New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-12-18
PTRENEN'S DANGEROUS JUMPS.
THEY PLAY WITH DEATH IN PRACTICE
LEAP INTO THE LIFE NET.

From The San francisco Examiner
Jumping from dizzy height, as pursued oy tne
fire hend dropping through the ar ana "a, IaArs s
chances with fate TO escape hcrrlOle death, are
u longer blood curdling spectacles TO he Witnessed
The last resort Of the unfortunate surrounded by
flames nurng himself from wndow a or r, oacony
il used to be
For nowadays men make tho sensational leap
merely a matter OF practice, and others look on
in the San Francisco Fire Department this leap
FOR life has become part OF the fireman oF'il-ad,'
exciting novelty interrlptns the routine OF hdto,
unlnteTe sting work Of learning how 70 De sHhlui
and adept in battling with the freman's common
enemy. o.,..-- -..a E. .o-,o,s,,, ,,,s,
the order comes: Get out the net"
Every man in the company has his place and
Marts With feet firmly set BODIES leaning outward
from the centre and hands gripping weo OF
xii are waiting in suspense while they hear a
comraie scrambling UP fire escape They stand
Ike trained soldiers
The circle grows rigid. and you see muscles
Swell ydo, as the word Is spoken
man drops swiftly through the space above
their heads and lands In the net. He rebounds. re-
nnding one Of ysm beini tossed o IN, n oIanke.
around ' the liz n @ Sometimes as may be
pected, the dsrins jump causes conclusion or
ouickIH but Usually NO worse results than shak-
ing follow the fall. For the fireman invariably re-
gains his feet as If nothing had happened to him,
though lower one Is customary In the drills. and
yet the lrernen firmly believe that they can save
life with their net in jumps from height OF seven
ty-fve feet and more with as much success as they
have In catching companions when drilling. -.
To make perfect fremen and 10 accustom them 10
every exgency. not excepting the last hone OF al
whom flame flashes between them ana terra nL,nHs
drilling men in this sensational leap IS now part or
the proera mme which San Francisco iremen per-
form regularly at the new drill tower at tlgnt-
eenth and Harrison SITS. Or a Sunday morning
when half the city is at Breakfast or preparing n1
upon the tower-sometimes jumping to learn from
experience how a man may pes, save Ii, n ,6les
called ladders for want OF moro appropriate name,
scrambl!ng over balconies ana tre-escapes Win
The drill tower IS frame structure seyenty-ave
house Of five stories. although equal in height 10
ordinary buildings Of seven stories since tAe h2ors
sta sta f with dre-escape and four balconies.
while on one SIDE rows OF windows for p raG,
We're nroduce an no oo o9e rests I've been accom-
pishod through the tower thai steel one seventy
fect hch Is now in course OF tructlon AT North
Beach fol- the fire companies OF that ehd OF 'ne
The members Of No. Truck Company, at Fol;
and Twentyhrst SITS gave an eTnigon G hs
been doing with its men and they succeeded N
haf an hour in e ng VINO enjoyed tax
1Rrinc our the net boys" was the order given
by Assistant Engineer Fernandez "ho superin-
tended the drll ., Won something new in the bust
~ NV; ire " c min remarked THE net you
krow may have to be brought out at any minute
l heinz preparcd or course this drill is only IN
its infancy with as bur yet you VIII ma men cb mar or
little faith can be pinned TO it, tbs the last resort
from what height can the men jump without
injury 49,. .....,...- uo.,, ..v.,,
may not land Just right in the net from low fall,
and hurt yourself. bit rom hgh place you taS e
heyond reasonable height In drilling; while they
would take any leap from 0rdnary buildngsL,as
from the second and third stories"
White Mr.. Fernandez was talking the men got the
nea III ~ an immense geometrc spiders web
epnn I'm half-inch cord and surrounded on the outer
handle The hremen stood around #. shoulder to
shoulder every one OF them biaced outward 70 meet
seversi members Of the company took turns in
jumping They treated The feat as mater OF busl,
teen. Mr. Banmon wen, Up the ladders said
The intrepid fireman took his post. remarking that
oh. well. he can do it easily without hurting him
self" said Fernandez.
A pause ensued while the men anticipated the
next order or call Are you ready?
Another breathess momen, as the jumper steadied
himself upor the balcony railing. directly above the
An ready" came back the reply. at which the
net men bracod themselves once more for pull
TIC little group Of spectators watched the man on
the balcony railing. ana they watched he slipped
Falling into the net was accompanied by a dun
sound The man who fell gave expression 90 an
Ugh In which the men at the net joined sug-
costing a shock felt by all alike as he struck the
receptacle.
The camera caught the daring fireman springing
from the balcony.
And If time can he reckoned under such crcum-
stances second camera snapped on Bannon as he
passed the second balcony OF the fire escape.
IL was quickly noticed that the hremen In jumping
always leapei with their feet downward and arms
extended above their heads In complete abandon,
evidently depending upon the centre OF gravity find
ing It's proper level which proved 10 be the rule.
tba,s IN ne
with practice" observed spectator. these fire
men could drcn from the roof OF that tower. and
I'm sure some Of them will yet take the dive with
q good, strong crew around the net"