The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-11-23
DARING or SOME WORkERS,
The Housesmiths Brave Death Daily and
Think Nothing Of II.

They had been watching a man Ascend
to the tenth story Of the framework Of a
new bank building by the simple expediont
OF standing on n large beam and holding
on TO the hoisting rope.
IT'S against the rules explained the
contractor, but they will do IT, You can't
stop 'em II is just as quick for a fellow
10 go up by the ladders - 10 risk hi, life in
that way and mighty little more trouble.
but familiarity with danger breeds con-
tempt of it. That's why there are very
few big buildings put up in this town with
out at least one man Icing killed in each.
Only the special providence which
watches over the reckless as well as over
babies and drunkards prevents whole
lot more deaths among these housesmiths
The insurance companies hate to take them
az risks AT any p'ice AMI ! don't blam
them. There's a hairbread' h escape a
day. at least. on one If these tall buildings
Some of the things I've seen myself I'd
hardly have believed II any one had told
me about them. I'll tell you Just one and
though don't expect you 10 credit il. nv
reputation a. a truthful and sob man
may be good enough To carry H. was an
eye,-i'ncs
we were putting up u Dig Motel The
framework had just reached the eighth
story and the masonry and the hoorin q
OF one or two of the Intervening stories
we're already in. was up on the top with
the gang OF housesmiths. and they were
hosting up big girder. The foreman
was kneeling on the edge Of the frame,
shouting directions down to the street,
and the girder had just reached the top
As they were swinging II into place
the, men let go Of il for moment and the
END swung around upon the foreman,
| hitting him behind az ne knelt and swee D.
ing him over the edge into the street, 100
| feet or SO below
There seemed to be no possible chance
for his life. Somehow. though, he fell
| against the slack guy rope which was
dangling from the beam.
| His leg and arm got tangled in il three
| stories below, and he stuck to the rope.
MOI than that, the slack rope actually
swung him into a window In the fifth story.
! Th'' h r." ned TO he one Of the few in which
the Hoo ing had been put in, and the rope
He hAd Teen working for o,ir firm for
years. and l knew him and liked him IA
good foreman. When h, went over the
edge Of the framework was horror struck
1T was minute or two beforeI recovered
my self possession. Then ! hurried down
expecting to find his mangled body in the
! street
As went down the ladder met him
! coming up, bruised but unhurt. and all he
was thinking Of was how he could best
tell the men who let the beam slip what
sort Of blanked set Of blankety blank
shiftless good for not hings they were.
He did. Though he had had az narrow
an escape from death as ] can conceive OF
mans undergoing. he went right scA
to work and bossed the gang for the after
noon after firing the man who he believ ec
! was responsible for tho accident
Some folks were surprised to read Of
the bridgemen and ho,isesmiths who only
thought Of being paid for their overtime
when they went back with the fire men uT
the tower Of the Fast River Bridge anC
fought the fire, standing on the burnins
bridge while they hacked away the timbcrs
| wasn't ] know the kind they are ant
for sheer reckless daring they're hard t.
! beat"