Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-10-21

and Pennsylvania avenue. in the immediate
vicinity of the site, have both been con-
stantly filled with spectators who do not
hesitate to express their wonder at the
bravery and skill of the wOrkmen engaged
on the big steel frame. Many persons
stand for hours watching the men as they
go about their labOrs, ably assisted by an
immense and exceptionally long-armcd der
rick. AS the tall columns are placed tenn
pcrarily in position, they require attend
ance al base and top. One of the men
chambers to the exalted position and sits
calmly upon a dange, where he awaits the
arrival of his portion of the work; AS ne
climbs to the top his knees hug the sides
of the column In some cases foothold
is obtained the rivet heads. In that
event the rigger climbs more rapidly, but
with more paril. Grasping the edges of the
column with his hands, he faces it and then
bends far out, that unusual pressure may
be put in the pedal eXtremities. In his up
ward journey his nmble agility can be
compa red only to the superior climbing
qualities of the monkey.
The Rivetine Gang.
While these men are thus perched in per-
sonal jeopardy, there is another squad Of
steel workers laboring al some point of the
frame-the rivetng gang. On floor con-
sisting of two boards one of the squad is at
work with the forge Within from thirty to
fifty feet Of him the three men who
handle the heated bits of metal and bat
as a base. one IF the men will swing an
eight pound sledge hammer with as much
urconcern as tt ough he were working
directly upon terra hrna. 1t is not in
frequent that the riVctHrS work from
beard suspended from the frame by ropes.
AS the heavy hammer is welded the frail
scaffolding sways back and forth in menac
ing manner.
There is no doubt that the iron workers
engaged in building form today the most
picturesque class of laborers in the world.
Their daily task has a fascination for them
and they take pride, seemingly, in placing
themselves in the most perilOus positions.
There is plenty of excitement and the men
are urged on to spectacular tricks by the
sight of the admiring crowd far below on
the street Thus it is that often, while on
the very peak of building frame, one of
the iron workers will stand upon his hands
or do some other stunt that would prove
a headline attraction in one of the big cir
cuses. 1t is all a matter of nerve. for, as
the foreman recently declared, there is no
reason why man shouid not walk a
three-inch beam hundreds Of feet in the
air as well as he could strip of flooring
in a bail room In their eagerness to show
their nerve and skill the riggers and rivet-
tiers often go beyond the lines of even
the partial safety ordinarily surrounding
them So much so has this been done in
some cases that the contractors have been
| compelled to lay down certain rules con-
| filming the men to the use Of the wider
beams as thoroughfares.
While iron. with tne exception OF some
| cast pieces, has disappeared entirely from
house constructions of the period, giving
way to steel, the men engaged in the cree
| ton of the frames are still known profess
sionally as Iron workers" There are two
classes of such-the house erecters and the
bridge builders. The former fewer and
perhaps more skillful, as they have stud
| led house building exclusively. They as
semble the parts and place them in tenn
porary position, being followed by the bridge
builders with their riveting outfit. The
completed frame is riveted throughout, and
is thus practically welded into one i'm
mense piece of steel work.
The Bridge Builders.
The bridge builders are, in some respects.
| the more interesting class of workmen, for