The Washington times., 1903-08-16
THE LlNEMAN'S PERIL Gus DUTIES
He Daily Encounters Dangers
as Great as Those of the
Soldier In the Field of Bat
tie, and More to Be Dreaded
Because They Are Unseen.

A0AuASS' aAuuOSl IonuleS the grim de-
stroyer. is the lineman. whom you can
see every day as he stands outlined
against the sky. somber figure in his
overalls and climbing irons, eighty feet
above the pavement, splicing and work
ing with the most terrible of all de-
stroyers-electricity.
There are men in Washington today
who thus face death almost every hour
from morning to late afternoon" con-
tinued the official. 'They are subject
to every form of sudden death
from many forms Of violence. Death by
electricity when the current comes in
contact with their bodies, death by fall
ing to the pavement eighty feet below,
death by lightning which is attracted to
the wires as surely and as rapidly as
any lightning rod in the land-and yet
with all these many forms of destruc-
ton facing them through every hour
they go about their daily labor with
never a thought of danger.
Never Think of Danger.
"And herein lies their safety. If they
should stop to consider for an instant
the peril which surrounded them it
would be impossible to keep their hold
upon safety" said a big, stalwart line
man of the Postal Company. THAT for
getfuIness is the surest way out of
danger. ''When I was a boy" he re-
marked, ST could hardly cross the log
over a stream of water without getting
dizzy and almost falling below. ] final
ly noticed when paid no attention to
the space below, but just went on walk
ing as If 1 was still on safe territory,
that 1 could walk over almost any mar
row bridge and not even think of get
ting dizzv.
We'll. it is the same way with the
boys who work up in the air to-day. At
any time we may handle 1000 volt and
be torn to pieces or have our irons slip
and we drop far below TO sure death, but
we never think of IL. We mustn't think
of it, for as sure as we did the danger
would be greatly increased"
Facing death, in its very midst-and
then not even think of it-there is nerve
for you!
Another lineman who has wide ex'
perience all over America. both in line
work and submarine cable laying, Is w.
C. HUT, who has charge Of the outside
construction Of the Bell Company. There
is no doubt" said Mr. HUT. N"that line
man is always in the greatest danger.
Even when he starts out as helper he
IS forced to begin by putting up heavy
poles which at any time are liable 10
slip and crush his life out. Then When
he graduates and begins 10 climb poles
with only small steel cleat TO hold MIN
I'D he is forced to climb through sleet.
and snow and rain. with heavy attach
ments over his shoulder, weighing from
sixty to seventy-fve pounds.
81 could recall any number Of narrow
escapes or even deaths in my experience,
for this makes fifteen years have beeA
at the business"
Danger in CareIessness.
The head OF the department in one Of
the commercial electric companies was
asked: What is the one great menace
of the electric lineman?"
His own carelessness," was the
ready response
Eve furnish them with rubber gloves
and rubber boots and equip them with
all the necessary means OF precaution
Yet most men taken from poles dead
have no gloves on their hands.
THE Hneman will tell you why he
has bare hands, however-why he must
have them for his own measure OF
safety. Working in rubber gloves for
six minutes in summer will fill them
with perspiration; ten minutes in win
ter will make gloves dangerous with
the same menacing overplus of moisture
in them. He cannot take of clinging
rubber gloves every ten minutes. wiring
them, and draw them on again, and yet
keep up the speed expected of him. And
then, If he be old at the business, seeing
men taken from the wires where contact
has been from wrist and thigh rather
than from hand and foot has made him
something Of fatalist-
Mostly Married Men.
strangely enough most linemen are
married and have families. The line
man who must know his duty and the
danger comes from the class which ap-
preciates home and the sober RESPONSE
bilities of life. And with the old, old
anomaly that belongs to the things of
this world. the soberer and the steadier
he is, the oftener he Is sent against the
dangers of his perilous calling. No fore
man Of a gang of lineman, no superin-
tendent of construction. and no possible
stockholder in such a company wishes to
have a dead lineman in the wires. John
Smith is a little fighty-just a little
careless-he must have taken a drink
too many last night; he is single, yes;
nobody would miss him greatly. it is
true. But there's Jones-Jones has a
wife and three children-yes. that is so,
but Jones Is level headed, nervy, trust
worthy IN every respect.
Jones' says the foreman, I guess
you'd better go up and make that splice;
you know the hot" ones
And perhaps FIVE minutes later they
IRE trying 20 throw a rope around the
stiffening body OF poor Jones and won
dering who shall break the news 10 the