Omaha daily bee., 1889-05-26
A MIDNIGHT "TRIP SKYwARD.
of a. Climber of a
of a Council Bluffs Light Tower.
MAGNIFICENT VIEW OF THE CITY.
Dwarfed Distances and Stuntei
Beights-How 1t Would be in a
storm-Triais Of the watchman
- The six Towers.
At n Perilous Height.

lures touching all the proceedings OF
its executive sessions, has shining tes-
timonial to the effect that, on one occa-
sion, the members Of that august body
were so fully impressed with the wis
dom of the scriptural statement that "a
light on a hill cannot be hid" that
they resolved to withdraw their electric
street lights from under the figurative
bushel that had previously covered
them, and place them on candlestick
$50 feet high.
The result was the tower light system
that has for the past year shed noon
day illumination over the city during
the hours of midnight darkness.
There are probably, very few of the
thousands who have stood around the
base of these towers and gazed at the
four lights shining like brilliant bea-
cons 154 feet above them, who have
ever stood at the other end of
the tower and gazed upon the
vastly more interesting spectacle
stretched out beneath them. In fact,
there are hundreds who have been
heard to assert, as they watched the
young man whose duty it is to daily
carbon the lights shoot upward through
space in his miniature elevator, that
sufficient money could not be piled to-
gether to induce him to make the trip.
And yet u trip like this doubly re-
pays the adventurous climber, who has
sufficient strength of limb and steadi-
ness of nerve to carry him to the top.
A few nights since the reporter, in
spired by curiosity and a desire 10 win
immortal fame, accepted an invitation
from the night watchman of the towers
to accompany him on a trip to inspect
the court house lights. The lights on
this tower are the farthest from the
earth OF any IN the city, being LIT feet
from terra tirma. They not, however,
| the highest above sea level, as the Oak
| land avenue tower stands on a bluff
nearly seventy-five feet above the foun
| dation of the court house.
AS the guide stated at the beginning
! of the trip, this was the hardest and
| most tedious to ascend of any of tie
| towers, as an elevator furnished trans
| portation to the top of all the others,
| with very little motive assistance on
| the part of the. climber, while to reach
| the summit and stand on level with
| the court house lights, it is necessary to
| climb over two hundred steps inside the
building, then UP an outside ladder for
the remaining distance.
| Notwithstanding the discouraging
| prospect. the scribe decided to tackle
the court house tower, as he infinitely
| preferred, in case he should fall, that
his descent should be through the
classical atmosphere OF temple of JUS
| tice, burdened with familiarity with
the disciples Of Blackstone and Coke,
| than through the cold and friendless
contents of outer space. upon which the
| influence of mans association had SEEM
ingly never been exerted.
| AS it was nearing the hour of mid
night, the great building appeared dark
and deserted, but the guide produced a
key that proved to be the "open ses-
| ame" to the court house doors, and the
tourist started upon his trip of explora-
| tiou.
The familiar portion of the structure
was traversed and left behind. After
| what seemed to be an interminable
| climb of countless stairways and lad
| ders, the reporter was ushered into a
| little octagonal apartment from which
there was seemingly no outlet but the
hole In the floor through which en-
trance had been effected.
Eight little round windows looked out
on every side, and close examination
revealed little hook on each side OF
/ sCt
second to lift out the window, frame and
all, and the guide disappeared through
the aperture. A small platform, two
feet square and an iron ladder extend
ing upward was all that could be seen.
Come on" called the guide from
some unseen point above and
the tourist started again. A
| glance downward revealed the
earth apparently 1000 feet below, and
the roof of the court house was SO far
away as to be unrecognizable.
| A rather queer sensation passed
through the frame of the beholder, and
his hat rose voluntarily in respectful
awe, as he volunteered the information
that he "guessed he didn't care to go
any further"
Put your back to the ladder, look
straight up, and come up backwards
and you will be all right" were the
next directions, which the reporter fol-
lowed, and was soon standing on the
little platform inside the iron railing,
| with his shoulders on a level with the
| four great 1900 candle power lights
| that swung noiselesslv on all sides of
| him.
Away on all sides stretched an inter-
esting picture, in the subdued and pleas
| ing light of 56, 900 candle power spread
| all over the city by means of this tower
and its SIX twin brothers. Just
as the beholder was preparing
to take it all in in detail,
his companion soothingly remarked,
"Be careful you don't come in contact
| with the framessof any of those lamps,
or this iron tower would short circuit a
current through your body, and then
you wouldn't have b climb down." AS
the climbing w3s very good, it is need
less to say the Scribe steered clear of
the lamps. VT
The Kissing OF the burning carbons
made a rather gsussome noise, but the
| visitor soon becaaneS used to it, and for
| got all about it as his guide pointed out
the buildings ana points of interest that
had seemed so familiar below.
| The transfer and the Union Pacific
yards seemed hardly a stones throw
distant. The glaring headlights of the
switching engines were plainly visible,
and the eye cohld fPlainly discern the
swinging lanterh iRIthe hand of the in
visible switchman. There was evidently
life there, but except the occasional
distant clang of the bell and the vicious
putting of an, overloaded locomotive,
there was no sound from this busy hive.
| A little beyond was Omaha, but the
beholder could scarcely believe
that it was so near, until salts