The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-11-29
1AsroF1nEcn1MB1xe SWEEPS
The Death In London OF the Sole Repre-
sentative OF the Vocation.

from the Chicago Record.
LONDON, Nov. IA few days ago. at the age
Of 72. died in Shoreditch one William Price.
said to he the last of the climbing boys" So
much the papers recorded and went their way
with other paragraphs of more Importance.
But the last of the climbing boys" should be
a figure OF historic interest greater than the
last OF the barons,'" and II London has half
the poetic sentiment some of the writers claim
for her there will be a monument set up some
where to the typical memory of this same Will
liam Price. the last of the sweeps. Any careful
reader of Dickens knows OF the horrors Of an in
%st;tution that existed in London until consider
ably less than half n century ago; but only one
who has taken the trouble TO delve in the dust
covered lore OF the old town can have an idea of
the peculiar and not wholly evil nature of that
institution. Doubtless there are veterans yet
far from sen!le who Der what a mighty
struggle there was to secure legislation against
the EN- ployment of boys to climb chimneys: the
benevolent efforts in this direction being. for a
long time. frustrated By the plea that chimneys
conld he cleaned in no other way.
1t was incontestably true of the chlmneys of
old London. As was very sagely said by n mas
the fraternity. 1926, when he defended his
trade; Look at the Duke of York's ffty-one
line and then abruptly turn up. so that you see
n machine would be of no more use than il you
were to thrust up a 6Toomstick. And who hares
10 say that the [ nited Society of Master CHM
ney Sweepers are not as respectable n body OF
tradesinen as any in London? There is not a
gentleman now present who has not made his
way in the profession by climbing up chimneys."
notwithstanding this speech the profession
struction. of chimney making 1t impossible
that any but the smallest boys should crawl up
against one side and bringing the knees up
against the opposite wall. and so. by mere pres
s sSes: inG hdIss ' hi, ws sSr, up p, cf;m5 n%rrG IS cos soo.i
the flesh and often tore it from the knee and
should r joints Of the miserable lads who were
that bound them helplessly and hopelessly to
their masters, Often these boys entered upon
already raw and sore from u previous days
torture, and the agony they end ured was OILY
more brutal suffering they should haye to en-
dure II they attempted to evade their task.
Now and then a lad. as often perhaps through
breathed out in brief terror, his wretched life.
and renchcd the chimney vent no thrust his
head through, and, n grin OF triumph on his
victory ns he shouted TO the passcrs in the
street. Occasionally a, nimbler monkey than
antics the gathered crowd below. Into the drear-
lest and mot ghasLtlly lives leisure hours and
ness, and the climbing boys were permitted to
tastr the humanities once a year. A lost child
OF the house of Montague was recovered in the
rags and Crime OF a sweep into which fate had
betrayed him; and in her gratitude the elegant
mansion in Portman square iii the climbing
boys OF Londrn. This she did to their JOY as
long as she lived. Roast beef, plum pudding
and n shilling she gave to each lad. And on the
return of the fair OF 81. Bartholomew To- smith
field annually James White, u friend OF Charles
oniciated MS head waiter. ~ "'
Nay too, there was a pageant OF sweepers,
hcdiglt, ne with huge cooked hat and yellow
frnihersi mn dress coat, embroidered waist
coat. sHlin shorts" silk hose, dancing pumps.
kcrchicf; she generally a boy in female attire
gaudily dressed to correspond. They would
that quite enveloped n man. the whole com.
nnny odhiy dressed and hcrinboned. Join
yer iadle. which she reached to each
Sn%r,"i n%, f0r e"ntrion'tons; Those ladies'
down through generations 81 sweeper in
the anne family. groove. Here come tho
ior.a ,hali.hoSHrr Of " Sport St"f fnr n, in' s psdss,
nrtful In their entertainments. and wero
worth thr pan,s. But these We're fantastic re-
spires IN 'ne mucous OK pcricnceS of the year.
England became humane enough M last to
Inss u law hGainst the employment OF climbing
old structures ana the substitution OF IN" mol.
rrn chlmUsy INA, may be cleaned with a"scan-
mantle sweep of the present day. N"'"
The c4hteinpor'lry chimney sweeps who still
nIe o. Im,p,rtance to London are lusty youths
AMI bear relation To the ancient order cn,nrnl.s.
ny Lnihn and pnrposefully rhampinned
conntenances. One OF these iestifv'
'ng at the inquest over William Price, snmmsd
, ,p a" Sr arsna dd,rsrSnSs between original worth
,in't Ghimoley sweeps Nowadays. Not n hi Of
T. We work With q lot OF sticks. Anybody can
lie could do our work. but we eo sTIfep' do ThGr'
Ihare a,n,t no chimbleys and there Amt no