The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1902-09-05

r. and ironworker, says that a
fall OF 10 feet isn't so bad.
Mason tumbled 10 feet
down the smokestack Of the American
! Sugar Refinery al New Orleans, La,
! and fifteen minutes later was complain
| ing because the nurse wouldn't let him
smoke a cigarette.
Its all a blum" declared Mason,
this thing people tell you about not
thinking or feeling while you are fall
ing. / thought about a lot OF things
and knew everything that was doing
No, didn't think OF death II never
occurred 10 me that was going TO die.
| Mason says 70 myself, the first sec
ond Of the journey, you've always
been lucky dog; you will be now.
You are going 20 escape and | did.
hit the bottom on n coil Of rope, and
then / went 20 sleep for fifteen min
utes
I'VE had put up the big iron smoke
stack az the American Sugar Refinery.
on the inside Of the pipe-not the out
side.
II was up 10 feet, working with n
steel poker OF course the ledge was
narrow and a man had 10 watch his
balance, but being accustomed 10 II
the height never bothered me.
worked up there just the same as on
the ground.
'In this case ! was putting a good
power In the hand rod, and was lean
ing over considerably off a perpendic-
ular. Suddenly the poker came out
and lost my balance.
THE first sensation was the only one
Of fright | had. After the first instant
was never frightened ! made one
grasp at a rope but missed il. / knew
then | would 20 10 the bottom of the
shaft. There was plenty OF time to
think and | reasoned everything out.
The first was-were there any cross
boards near me. No l replied 10 my
self they are all out That relieved
me. | felt pretty good / knew | had
n long fall, but | reasoned that l had
always been lucky, and why not now
two; no boards and always lucky. |
thought It all out just as | am telling
Il now.
The black sides Of the smOkestack
were whirling by. Have you ever gone
dowp in an elevator very fast? Well,
just imagine you are going a little fast.
er and you have an idea Of il.
when about half way down I had
reasoned IL all out and was satisfied. |
crossed my arms tightly, determined.
If possible, 10 fall right side up. Then
the sides Of the big stack began TO ring
The din was frightful thought a
million wagons were running over
iron crossings | was not doing so
much thinking now. The noise changed
to booming Cannons. They beloved
and rOared. | thought the whole thing
was moving, and that | was gracefully
floating in the air. sailing in an airship,
with the objects moving about me.
Nothing hurt me. | must have still had
my reason. for | remember distinctly
what happenSd. One very bright
thought come 10 me, and | wondered
why | had not reached the bottom. II
Then ! wondered If | had slipped by
the coil OF rope and was not going To
stop there at all.
THE sensation was growing more
pleasant. Just as thought TO myself
how comfortable was feeling a beau
iuh I'm, . "a
There was green lawn and some boys
playing tennis. So far as know per-
sonally l never hit the bottom. | went
10 sleep-a beautiful slPep-as the pic.
ture flashed upon me. That must have
been when l struck, but | never felt
anything.
Fifteen minutes later | opened my
eyes as they were carrying me TO the
ambulance. pulled up a leg. then an
arm. and | knew | was still alive. |
said 10 myself. Mason. you're luck is
with you Somebody asked me If |
knew what had happened, and re-
piled that of course knew; that had
fallen down the smokestack. | felt a
little pain in my back as they carried
me in the hospital.
I'm the hospital-I've got no use for
'cm-they won't give you anything to
eat and they won't let you smoke and
roll on the grass They treated me like
an invalid, and only gave me milk
toast and some other soft things. So
when the nurse went out Of the room |
jumped out OF bed, cot all my clothes |
could find and left the place"
Mason is twenty-four years of age.
weighs 10 pounds and stands five feet
eight inches in height
There Is only one day l didn't
work. said he. The day fell"