The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-05-19
William A. Johnston in Munsey's.
/" HE diver makes a grimace as
views the bridge worker on h
lofty perch

William A. Johnston in Munseys
|" HE diver makes grimace as he
| views the bridge worker on his
1 lofty perch.
IT wouldn't stand up there for MIL
| lon," says he. 1.-THE mans TOOL!
Some ludicrous instances Of this feel
ing have been noted. A dynamiter, who,
at the time of a desperate strike, calmly
pitched his bed in quarry powder house
over several tons of the uncertain and
awful explosive. walked several miles out
of his way each evening to avoid cross
ing the ice of a frozen river with his fell
low workmen.
The amusement world offers sidelights
on the subject. Take the circus acrobat.
the thriller specialist, the snake charm
er, the animal trainer, the "loop-the-
locper,v the parachute jumper. On what
basis are they paid. and what prompts
them TO defy death?
| This latter question was put bluntly
to Captain Baldwin, the first man to give
public exhibition of parachute jumping
in this country He proposed to the man
agers of an amusement park in San
Frarcisco to jump down 1000 feet from
the clouds.
| But" asked an amazed OFFICIAL, why
do you want to do it?'
ITO make money said Baldwin calm
ly. "rll have to charge you 81 foot"
| For another descent at Quincy, Ill.,.
Captain Baldwin received $500; and he
continued his exhibitions. as did Leo
Stevens, till many others took up the
idea, and the rates dropped so low that
the dangerous feat ceased to hold out
any inducement.
| In the case of these "acts," as in the
trades, it would seem that performer
is paid for the big risk he takes; but he
isn't He is paid for his ingenuity in
devising the feat-for his skill, in other
words. just as soon as the act becomes
cor.mon. and the novelty that draws
crowds is gone, its money value drops
very low, despite the fact that its haz-
ards remain just the same.
The first 'loop-the-loop'' performance,
at Madison Square Garden. is said to
have brought to its promoters the sum
of $1,000 a week. Today there are men
ready and anxious to repeat 1t, even
|
or.e enth of that amount. But the nov
elts is gone; the fickle public wants to
see human beings dare death in new
ways.
1t Is commonly believed that the woman
who. strapped helblessly in an automo-
bile, turns a<edouble somersault in mid
air. receives princely sum- but she
doesn't. The man who originated the
idea. and who patented the incline, pock-
cts almost all the money; the perform
er risks her life for only $50 a week.
And when the last performer was killed,
more than 50 women applied for the place
lat that same wage.
This heroine of the thriller has no
standing in the circus family. There is
no skill in her act; she simply risks
her life. which is nothing. Acrobats and
equestrians, on the other hand, take great
pride in their work, are constantly striv-
ing to add to its ingenious. spectacular
SIDE. and are paid accordingly-for their
skill
The daring individual, bedecked in fin
cry. who enters cage Of snarling beasts,
and puts them through their PAGES. often
recsives the pitiful sum of 80 or Sl2 q
week-rarely over SIS. Most show AMI
mails are tame; but it is = we'll known
fact that the savage instinct Of Wild
beast IL never quite conquered, and may
return in murderous form at any instant.
One has only to read the daily news
papers to realize the dangers Of this
calling.
The willy Snowman bests the ordinary
trainer BY ordering an assistant. In OF