The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-12-26
New York Press.l

(New YORK PreSS.)
There are two steel settlers who arc
now working in the cellar of the new
municipal building at day laborer,s
wages, who, a few months ago. toiled
away up on the diziest heights of the
structure. They were classed among
the most daring of the cowboys Of the
air and drew the highest pay. No
money now would tempt them to 60
aloft.
One Of them was setting the gerders
on the nineteenth story, about 200 feet
above the ground, when he lost his
nerye. At lunch time he had been
given a little kitten to take home to
his children. He had put the kitten
IN the pocket Of his Jacket. when he
hung up on a post above a temporary
platform near where he was at work.
About mid-afternoon he was standing
out toward the end of a beam waiting
for another huge mas Of steel to be
swung into place. Suddenly he saw
the kitten coming toward him from
the opposite side. The kitten had
tired Of inaction and had started out
on an exploring expedition. 1t did not
mind the height. but came trottine
toward the man in the most friendly
lou feet separated the end Of the
beam on which the man was stand
ing from the end of the one along
which the kitten was approaching
The kitten crouched and sprang to
clear the gap. 1t miscalculated the
distance by a couple Of inches, and itt
little claws found no hold on the hard,
smooth steel. The man leaned for.
ward to grasp it, but when he swung
back only a bit Of gray fur remained
between his fingers. Fascinated lie
wQfChad tho tiny, h01,. mn An-,~ >-,-
bounding from one beam to another
until it landed at the bottom a shape.
less mass. The steelworker turned
white and sick. A moment before he
had been standing upright on the
twelve-inch beam. bracing himself
automatically against the pressure OF
the wind that was blowing. After he
had watched the Kittens fall to death
he laid himself fiat on the beam, and
then trembling crawled to the nearest
ladder. With shaking limbs he climb
ed slowly down, and when he reached
the street he collapsed.
n other man who now works with
him on the ground had much the same
experience. only more tragic. 1t was
BLUE Monday" the day when most OF
the accidents happen, when he saw a
man who had been working with him
on the next beam make q misstep and
ldII ten Stories. me man was dead
of course. when they reached him
But the survivors, nerve wen back on
him from that moment. Like the 9th.
er man who had seen the kitten fall,
the dangers of the dizzy heights had
got his goat" and he was fit for moth.
ing but Il ground job" afterward.
Several aviators have dropped their
goats before they have lost their lives,
and are likely to die in bed when their
time comes. Walter Brookins, for in
stance, used to be one of the most dar-
ing Of the bird men. He was the first
aviator to go to u height greater than
1000 feet. and his altitude record
stood for a long time. One day some-
thing happened to his machine while
he was high in air. BY the greatest
good luck and skill he managed to
coast down the aerial mountain he had
assembled and to land safely on the
earth. But these moments of swift
descent Seemed ears t o him. He had
looked Death In the face. He still
makes short flights. but he hugs the
earth. Nothing could induce him ia
soar alOft as he used to do. The skies
have got his goat" the other airmen
Say.
Every railroad hos working in II.
shops on trundiing to and fro on slow.