The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-08-01
DOWN THE sMOKEsTACK.
A Fall of 11O Feet Described by tht
 Man who Fell

A Fall of 110 Feet Described by the
 Man who Fell.
 Lewis Mason, boilermaker and iron- worker, says that a fall of 110 feet isn't so bad.
 Mason tumbled 11O feet down the smokestack of the American Sugar Re- finery, and fifteen minutes later was complaining because the nurse wouldn't let him smoke a cigarette.
 Its all a bluff" declared Mason. this thing people tell you about not thinking or feeling while you are fall- ing. I thought about a lot of things and knew everything that was doing. No, I didn't think of death. It never occurred to me that was going to die.
 We had put up the big iron smoke stack at the American Sugar Refinery The scaffolding and stay work were on the inside of the pipe-not the outside.
 T was up 110 feet, working with a steel poker.
 "In this case was leaning over con- siderably, off a perpendicular. Sudden ly the poker came out and I lost my balance.
 "The first sensation was the only one of fright I had. After the first instant was never frightened. I made one grasp at rope but missed it. knew then I would go to the bottom of the shaft.
 "There was plenty of time to think and I reasoned everything out. The first was-were there any cross boards near me. No I replied to myself, they are all out That relieved me. felt pretty good. I knew | had long fall, but I reasoned that I had always been lucky, and why not now? That was another consoling thought, mak- ing two; no board and always lucky. I thought it all out just as I am telling 1t now.
 "The black sides of the smokestack were whirlng by. Have you ever gone down in an elevator very fast? Well just imagine you are going little fast CT and you have an idea of it.
 "When about half way down I had reasoned 1t all out and was satisfied. crossed my arms tightly, determined, if possible, to fall right side up. Then the sides of the big stack began to ring. The din was frightful I thought a million wagons were running over iron crossings. I was not doing much thinking now. The noises changed to booming cannons. They beloved and roared. I thought the whole thing was moving, and that was gracefully floating in the air. sailing in an air. ship, with the objects moving about me. Nothing hurt me.
 "I must have still had my reason, for I remember distinctly what happened. One very bright thought came to me, and I wondered why had not reached the bottom Then I wondered if I had not stopped en route. Then won dered 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 I thought to myself how comfortable I was feeling a beau- tiful light broke upon the darkness. There was a green lawn and some boys playing tennis. So far as I know per- sonally I never hit the bottom. l went to sleep-a beautiful sleep-as the pie ture flashed upon me. That must have been when I struck, but I never felt anything.
 Fifteen minutes later I opened my eyes as they were carrying me to the ambulance. I pulled up leg, then an arm, and I knew I was still alive. said to myself, Mason, your luck is with you.' Somebody asked me if , knew what had happened, and I replied that of course knew; that I had fallen down the smokestack. I felt 8 little pain in my back as they carried me into the hospital.
 "In the hospital-1've got no use for 'em-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 I jumped out of bed, got all my clothes I could find and left the place." Mason is twenty-four, weighs one hundred and seventy pounds and stands five feet eight inches in height.
 "There is only one day didn't york; said he. "The day l fell.'-New Or leans Dispatch.