Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-05
sold GLORY" UP ALL NIGHT.

1t Cost S1s to Have n Man Climb Up
and Get 1t Down.
From the Atlanta Journal
Last Friday morning when the two or.
derlies who raise the flag at Fort Nc
PEersGn went out to perform their daily
duty one of them let his end of the rope
slip and the stars and stripes shot up
TO the top OF the pole and stuck there.
The men tried to loosen it, but it re-
fused tic move an inch, and so they left
it.
The exercises of the day were PERFORM
ed and it came time for the sunset gun
and the lowering of the cOlOrs the two
soldiers who were detailed to perform the
function of letting "Old Glory slip down
the staff were at their posts, guy ropes in
hand, waiting for the bugle call and the
gun, as they always did. The call sound
ed. the gun doomed. and the soldiers be-
not move. They threw all their weight
on the lines. but to no avail. The soldiers
held 4 council of war, and one was elected
to go and report the matter to the quar-
termaster.
He marched to the quartermaster's Of
flee and told him that he could not get
the flag down. The 1uartermaster i'm
mediately accompanied the soldier to the
parade ground The situation was soon
explained and he sent for the men who
had raised the flag that morning. When
they came and explained the cause of the
eccident they were soundy rated for
having failed to report the matter and a
second council was held.
Il see no other way to get it down but
to climb for it, said the Quartermaster.
One of the men was detailed by the
qCartermaster TO make the trip and re-
lEctantly he mounted the wire ladder to
the first landing and. after two or three
unsuccessful attempts to go further,
nounced to his comrades on the ground
that lit was no CO." and that the trip
could not be made that night.
So the attempt was given up, the SOL
Giers dismissed and the Quartermaster
went to report the matter to his supe-
rior. leaving the stars and stripes to spend
their first night out since It had Joined
the regiment.
In due time Colonel Cook heard of it
and remarked that it was a gross piece
of carelessness. and Immediately sent for
the quartermaster. The situation was
thought best to let the flag alone until
morning. and the Iuartermaster was in
structed to see If there was any man la
the post who would volunteer to make tho
ascent or who had been a sailor before he
had Joined the army. After a thorough
search OF the quarters he reported in the
negative. and he was instructed to offer q
slight reward.
So it became known throughout the fort
that the man who got the nag would get
q dollar, and yet none of the soldiers came
forward. The reward went to $50, 81, S,
81, s.. and yet there were no offers to
climb. The men held off for more and the
quartermaster reported to the colonel. He
was ordered to increase the amount slowly
and carefully and to use every persuasion
to have 1t accepted.
The market, accordingly. began to go
up again. but the soldiers gave 1t plenty
of time. for they all felt that a little eX-
ira Christmas money would come in well.
When 1t reached so the men began to
watch each other lest some one should
accept and not let the offer grow. At
slo soldier wearing on his arms the
stripes OF sergeant and on his cap Go.
d" stepped up. saluted and announced that
he would take the flag at that. His COM
radeS were taken by surprise and many
of them thought he was unwise to go
for so little when the price was bound
to rise. But there was no telling said
the sergeant afterward when asked about
the offer.
So Sergeant McRann of Company "D''
started his trip about 10 o'clock on Christ
mas morning. He climbed within one
foot of the waving banner his strength
gave way and ne fell back. After a short
rest ne tried it again, and this time got
no nearer than ten feet of the coveted
banner. He got stick, nailed a hook
in the end and started third time.
marking that ne would not go again for
a hundred He climbed with a will, but
the pole bothered him and he had to slip
back to the platform to get fresh start.
Here goes for the last time, he said,
and started to climb.
The soldiers and officers on the ground
began to shout their encouragement to
the plucky sergeant.
Go it, Mac
Don't give up"
"Only three feet more Go for it, Mac"
'Hurrah. he's got it, and a cheer went
up, for MsRann had got his hook firmly
wound in the rope AMI was now slipping
down with the flag in his arms The
men cheered him again and the officers
and their wives. who were attracted to
the scene, applauded him vigorously. But
McRann. Smiling all over, paid no atten-
ton to their salutes. but followed the
|'quartermaster into his Office and soon
came out with three new s. bills, and
went Off to treat his soldiers with his roll