The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-01-13
CLIMBER IS WITHOUT FEAR Says He Avoids Accidents by
 Not Being Reckless MONEY MAKING BUSINESS Wanted to Make a Wager That He Could Climb to Top of the spire
 on the Government Build ,
 Ins--Had no Takers.
MONEY MAKING BUSINESS

"oh, yes, steeple climbing Is hazar- dous business" said HarE.- Gardiner, who enjoys the sobriouet of tine Human Fly. and who is evidently proud of his title. But men who are accustomed to danger soon grow to like the excitement of 1t. and are always anxious to do something that nobody else would dare to undertake.
 q have been climbing steeples and mak- ing balloon ascensions for fifteen years, and up to thls time I have not been se- riously hurt. have made the loop the loop on bicycle and have tried 1t on roller skates. The latter experiment was rather sensational, but too nerve-raclSing, so gave it up.
 But to continue my story. I came to Birmingham to climb steeples and if pos- sible give an exhibition, but as my ex- hibitory work is rather dangerous I have not been successful in getting permit. I wanted the Board of Revenue to allow me the privilege of climbing the outside walls of the sourt house to the top of the flag staff but they would not allow it."
 Human Fly. This Human Fly" as Gardiner Is called. did repair the flag pole on top of the Loveman, Joseph & Loeb building, where his nimbleness was watched by a large crowd Later he offered to make wager that he could take a ten-foot rope and climb to the top of the spire on the government building. His propo- sition was not accepted. SO this morn- has some work to do on the new build ings being erected there.
 "Yes, we steeple climbers make good wages, as do all men who undertake dan gerous jobs Of course we get pretty good pay for painting and repairing flag poles and church spires, but our biggest money comes from painting and repairing the tall smokestacks throughout the country
 High Stacks. "It is remarkable" continued the Hu- man Fly what little Judgment has been displayed by some engineers and conti'ac- | tors in erecting stacks. I have come across four stacks over 200 feet high which had no ladder inside or outside for workmen to reach the top As a result | 1t has become necessary for companies owning these stacks to either erect scaf- | folding around them so they can be repaired or employ us steeple climbers l to reach the top, and either do the work l or prepare the way for the workmen To erect scaffold would cost s4O0 or $500, so the companies find 1t cheaper to hire steeple climbers. For this work, if we paint the stack, they pay us from 8 to s4 l foot I have finished job of this kind for the electric company at Milwau- kee.
 SteepIe Climbers Scarce. There are only four steeple climbers in the country now since steeple Jack lied not long ago. Consequently, we all | have plenty of work to do. "Yes, have made over 1900 balloon as- tensions in my days, and have always escaped harm. recently defeated the French champion in the balloon race at | the St. Louis exposition. My safety lies in the foot that have never been reck- | less I examine everything carefully be- | fore I start, and know I am right before | I go ahead. In other words I work every job as careful as if I had never done 1t | before"