The Washington critic., 1890-05-15
A HUMAN Spider
A Man who Works Three Hundred
rect Above the Ground
Ftom he Neto Yotk Snl


From The N,to YORK Sun.
Scores Of loiterers stood in front Of
the big gates Of Clark's Kearney thread
mill last week watching the intrepid
climber, John Phillips, as he spiked
ladder after ladder to the 33J.foot
chimney which occupies the centre of
the quadrangle surrounded 10y the lofty
mills, At the same time hundreds OF
eyes were on him from the moving
trains, the bridges and the windows Of
residences and fectories In Newark.
From the hills west of the river many
field glasses and telescopes were aimed
at the daring slater, aud IL anybody
watched him with the expectation Of
seeing him fall 1t was only to be disap.
pointed. Phillips worked steadily from
b o'clock in the morning until noon,
and added five ladders to the frail. look.
ing structure which he has erected.
just before noon the east wind brought
on drizzling rain which swept the
ladders. Phillips worked In the rain
for short time and then crawled down
the ladder to get his dinner. He did
not go home, but ate his dinner in one
of the engine rooms and watched the
shifting clouds with grave forebodings.
The top of the last ladder was within
twenty five feet of the ring of brick
work which marks the base of the
swelling bell of the chimney top. One
more ladder would put this ring within
reach of the climbers hands. He
walked around the big stack after eating
his dinner, gazing at the dripping lad,
ders and showing in his usually placid
countenance that he was thoroughly dis
gusted with the weather. He said he
was not afraid of slipping on the wet
rounds, but had strong dislike to
working in wet garments. A momen-
tary lull in the storm at 2 o'clock en-
couraged him TO mount the ladders
again, and as he toiled upward one of
the Scotch weavers at the gate likened
him to Jack and the beanstalk," and
remarked: "Oi wudna do tn loike for
a. these gret mills Jack, however,
went up like cat. and, after trying
the strength of the top ladder, began
driving spikes above his head and soon
had his tackle block rugged for hoisting
another twenty foot spruce ladder with
ashen rungs. The rain came on again
while he was at work. but he stuck to
his task and affixed one more ladder,
making six since morning.
Twenty-Five lapped spliced aud
firmly spiked ladders now run almost
perpendicularly up the west side of the
great tapering shaft of brick, and to
climb them Phillips must raise the
weight of his body 243 times. He
stopped at the twenty second because
his clothes were getting soaked through
and the sleeves of his working jacket
were sticking to his arms. 1t was cold
and enervating at the height which he
was working, and continuous exposure
to the chilly rain and east wind was
likely to benumb his hands. So he
stopped with the goal almost in sight.
If the weather serves Phillips will
soon put up three more ladders and
wave his handkerchief from the top OF
the chimney. The iron ladder which
he will use in surmounting the iron car
of the chimney is ready. 1t was made
lin the machine shop of the Newark
Mill, and is quite similar to one
which was used by the painters in ap.
plying asphaltum to the cap when the
chimney was finished and which was
aiterward destroyed. Putting this il
place will be an easy task, but the lad
der below it will give him trouble. The
putting it in place will consume much
time, inasmuch as he will have to drill
four or five holes into the under side oil
the bell to hold his spikes.