The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-12-02
DARING WIRE WALKING.
A Greek Sailors Thrilling Feat on
Building Derrick in Omaha.


Recently Omaha people passing in the
vicinity of where the new federal build
ing is being erected, at Sixteenth and
Dodge streets, have been treated to an
exhibition of nerve and daring seldom
Witnessed in the sawdust arena.
From the half completed walls rise
dozen tall derricks, which, with their net
work of stays and supports. resemble the
rigging of monster ship. single steel
wire binds the tops of the derricks to-
gether and is stretched tightly nearly 100
feet above the street Occasionally a
man of less than medium stature has
been seen to Chamber to the top of one
of the derricks and sit for moment on
the extreme end of the vertical timber.
Then he would carefully put one foot out
on the wire that stretched away on a
horizontal line. Drawing his foot close
up to his body he gathered himself to-
gether, and with a single effort was bal
ancing himself on the naked wire with
out even removing his shoes Then slowly,
but without any apparent effort. he would
walk the wire at that dizzy hight to the
next derrick. where he would climb down
and go to work as though he had not
compassed a feat from which the most
daring gymnast would shrink in terror
This was all done simply to save the
time which it would require to climb from
one derrick and make his way across
the iron beams to another. At first his
fellow workmen watched his progress
along the uncertain pathway with much
apprehension. and 1t was remarked that
he would take the chance once too often,
and be precipitated to a sudden death on
the timbers below But the nervy gym
mast never seemed to think of any peril
in connection with his daring feat, and
after awhile but little attention was paid
to his aerial exploits. Finally the mat
ter was brought to the attention of the
supervising architect, who issued peremp-
tory orders that the performance should
not be repeated.
The workman whose daring has occa-
stoned so much coment is a Greek sailor
who has taken to the derrick business and
is employed by the Denver contractors to
assist in placing and removing the big
derricks, as is required by the process of
the construction. None of the workmen
know his last name, and he is only known
as Charley. He is a little gingery fellow,
rather slight in build, but full of vitality.
He is never known to tire, and his we'll
trained muscles seem to bear the strain
of his perlous feats without fatigue. He
does not regard his reckless Journey on
the wire as much of a feat, and seems as
sure of his footing on that perilous path
as though he was walking a plank foot
from the ground.
Many stories are told by other workmen
of the feats which the Greek has accom-
plished. Before he went to Omaha he
was employed on the new state house at
Denver and while there his nerve was
the means Of saving life that had been
despaired of. The young son of contrac-
tor Seery had climbed to the tower of the
partially completed state house to get
some birds eggs which had been deposit
ted in one of the embrasures. He accom-
plished the upward journey in safety. bat
as he turned to retreat with his prize he
missed his footing and shot downward. In
some miraculous manner he caught on
beam that was suspended across an open
ing in the roof, and hung there with a
death grip, while the terrified onlookers
expected every minute to see him lose his
hold and. TO be dashed to pieces below.
There was no one who dared to attempt
to rescue him at that dizzy height, as
they. feared that in his fright he would
carry the rescuer with him in his fall.
Suddenly some one thought of the Greek
sailor. He was at home at the time, and