
A Giobe.msn yesterday inspired with curl
40 fpf
though, from all appearances the
space wa. interIninable, obtaining ad-
mit,ance 10 the church, began his ascent TO
the clouds. Through the body OF the
church, grim aud DARK, with the empty
benches casting fantastic shadows IN all
directions, he passed, and thence up int
the first portion oi the tower. Crooked,
narrow STAIRS, duty and troacherous, with
q slim baluslrsdc Of rUugh-hewn wood the
only stay at eiIner side, and a. the ascent
grew higher the construction grew coars@r
and coaTser, until the sturdy beams inter-
lacing each other made
CUmOUsLY.oDD PICTURE.
Higher and higher into the tower grew
the mount until the belfry was reached,
and here a. the immense bell tolled the
hour of noou the music OF its strokes rang
ont into the air aud WAS echoed and re-
chocd by the quaint and cone-like house.
The first opening 10 permit the entrance OF
q human body was three quarters the height
Of The steeplc, and here the writer, press
jng through the circular orifice, was en-
abled 10 reach the outer platform. some
three feet vide, where the final ascent Is
made. A glance at this point showed little
OF an encouraging character, there were
plenty OF ropes, tNo or three narrow boards
slung in stays, the only method OF getting
10 the top save by climbing, and though the
object OF the interview was now plainly
seen, be was still as far away A. ever Tor all
practical purposes. still the Chair looked
sturdy, and >iuce there was no alternative
that must be taken, and there It'll the most
charming OF natural pictures spread out BE-
fore them. witb TIE sbe, Is OF placid waier1
stretching away into the distance aud wind
ing toriuously through the greencst OF
green field, with The harbor, It's surface
dotted with SAIL Of every description eX'
tending to tie eastward as far rs the eye
could reach, With the snail-like figures be
low, their motion hardly perceived, and.
above all, Win The Old shsky tower swayins
lither and ihithcr as the wind rose aud fell,
Steeple Jack told abou, his life and why be
painted steeples for living.
In appearance Charles Aubinis remark
able.looking man, not over thrty-6ye years
old, short OF stature and 1.-THE Of limb. His
face, brOnzed by the wind, is burnt or
sbriyelled by the sun. and the small face,
set OF BY q heavy dark m0ustlche, looks pc
culiary odd under the old SLOUGH cap,
which makes feeble apology to ward oil
the heat OF cold
lie Is FRENCH CANADIAN
by birth, hut left his home in Canada some
fwenty-six years ago, and has since been Il
resident Of the States, with no special Sec
ton beng elaimed rs home. As mason
and Tooier he early achieved fondness FOR
climbing, and a. years passed his inventive
gerius prompted the desire TO make such
improvements in steeple-climbing as the
times demanded. The entire secret OF his
success In this line lies entirely In this di.
rectlon. ANY one could mount a steepe,
however high, with solid footing under
him, and groundwork 10 build his struc'
ture, but how lew there are VINO would at
tempt TO reach the top Of splre 22O or
more feet above the ground, with no way
OF getting up there TO lay his lines or TO
build footing. Indeed, such is the nature
OF the invention that the printer Away: be.
gins his work NJ dark, or day light, . O'Clock
in the morning being the fsvorite hour, and
when the living world beneath ~ pouring
out It's thrOugs. Steeple Jack has the tower
interlaced with rope, the pulley blocks are
ready, and arrangements Tor Work begun
Yet II l. moi 80 secret, for with great cour-
tesy the writer was told how SIMPLY, yo
how ingenioGsiy, these preparations arr
made.
Taxing advantage Of the greatest alti
tude which a permanent platform admits
he Cniwiucs the tower with immense COIL
OF rope, in three rounds, in most mys
FERROUS manner, the two ends bein!
fastened. 4 second rope Is then takcl
aud wound once around the splre
these ends also being fastened, Will
attached TO IL - belt bound around th
climbers body 10 prevent bis iallin
backward. GTasping the lower CO.
OF the triple rope IN one hand AM
the higher with the other he Walk
along the centre colt As lie asccnds h
changes his hold on the lower rope 10 gras
tie highei, keeping 10 position 10y the rop
attached to his waist. The higher he gOe
the looser the suppor,-rope becomes, An
this defect i remedicd by drawing 1t tai
BY buckles attached to The waist belt. Whc
sufficiently hIgh he drops the rope, grasI
the Sleeple with both arms, aud chambers
the top. Once here, by means Of clothe
line he attaches 10 q solid facing a sma
claw. hammer. which supports in tdrn
block and tackle. The descent Is the
made, the swinging seat arranged to Il
ropes. and the climber Is ready for work.
ME-. AUBIN MApE ms FIRST sTEEPLE
ascent some four years ago on the Rollsloi
Baptist church, Nicksburc, Miss, the q
cent being two hundred aud f0rty-ti fee
The greatest altitude ever attained by hi
since be became climber. lie always q
cages a tender, Charles A. CiauSS, bein
the young man who serves with him no
and who also has done work upon u
steeple at its apex. There are b
few men who ate successful In th
work, but four being known
the craft, and they are Bohemian
most OF them. MIR. Aubin feels no sens
ton working at immense heights save
hearty appetite the clear, bracing air CIV
hun; and, equipped with meals for d.
he cou,d work from sunrise to sunset wi
out the slightest inconvenience. SO Il
roughly used Is he TO this work that |
dangers OF il are never considered, q
never has he sustained sny personal inlu
while engaged In this work. lie has dc
similar work on the South Baptist Chur
South Boston. aud on various edifces IN
Western aud Southern States.
As a workman be is acknowledged eq
II not superior 10 any workman simlls
employed, and IL Is bis greatest ambitl
within very brief time TO make such ad
tional improvements IN bis apparatus q