The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1890-04-17
1 SpIDEIsY LINE OF LADDERS.
John Phillips at Work Nearly 300 rect
from: the Earth.
New York sun, 9th.

Scora,; Of loiterers stood in front or
the big gates of Ciark's hearhey
thread mill yesterday morning watch
ing the intrepid climber, John fhl1-
lips, as he spiked ladder after ladder 10
the 33:3}3-foot chimney which occupies
the centre ofthe quadrangle surrounded
by the lofty mills At the same TIME
hundreds of ewes were on him from the
moving trains, the bridges, ana the
windows of residences and factories IN
Newark. t'rom the hills west OF the
river many tieId-g!asscs and telescopes
were aimed at the daring slater, ana
if anybody watched him with the eA-
u citation of seeing him fall it was only
TO be disappointed, Phillips worked
steadily from ) o'clock in the morning
until noon. and added five ladders TO
the frail-iooling structure which be
has erected. Just before noon the
east wind brought on drlzzllng ram
which swept the ladders. Philips
worked in the rain for I, short time,
aud 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 his last ladder was wlthlh
TWENTY-FIVE feet Of the ring OF brlck-
work which marks the base OF the
swelling bell Of the chimney top. one
more ladder would put this ring with
in reach Of the climbers hands. He
walked around the big stack after eat
inc his dinner, gazing at the dripping
ladders and showing in his usually
placid countenance that he Was
thoroughly disguised with the weather.
He said he was not afraid of slipping
on the wet rounds, but had a strong
dislike to working in wet garments.
A momentary lu4l in the storm at :
O'Clock encouraged him to mount the
ladders again and as be toiled upward
one Of the Scotch weavers at the gate
likeued him to Jack and the beam
s,aik,n and remarked: "Of wudna Go
th' loike for a. these gret mills" Jack,
however, went up like a cat, and after
trying the strength Of the top ladder,
began driving spikes above his head,
l.: Ia block rlDp6G
for hosting another twenty-foot spruce
ladder with ashen rings. TIE ram
came on again while he was at work,
but he stuck to his task and affixed one
more ladder, making six since morn
ing.
Twenty-Five Tapped, spliced, and
firmly spiked ladders now run almost
perpendicularly up the west side OF the
grea. tapering shaft Of brick, ana TO
climb them Phillips must raise the
weight of his body 24:; times. lie
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 be
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.
To-day, if the weather serves, Phil
lips will 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
cap Of the chimney is ready. 1t was
made in the machine shop Of the New
ark 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
afterward destroyed. Putting this in
place will be an easy task, but the lad
der below it will give him trouble.
The putting it in place will consume
much of tomorrow morning, mas
much rs he will have to drill four or
five holes into the under side Of the
bell to hold his spikes.