Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1891-07-14
IIKE 4 aNAT IN THE AM.


Painter Ascends the FIag Pole on the
Dome Of the PaIifxer Buiiding-
No sailor ever climbed 20 high as did
the gallant painter. A. zimener, when
he ascended to the top Of the flagstaff
which rises from the dome Of the Pu
liter building. There we're thousands
Of people in City Hall park. on BroaG
way, in Centre street, Chambers street.
on Park row. and adjacent thorough
fares down town who craned their
necks to see the ascent, and hundreds
Of glasses were leveled at the painter
from the roofs Of buildings afar Of
away over in Brooklyn, In jersey City
and down the bay.
From the street Zimener looked like
very small man doing very big
thing. From Broadway he appeared
20 be no larger than an extremely small
boy. while from one Of the Jersey ferry
boats one might have imagined that
fy. large enough TO be classed With
some new species, was performing
gyInnastic feats a la japanese. Mr.
zimener had an unrivaled view from
the top Of the staff, but that wac not
what he went up for The staff needed
painting, and. as 1t could not very well
be taken down, some one had to climb
TO the top Of It. Mr. Zimener has
climbed poles before. but never one
whose top was 80 far above the earth.
A rope was passed twice around the
pole at the point where it emerges from
the cupola, each end being securely
fastened TO a little wooden seat This
rope was moved up few feet, where it
hung by the simple strain which the
weight Of the seat brought upon the
coils around the pole. Another rope
was wound twice around the pole un-
der the first one, and In each end was a
loop. When Zimener was ready to as
ccnd he put the wooden seat down over
his head until It reached the proper dis
tstnce, when he sat down upon 1t to
test it. The double coil Of rope clung
TO the pole, and the seat was found to
be perfectly secure. He then put his
right foot through the loops of the
other rope, using them as a stirrup
When he pressed his weight down the
coils tightened and he stood upright.
Next he moved the upper rope up
ward foot OF two. sitting down again
while he raised the foot rope upward
an equal distance. Standing again he
raised the seat rope. So he went, a
foot or two at a time on each rope, un-
til he neared the big gilt ball on the top
of the pole. Then seizing the top of
the pole he climbed with his legs until
high enough TO stand on his seat, hold
ing fast to the iron support Of the ball
with his hands. The crowds in the
streets stood stin to watch his every
movement, and the teamsters over on
Broadway almost caused a blockade
by stopping to look.
Mr.. Zimener, when he stood upon his
seat at the top of the staff, was just
375 I-2 feet above the foundation of the
Pulitzer building and $40 feet above
Frankfort street. The roof of the
DuhulllH WIS 1tJ lteb DClOW ilIlilt dilu
the gold and copper dome rose up
toward him like the closing leaves of a
great golden tulip. The staff TO which
he clung looks like a slender, frail
thing from the street, but ID isn't 1t
Is like the mast OF gigantic ship, and
while 1t rises 40 feet above the cupola,
SO feet of 1t Is concealed in the dome.
II Is as firm as a rock. If the best spar
Of spruce can be compared with stone.
After Mr.. zimener had stood for a
while enjoying the unrivaled prospect
before him, pot of paint and brush
were hauled up to him by means Of the
flag halliards, and he proceeded to
paint the big pole pure white. As he
performed his work he descended grad
ually, reversing his former tactics. The
painting was accomplished quickly,
and Mr.. zimener said that he had never
stood so high before among his fellow.
men. New York World.