Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1893-06-10
CHICAGO LOOKED UP TO HIM
Evans, the SteepIe Climber, Per-
forms a Feat.
Coos Up Three Hundred Feet to the Tip
Top of the Northwestern Depot Flag.
staff and Brings Down Load
Weighing 1865 Pounds.

CHICAGO, June 5.-On the topmost
point of the long pole, sticking out
heavenward from the tower of the
Northwestern depot, there was three
| days ago miniature locomotive and
pounds
Neither the engine nor the tender is
there now.
They are gone from their high perch.
II. f. Evans is one man who can ex-
plain how they came down. In fact,
in all this big town he is the only man
who can explain. Evans is a small
man, "a years of age, weighing 1885
pounds What is not bone in him is
muscle-compact, cast iron muscle at
that. He can climb anything from the
side of an iceberg to water-spout in
motion.
The Northwestern Railroad company
had long had its eye on the miniature
locomotive which served as weather
vane. 1t was rusty and uncomely. The
company decided To have 1t gilded.
They secured Mr.. Evans to do the
work He began Wednesday morning.
He is cheerful fellow, and sings at his
work. Though he is away up in IT,
world, he does not feel above his fellow
men.
Evans went to the top of the tower,
After the ball is over.
After the break Of morn
SO he sang, light of heart. At the
same time he jumped ont on the de-
! clivitous roof of the tower and sank his
fingers and toes into the slate.
He scaled it like squirrel.
Many the heart that's broken
He had reached the bottom of tho
! long flagstaff covered with sheet-iron
which stretched above him forty feet.
He threw one leg tightly about this
pole-eight inches thick, and freed his
hands. Then he took two ropes,
passed each around the pole-made a
short loop at the other end of each,
through which he put either leg. Then
he lifted his right leg as high as he
could. This loosened one of the ropes
and he quickly pushed the loop around
the pole up until the rope became
taut. Then he Strengthened his right
leg and up he went two feet. The
same operation with the other leg and
rope was gone through with, and he
was two feet higher still.
After the ball
People who caught this scrap of song,
900 feet below. looked up in astonish-
ment TO see that dot of man sliding
up that long pole. Evans wasn't eX-
cited. Not bit of it, He worked his
| arlx u 10,
ally breaking away from his song and
whistling softly.
The wind was blowing forty miles an
hour. the staff swayed like the mast of
a ship in storm. Presently the little
dot reached the weather vane-seven
feet in length.
There is a great bali just under the
vane. Around this Evans threw his
hook-lile leg. He put his shoulder
under the locomotive. 1t was heavier
than he had bargained for. He
weighed 1876 pounds only, the locomo
tive 165 pounds. The wind was blows
| ing too hard, and he had notion III
| give il up. But he didn't. He madd|
! six attempts to lift the vane out of it'd
socket but failed. Then at last it gava
away. For moment, Evans himself
co5In,fesses, he was almost gone. +,
Tke locomotive overbalanced and
| came\very near dragging him loose.
| Rnt be pulled it back on his shoulder.
Down "a 4 i rirafaaer osfas that he had pulled up
after him and lashGa .tt} the staff he
went, with the weather vane on MS
shoulder, humming: :,
After the dancers are leaving
1t was an easy matter 10 get the loco-
| -
was there yesterday gliding it. He is a
was very stiff and sore from Wed nes-
days work but he would be able TO
make the return trip up the pole with
his burden today.
Evans is famous steeple climber.
lie has scaled many towers both in
this country and in Europe. He was
born in Cincinnati He has always
climbed. and is absolutely fearless.
When he was IA years of age he made
his first trip to the top of a
steeple Two Germans in Cincinnati
made bet about his climbing abilities.
A Lutheran church was selected. Evans
went to the top of the steepie after
dark by clinging to lightning rod.
Then he stood on the top of a cross and
his hands set them atire and held them
out in the air. SO the betters below
would be satisfied.
lie also gilded the great cross on
Trinity church in New York city. 1t
was while employed upon this work
] that he spent the most miserable night
of his life. Through carelessness Of
other worllmen the rope by which he
lowered himself at night slipped
though the pulley and left him lashed
to the cross. He could not get down.
He tore his jeans into strips and low
cred this improvised rope to the first
trap door, 100 feet below but nobody
came to his rescue until the next day.
Most pleasing of all his experiences
is the one he relates with great salts
faction.
In the '70s he was sent to Washing
ton to straighten a huge ornamental
stone on the top Of the steeple of DIR.
Newan's church. A strong wind had
bent the rod which held il. and there
was great danger of its falling.
Nobody could be secured who would
essay the job until Evans was found. II
was very difficult work to climb the
steeple, and thousands of people
watched him breathlessly. After he
had been working for week q small
man with black beard met him on the
steps of the church and said:
II have been watching you for o
week. know something about brave
men. You are very brave"
Young Evans smiled.
"Just as token of my admiration
accept this"
Then the man walked away.
Evans stood looking at the 500 bill
in his hand thunderstruck. He fol.
lowed the man who had given it to
him.
Presently he met man and pointed
the donor out.
"Do you know who that man is?''
Evans asked.
''Of course do" the man replied.
"He is the president of the United
States-Ulysses s. Grant"