The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1902-02-22
PAINTING A BIG BRIDGE.
KNIGHTS OF THE BRUSH WHO EN-
JOY THE ARIEL JOB.

tu0 AppuCatIOu Oh ING NC" "An"
Painters declare that painting the
Brooklyn bridge is no light task, al
Aough on the present occasion they
lave been greatly favored by long
spell Of good weather. 1t Is said that
he big bridge devours paint as an
elephant eats hay, and that no regular
estimate can be made Of its appetite
n advance. 1t is only when the work
las been completed that the bridge
authorities are able to tell how
much paint and how many hours OF
line it has taken to give the bridge
I new dress.
No regular force Of bridge painters
aas been employed for some years.
There are always two or three men
connected with the department OF
3ridges whose business it is to do
such odd jobs Of painting as arise,
out 1t needs a good sized force to
handle the work of painting the
Brooklyn bridge. Because Of this it
g now usual either to hire men es-
peciaily for the work or to sublet the
ask of painting to contractor. This
year the bridge department has used
men which it has especially hired for
The purpose.
1t needs good many painters and
Ieveral weeks to bring to finish the
work of painting the bridge, tor 1t
should be remembered that the mere
work of laying on the color is the
ightest part of the task. The opera
ion that takes most time and necessi-
.ates so much labor is the work Of pre-
iminary cleaning. Paint cannot be
satisfactorily laid on the top of either
rust or dirt. Painters who are care
less of the quality of their work will
sometimes lay paint over rusted iron,
but as the paint soon fakes OH the
poorness of the work quickly be-
trays itself. Dirt and dust on the
work can be properly gotten rid OF
by thorough preliminary cleaning
and scraping. Without this the paint
cannot be made to stick to the iron
work, unless it is laid on in extrav-
agant and ruinous quantities.
For this reason a corps OF cleaners
Is at work on the bridge, who, as far
Us possible, have kept one day ahead
Of the painters. Every nook and
Granny of the bridge is being explored
with chisels and scrapers. and those
who are nervous about the safety OF
the bridge or who have an idea that
there may be hidden and undetected
crack In the structure can rest IN
peace for while. The big bridge has
undergone almost as thorough an ex-
animation as II 1t was being taken
to pieces. AS surely as matchmaker
would detect q broken wheel In the
watch he was cleaning, SO surely
would these cleaners and painters
discover and report any serious flaw
they might ind in the bridge work.
People who watch tho work Of paint
Ing the big bridge thipk that 1t 10 a
dangerous and nerve-racking task for
the men employed, but, as a matter
Of fact, the men say they would
rather work az painters on the Brook
lyn bridge than upon q good many
houses or apartment buildings. They
say that on the bridge they can see
what they are doing, and that there
Is always good scafrold support. Half
the accidents that occur on Job OF
ordinary housepainting are due to the
slipping or breaking of the masonry
to which the painters swinging scat
fold has ben fastened. Another cause
of danger is the fact that it is fire.
uuently a long and troublesome task
to move the swinging scaffold so that
the men can comfortably reach a new
place. To save themselves the work OF
moving the stage, painters will often
hang over the edge of the scaffold in
attitudes that simply court fall.
On the bridge there are none Of
these objections. Because of the nu-
merous spider-web ropes which sup
port the roadway and bridge floor
there is no lack OF secure places from
which the painters scaffold can be
swung. On the highest and most
dangerous parts Of the bridge these
ropes are closest together In fact
nothing but the grossest carelessness
can bring about serious accident
during the work Of painting the
bridge. The men can, at any time,
move from the stage to the work it.
self without risk and. because Of the
numerous seats which the wire ropes
afford, it is very easy matter to
move the swinging stages.
In most of the locations on the
bridge the ordinary painters hanging
scaffold is used, but there are some
places where the exigencies OF the
work compel the employment Of the
device known as "boatswain' Is
chair" This is simply q small piece
of plank-or sometimes legless chair
(which is supported in a loop. The
loop is attached to long rope which
runs through a pulley. In moving !,
the painter places himself so that he
is seated on the plank and usually
ties himself in. Then helpers take
hold of the rope and draw him up te
the point at which he desires to work
The "boatswain's chair" is largely
used by riggers and b5 men engaged
In painting the masts and gear @
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