Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-12-27
JACK CARRoLL's TICKLIsH JoR.
Swinging ut the End OF q Rope $50 Feet
High In q mile Breeze.

hfgn In u SS-hiie Breeze.
From the Boston Globe.
The O'Clock whistles had just called the
workmen back to their toll yesterday afternoon
when the wind was cavorting about among the
housetops and chimney pots in its most hair
raising manner. Thirty-two miles an hour,
So blew the wind
Up near the shore Of the South bay. sus-
pended twixt heaven and earth. hung a man
who most OF all the citizens of Boston had
cause to remember how the wind blew the 18th
day Of December in the year Of grace 1890.
Jack Carroll. swimmer. diver. man-of-wars
man. steeple climber and chimney scaler. was
swaying back and forth just a tribe less than
$50 feet from the earth. But a seemingly
slender rope bore him M, and il looked so
little worthy of confidence TO the people who
craned their necks far below him that thew
stood rooted 10 the ground. expecting each mo-
ment that a human body would tremble in mid
air aud then plunge crushed and broken to the
earth.
But il didn't The wind twisted him about
on his narrow seat. swung him playfully away
from the big mass of brick and mortar and
tried its best TO dislodge him. but pluckily he
chung. sturdily he pounded swav with a ham
mer that was suspended from his waist
The chimney whose looming height was the
point Of observation is the lofty structu re
which has been erected by the West End Street
Railway Company. The big iron cap has Just
been placed on its brow, and person standing
on Its summit Is further from mother earth. at
the same time retaining connection with her.
than he can get anywhere else in Boston. For
months laborers worked upon the foundations.
For months more they built it higher until it
reared its head far above everything terrestrial,
with the exception of the blue hills fringing the
horizon. Spires, chimneys and masts are
dwarfed beside it, One thing was left to be
| done. Lightning rods must be placed upon il.
1t was with this purpose in mind that clear
headed Jack Carroll was swung up its sides
yesterday. The lightning rod isn't rod at all
| In the usual occupation of the term. 1t is n
strap. 1t is made in this shape to handle the
more easily. ....
1t was hoisted to the top of the chimney in a
| big coil on a reel. Then one end of it Wis ran
out over the top. q man SWUNG in A sling on the
| very edge around it through a sort of rolling
machine to straighten and ilatten it ont, and II
was lowered till ii reached the ground.
Then came Jack CAROLS part of the work.
| A heavy. stout rope was run up the inside of
| the chimney through blocks and down the out
| side to the ground again. There Jack fastened
TO 1t his sling, with stout plank for seat.
| The wind blew fearfully that guy ropes had
to be suspended from the top. His seat had an
| arrangement on the ends 30 it could be at
| tached to these ropes and slide between them
else the wind would have blown him ont far
| that he couldn't have reached the chimney a;
all. and even if he had each blow with his
hammer would have sent him rebounding
away. the playthng of the breeze.
The word was given and up he was hoisted.
He was securely fastened to his seat and. used
as he was TO such trips. it seemed only joke
to him But the wind was a little heavier than
he had anticipated.
After he had reached the point where he re-
ceived the full benefit of Its caresses he sig
nailed to be lowered and came down to make
his fastenings still more secure and tie a cord
around his shoes to keep them from being
| blown of his feet.
Then up he went again and commenced
work. fastening the thin strips of metal to the
irons inserted in the brick work. done as the
masons progressed upward. The wind still
blew him out SO far that he had to unlock his
seat from the guy ropes and, use his feet on
them to push him in toward the chimney Just
under the bullying head of the chimney the
work was most difficult. but he effected ii
safely. Then he worked along downward