The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1890-05-13
AT THE TOP OF THE CHIMNEY
A Perilous Undertaking.

John Phillips, a young slater, has solved
the question Of how to reach without
building a scaffold, the top of the tall
chimney of the Clark Thread Works at
Newark, N. J.. Phillips contracted to
extend a line of ladders to the top Of the
335 feet chimney so as to permit masons
to ascend and repair the damages done by
two lightning strokes which occurred
during the same storm on March 81,
which tore off seventy-five cart loads of
bricks. On the northeast side Of the
chimney there are seven irregular breaks,
and masses of bullying brickwork still
hang in a threatning manner. Two courses
of bricks are thrown out from the face of
the bell top on the northwest, and on the
south the collar is badly broken and a large
rupture shows on the side Of the shaft
\ X 4 X x <
Twenty two ladders were in place then,
and the top of the upper one seemed to
be within five or six feet of the ring or
collar under the aaring top. Above this
ladder a stout spike was driven into the
masonry, and from it depended a tackle
block and rope.
After donning his overalls and working
Jacket, the climber put a safety-belt
around his waist. In the front Of this
belt is a stout hook, which he attaches to
a rung of the ladder while at work, thus
giving support to his body and permitting
him to use both hands freely. x x x
He examined the lashings of the last
ladder and then signalled for another,
which was quickly sent up to him. 1t
was a short one, but like the others he
secured it with six spikes and dashed
nearly half of its length to the twenty
second ladder. 1t projected above the
collar a few feet, ard after securing it
LILLY Phillips mounted it, and passing
behind it stood for a few minutes on the
broad ring Of brick-work which encircles
the chimney, and which is Clipped off in
two places by the lightning. Now came the
beginning of the climbers most difficult
work. Hollow drills, made of case-hard-
ened pipe with serrated ends were sent
up to him, aid he began drilling o~ne-inch
holes in the masonry. In these holes he
drove pieces OF steam-pipe. On the inner
end of each Of these pipe-bolts was &
tapering plug, and on the outer end a nut
through which a rod passed to the taper
plug. This cd termina ed in a ring, tC
which the ladders were dashed. After the
DlDS-DOlJS "CISl III DIdC6 III Vic III Ch-"O Vi &
a few turns Of the nut expanded the inner
end Of the pip and made it secure in the
masonry.
Phillips put one Of these bolts in the
wall of the engine room the other day
and twelve men on a rope could not pull
it out. After the storm blew over Phillip
resumed work on the task. The ladde
which he was attaching did not lean out
ward much, for he had concluded not t.
try the ascent of the bell with a singh
ladder. 1t ran nearly half way up tn,
faring brick-work and stood s~lanting out
ward, but nearly perpendicular. He pro
nounced it secure and sent for the twenty
five foot adder, which was to be las
wooden one. Last night he had thi
in place and was suspended from it By
his knees and waist belt while he wa
putting IN the middle bolts. He wa
c~linging like a caterpillar to a twig an
putting on the lashings which secure,
the ladder to the last pair of spikes.
The iron ladder with which he is t
surnount the iron cap stood against tn
wallOf the engine room. Its sides ar
made of % iron l ID inches wide an,
theFungs are made of half-inch gas pipe
It s six feet and eight inches long. !
wsighs forty pounds, and would lie fla
against the cap but for two strips of WOO,
which Phillips will lash to the under sid
# it. In less than seven minutes he ha
cached the uppeTmost wooden ladder
] and after pausing there and examininj
his work of the previous day he secure
his belt hook to a rung of the ladder an
set down the free end of the rope. "Sen,