Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-12
PERILOUS AVOCATI0NS
PEACE HATH HER MANY VICTIMS
AS WELL AS WAR.


From the New York Irfbune. so
The number OF occupations in which men
are called upon to take their lives in their
hands IS increasing In some of these the
integrity of the thread of life depends upon
the strength of a sirgle line or a bolt. or the
maintenance of a constant current of air.
A weak strand a flaw IN the metal. the
cessation for the space of a minute of the
air pump an unsteady nerve and the
thread would be severed. The invention
of tae skyscraper has created many such
occupations. From the day the founda-
ton Is begun until the building shall be
taken down again. men are constantly CIV
ing the control OF the thread of life over
into the hands of another. 1t Is unpleasant
to imagine what might happen to the
workmen down under the surface in the
caisson digging the foundation of the build
ing If the air pressure should suddenly be
released and the soft earth and water fill
In The men who work under the air
pressure, however. go down to their task
apparently without concern, although to the
OnlsOker theirs does not look like an at
tTaCtive occupation.
The visitor to the neither regions OF the
foundation has stout heart If he can hear
without qualm the little iron doors In the
arlock close above him with clang as he
squats in the little bucket in which he IS
being lowered into the caisson. AS steel
framework scars upward into the air work
men seen riding upon the beams sus-
pended from the arms of derrick The
derrick itself rests upon what to the unin-
itiated eve seems like an insecure foothod.
and one would not be surprised to see 1t
tOpple into the street AS they sit or stand
on the beam suspended a couple OF hundred
feet above the asphalt or Belgian block
pavements a single line alone holds death
at bay.
A fiagpole on the top of a completed build
ing reunrpS naiDtinR There
lively few men who will venture to climb
that pole swaying in the wind 200 or 800
feet above the street level He has steady
head WHO can look up at the top of the pole
II tries to tear holes in the blue of the
sky above without dwelling upon the ques
ton. rs there any possibility of the wind
swapping me off from this pole as boy
snaps the whip, breaking 1t off or loosening
II In the socket below When the steeple
Jack goes up the poles of the Park Row
building in order to shorten them. or climbs
the steeple of st. Paul's In order to gid the
vane. his every movement is watched with
bated breath by little knots in the streets
below.
When the building is completed the serv-
lees Of the window cleaner are required.
His work continues so long as the build
ing lasts. In the cold weather of winter
the windows may not be left open while
the cleaner sits on the sill or reaches over
the top. He must get outside and stand on
the narrow ledge. His life then depends
upon "a leather belt fastened around his
body and a rope with hooks In the ends
with which TO attach the belt to rings in
the sides OF the building. A step back
ward and the workman would be precipl-
tated into the tops OF the trees below,
which look so much like bushes from the
top of the chimney.
Since the subway opened a number
OF workmen have been ground to death
They have been trackwalkers and others
obliged to work on the underground road
way. Those who the subway trains
seldom the men who are constantly
watching the tracks and signals and oiling
the switches. Occasionally one sees a Ian
tern moving across the tracks like a will
o'-the-wIsp. This is his protection against
sudden death. but the news columns OF
the papers indicate. the life of the unosten-
tatiOus guardian OF the subway system Il
frequently snuffed out in spite OF it.
There many other ''death-defying
ocations. The diver. from the moment his
helmet disappears in the water. gives host
ages to death. The submarine torpedo boat
Is likely at any time to become the coffin
OF those who go down In her. The mex
penstve wooden sheds erected many feet
apart In little frequented spots for the
manufacture OF explosives are mute evil
dence OF the hazardous character of the
powdermaker's employment The huge nets
stretched beneath trapeze performers are
not placed there for ornamental purposes
The miner has a reason for using safety
lamp when prowling about In the bowels
OF the earth. As man gains greater ascen-
dency over the forces OF nature 1t becomes
more and more true that vigilance Is the
price Of life.