The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1893-08-04


had been in q position of such utter
hclplessress and dependence. Lest
the figures given abuvc should fail b.
convey the exact idea let mo suggest a
comparison which occurred tc me
while crossing this span.
The Pulitzer building In New York 10
just about one mile from the Battery,
and the height from the ground 10 the
foot of the flagstaff Is IL my memory
serves, $40 feet Now pile ak Pulitzer
buildings one atop the other and start
from the battery in . little bucket,
smaller than an ordinary clothes
hamper. and SO to the top Of that mass
suspended on single rope, and II you
as man will no, recognize your insiS-
nificance nothing will ever bring you TO
that realizing sense.
by this time had entered into the
full grandeur Of the scene and all ner-
vousness disappeared, strange to say,
right at the most dangerous par. of the
Journey. Four hundred feet below me
could see q train ot those most abused
and yet invaluable little burros slow
" and painfully climbing the mar
oow trail laden with supplies and tim
oers torN neigheoring mine Two miles
icwn thA valley lay Telluride looking
ike n child's playthine, and still FUR
ther away miles and miles Of dazzling
mountain peaks against the blue sky
II Coloradc-hluer than Italy ever
dreamed Of. and about me the most
unique and picturesque coiorines peep
~ .N,,. s-,,,, ~. ,-~,xa-sSi Matches ~
the mountains
The day was absolutely perfect, the
sun warm. and, despite the constant
hanger Of loaded buckets breaking
away and dashing al Of US 10 the abyss
below and needless os the posi- hility Of
many things which nigh; happen, l
thoroughly enjoyed tkis wonderful
siew. ! am free to confess however,
TO a feeling as though an intense strain
aad been removed when I finally
,rossed tha. gigantic tower and found
myself only hundred feet or 80 from
terra frna. and only then did I disoov-
~ that my hands had been clutched on
that bucket with q deathlike grip and
were wet with perspiration, while with
nv feet had been exertinc . tremen-
ious pressure against the front end =
We soon came in sight of the upper
terminal, and upon arrival there
found the nen had decided TO remain.
accepting the slight reduction, and
there would Ne no party 10 reward ne
for my trip-if indeed any reward other
than the trip itself were necessary.
Let me add, however, NAT the mouth
II the mine was still a mile and half
further NJ the mountain. and that the
ore Is brought from TIE mine 70 the top
81 the tram By burros> each carrying
two sacks weighing one hundred and
twenty-five pounds each Well. my
mission being t-uitless We reeutered
sur buckets on the down trip ! feel
peE!ectly sure that had the order been
reversed and the down trip come frs.
would have backed out st any cost, be;
nv up-journey gave me confidence, and
i; was with considerable equsnimity
that cszed down 10 the tiny terminal
two Thousand feet below
As M Green entered his bucket re-
marked t. the man who fastened il in
plsce; Get that good and tight, my
bow
He answered; y am a thousand
times more anxious abon; this thing
than you, and Will no; breathe freely
till you're down
then learned from him tha; since
he opened the tram twenty-five thou-
sand huei1ets bad passed given point,
with only three -nnaways ] Gid Qot
then 80 into the detail Of .he damage
done. but climbed into my bucket once
more, figuring the number Of times
three goes into twenty-five thousand
Arriving AZ the high tower again, and
entering upon the fourteen-huo6rei-
foot span, horrible swayins of the
Sucket ornnencS, rod fnalSy ii oeur
b dead stop right s, the worst place OF
the Enc The stoPpsEe was but I'D
Dec tsry, and vas done prrposely TO
eive ne the full benefit
There. or the same span. were the
tiny buckets, with two other boys and
the thought came 70 me Of the Aor-
rible resalts Of runaway at that par
ticulA- time. for, while the first bnckes
Mansfield was but x;x hun
3red feet ahead, il was at the same
time over two huDdred feet hslo~ me
and ] could juxi see him ~avinS his
hand 70 me by ps,ering over the front
snd Of my oah Well We reached TIE
rroand Again sa4sly. aad The. looAiAe'
beck once Dre I fally understood
ehere we had been and wondered at
he foolAartineas Of 4 ALL hot I
~crldnr take Grees deal 3oe the -
,erience inst the ssme-n Er,r
n y. =. RAilros6 Nen