Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-06-25
srEEPLB CLIMBING.
HowOnenfay Get Accustomed TO the
Danger--Views of a Workman.

DanCer--N1eNS OF q workman
From The NeaO York Tribune.
With. bated breath and dpturned faces,
large crowd stood the other day watch
ing man who was slowly ascending the
steeple OF an uptown church. He seemed
to go 0versthe delicate scatfoldiDg like q
snail. The crowd below were expecting
every moment TO see him fall When he
reached the end of the scaffolding and
stood upon a piece OF framework that
looked in the distance as if it was about
q foot square, he leaned far over and
shouted something to another workman
about halfway down. The spectators
shuddered but could not take their eyes
from the little climber who had lett the
scafOlding and was still going up the
steeple. When he reached the top ne re-
NAMED for a few minutes examined the
steeple on every side, and then retraced
has steps, When he got safely back to the
'scatf0ld he waved his hand TO the people
and smiled. He went to the top OF the
steeple sew eral times in the course OF an
hour, and every time a crowd gathered.
''You think IL hazardousT said the
steeple-climber TO a Tribune reporter
when be came down TO the ground.
Though he looked so small when in she air,
he was considerably above the average
height, slim and Wiry, all bone and mus
Gle, with clear, steady eye and hand,
and perfect confidence in himself. HIS
eyes sparkled as If he was in love with the
WORK as he continued:
People who are not used to being at
great heights, and who feel dizzy when a
lew feet from the ground, naturally look
with wonder upon man working high up
in the air, and think that he must feel as
they would. probably go upon more
steeples and other elevated places to ad-
just ornamental designs than any other
man in the business, and l feel Just as
much at home standing on narrow
board 200 feet from the ground as would
on a rock. l feel perfect sense OF safety
and never think Of falling.
"But was not always without fear.
When l first began the business | always
started up the scatiOlding with trembling
legs and a quaking heart,and many times
L have not gone To the top but returned
with some excuse for not going up Just
thea. An old man who had been climber
in his day saw me on one Oi these Occa-
sions when my heart was weak, and gave
me bit OF advice that cured my faint
heartednesS IN time. He said when start
ing up always TO fix your mind intently
on the work you are going to do, and keep
every thought Of lear, or that something
is going To happen, out OF your mind.
This was just the thing, aud | have found
fear that makes a man afraid, and over
caution has given many poor fellow a
tumble, where boldness and seeming
fecklessnesS would have carried him
through all right. There are only a few
expert climbers. Hundreds quit the
business in a short time because they
cannot overcome their nervous dread. |
have seen stout-hearted fellows who
would march up to a lannon's mouth
~ WI
place where the scofiOding ends and from
which point they would have to shin' to
the top, try to ep up, but ton of lead
mad been hooked TO their foot and it would
not go up an inch.
4 II have known men who when they rot
into tlckllsh spot would have black
specks come before their ewes which
would move up and down aud in a circle,
and they would fall down and hug plank
like a long-l6st brother. Their heads
would seem to be in a whirl. This is
where man gets 'Tattled' and 1t requires
The greatest exercise of the will to over
come this feeling. | have felt this way
many times, and even now / sometimes
have sudden desire when on the pin
nacles OF a steeple to jump off, but / al
Ways laugh at the idea aud it goes awav
as quickly as it comes. A man VINO drinks
stimulants rs out OF place on a steeple.
where false step Will send him head
long hundred feet or more below. So
also is fat man, for a climber must be
light, agile and muscular. DarR-haired
men with swarthy faces usually make the
best climbers"
Does 1t prevent dizziness when going
to a great height TO keep the eyes turned
upward z"
This is a popular notion, but there ia
nothing in it except that the attention is
turned from the idea OF falling, and this
VIII keep "a man from tumbling, But the
place for the eyes is upon the road TO be
travelled to see that everything is in posi-
ton. A high wind sometimes renders
scaflolding unsafe and il man has HIS
eyes on the sky he would never see it,"
Did you ever fallP'
'Pve had many narrow escapes but
only one good fall. This was about u
feet. had a sick child home and was
thinning about her and was absent
minded. started of sidew avs between
the scaffold and steeple and In TWO or
three seconds l was at the bottom.
thought would BIZ killed. and in a sec
ond my whole life flashed through nv
mind and also the future of my family
and how they would all look after the
children were fuil-grown. l knew that
was humping against the timters OF the
scan0ld, but there was no pain and | was
overcome apparently by a soothing in
nuence and never had more pleasant
journey in my lite. it seemed as iC was
falling for hours. / knew when struck
the bottom and felt a shock at the sudden
stop. but it was not disagreeable. had
enough pain atterward, though, and il
took about six months 10 patch up nv
body. Both arms and one leg were broken.
i made up my mind TO give up the busi-
ness when got well, but in little while
the old fascination came back and went
~ alipn HIM Ia