The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-08-05
mot for all the money in the treas

mot for all the money in the treas
ury, was the answer.
There is vast difference between all
| of the money in the treasury and the pay
the painter received for his work on tho
/ fiagpole, yet there he was at that giddy
! hight, apparently feeling secure as the
! broker on the street. willing and anxious,
for few dollars, TO take all the chances
that the position involved.
| He was the center of attraction while
he was there, and was apparently uncon-
scious of the diversion he was affording to
the thousands in the streets below.
Like the broker, ] wondered how it
would feel to be there, and determined to
learn, not by trying IL, but by asking the
painter. So waited in the shade, on
the firm ground. for his descent
found the man TO be William Ander-
son, Scotchman, born in Dundee, who
went to sea when IA years old, and who,
through hard experience, learned all
about climbing and the use of ropes For
fourteen years he has been in this coun-
| try, and has during that time been climb
ing dizzy nights, and where a monkey
would hardly trust himself, and without
a single accident. No pole, stack or spire
seemed TO hold any terri ors for him.
1T is ali in the head" said Mr.. Ander-
son. "Feell feel just as you do on the
ground. | know how you and nearly
every one else on the island would feel up
there. You would feel like climbing out
into the air. Down you would come It
is q question of nerves and training. Easy
enough after you know how and get your
head right.
Il don't dare to use tobacco. If did
] would be a goner. That's the way it
affects me. / know that sailors nearly all
use tobacco but they could do better
without it. never drink any stimulant,
excepting little beer at meals. know
better.
when I have a pole 10 climb don't
want any help. l just shin up IL and take
my sings with me. When l reach the
top / adjust my ropes, put my feet in
their loops, and am as safe as any one.
and feel perfectly at ease can look
down 800 feet as well as you can look up
, to me.
ppm not reckless. examine the spire
or pole that am to climb and know what
| am doing. There are some poles that
money wouldn't be safe on. The worse
ones are on the schools, police stations
and other public buildings They are
usually left to rot down. The weakest
place on tiaR staff is about four feet
from the top, as that is the bottom of the
iron spindle that goes in the pole TO sup
port the ball or other final. The moisture
finds its way down the spindle, carries
the rust with IL and internal rotting soon
begins. / always look out for this point,
and feel relieved when l get below it.
81 wouldn't use chair and be swung
from the top or the staff. You have TO
depend on too many things and have to
rely on the weakest part of the pole
The further you swing from the pole the
greater the strain, ana the more likely cit
is TO break With my swings, that slip
down as | go, become safer instead Of in
more danger each inch that drop.
Eyes, ! have refused TO climb many
poles because / knew that they were not
safe. / am anxious for work, but l don't
want to commit suicide.
when began my climbing l had tho
same trouble as other persons. With
many there is the desire to throw them
selves from high place Such persons
had better stay on the ground. Many
deaths have come in this way. Then, il
you lose your head, you can't tell which
way is up and which way is down Some
persons will actually try to climb under
the support that they are on, and think
that they are getting in a more secure
place
IF you want TO climb be sure that
your head is ali right first, and then
know that what you climb is strong
enough 10 support your weight. Then
YOU are all right. If you lose your head
you make a fool of yourself in climbing,
as well as In anything elso."