The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1906-10-30
GRANTsvILLE. CALHoUN COUNTY,, w. VA.
tn occasional cracking noises

Franks coat, while he leaned far
over and lowered the rope. now
saw that the new water-tower had
Just been brought as close TO the
building as the heat would permit
and hastily elevated But its ton
came only 10 the NTH story, leaving
two floors between.
When the rope was let down a
man on tho tower caught IL with
pike-pole and drew IT to him.
Frank now lowered the other end Of
the rope. and in accordance with his
instructions, the two ends were tied
together by tho tower man. The rome
now formed an endless loop, running
over the stout pulley on the lower
part of the staff, which was placed
there TO facilitate the landings Of
the halyards from within the build
Ing.
It's plenty long enough" said
Frank, briefly. I then noticed for
the first time that he hald a curtain
pole, with brass knobs at each end
IN his hand. Evidently before going
out upon the roof he had snatched
this from the closet in the reading
room.
Draw up the slack he said.
AS soon as we had a few coils OF
the rome from below laid on the roof.
he drew "half-hitch" about each
end OF The curtain pole.
That will hold fast" heard him
say with certain emphasis born OF
the satisfaction I could not under
stand az the moment. Now yet
astride and see how easily YOU can
ride down. This pole will mako 2
life-boat Upon which all of us can
ride TO safety. Tell the men to send
back plenty OF cord. so l can fasten
the girls TO this pole. want at
least six pieces. so I can fasten them
firmly both ends of the pole be-
fore hoy start, for it isn't safe to
assume that they can hang on at ali.
They may be Uncon- .)us before they
leave the roof And tell them to
hang on TO the rope and see that it
doesn't run too fast. Now go. old
man."
81 can't" I said A few glances
from that great height already had
caused an attack OF nausea, and I
felt sure ! was going 20 faint. 81
simply can't, Frank! You got"
Remember what I told you" was
the only reply. And tell them to
hurry, please" With that he delib-
crately thrust me over the edge, and
l was too weak to resist.
Astride both pole and rope, with a
firm grasp above. and my eyes closed
to avoid sight of tho dizzy distance
below, slid steadily down TO the
tower, while the fremen controlled
my descent. In a few seconds I was
clinging Imply to one of the lad
ders.
Send up six length OF rope at
once, so Frank can tie the girls on, %
! said. Luckily, the mon understood
without further explanation, which
l was helpless to give at the tin
Now I could see how terribly the
fre-which had started from the re-
pair mans overturned brazing fur
mace had eaten out the third and
Fourth stories, till practically all the
woodwork was gone. 1t seemed as if
the enormous weight above must
simply crush the skeleton frame be-
low, and expected the catastrophe
to occur at any moment.
had reached the ground when 1
saw Jennie, bound fast to both ends
of the pole, and unconscious, come
sliding down the endless cable Frank
had devised. Amy followed, then
Lizzie, tie latter courageously cling
ing to tho rope, with only~,a oop
about her feet; and finally. to- my in
finite relief came Frank.
As he reached the tower, the rope
was cut aud the men ran down, while
sections were quickly
telescoped In another instant the
four hors5s bounded ahead. and the
fremen and police forced the people
out OF the way into the adjacent
streets.
They we're none too soon! The
tan building bowed backward with a
roar, the greater part OF the ruins
falling into Moss Creek, but two
stories "bHckHngl forward so g. al
most to fiji Monroe street The Ere
vas thrown against the Maynard
House ON the opposite side OF the
highway, and that building, with two
adjacent blocks, was burned before
nigntfau
But not life was lost Fire Chief
Malone warmly said that credit for
this was due solely to Frank Lodge,
whose Observation-Disclosures i1 first shut
ting off the elevator shaft alone af-
forded sufficient time for the subae-
qucnt rescue no one below had
known OF our predicamcnt until
Frank dropped the flag, for Uncle
Ben Moseley had been SO frightened
by the fire that he had forgottcu our
presence I'm tho building
Strange ass &c may seem, both
Frank and kept the notes for our
orauons, which had been thrust into
our pockets; but Che girls, havi1s
fewer pockets. lost theirs Youth
Companion
Moderation in Exercise.
DO is better to Doe Iazy Than dead.
and t is probably just a comfort