The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1914-07-22
4 SLIDE ON A ROOF
Terrifying Experience on al, Ice
Coated Mansard.
FIGHTING DEATH IN MiDAlR
PeIious Plight OF Two Workers, and
an Exhibition of Goodness, Presence
of Mind and Heroic Pasienee-HoW
tie D:mcult Rescue Was Effected.

an Exhibition Of Goodness, Presence
of Mind and Heroic Patienee-HoW
tie D::Tcult Rescue Was Effected.
During the fall and winter Of 1870
4. 7. Stewart, vino had bought the
Grand Union hotel at Saratoga, largely
rebuilt that great hostelry Of 2.O0o
roores. The building has mansard
roof. and at the peak it is ninety-eightr
feet from the sidewalk.
One cold winter morning, when the
work was virtually completed, two :
men, Harvey. the head roofer, and
helper named Dennison went up on
the roof to finish the flashing round
the base Of the tower. There had been
a slight mist that morning, and it had
frozen upon the roof, but the two
men had on india rubber overshoes TO
prevent them from slipping on the
states.
Suddenly, however, Harvey's feet be-
gan to slip. He went very slowly at
first. for the Upper roof Of a mansard
is not steep. Ec t::;c:1 TO stop himself,
but there was not...:..s TO which he
could cling. He tuned his head IN .
Dennison's direction to see If he could
not give some assistance, but De,lni-
son. too, was sliding slowly down the
| roof.
Haryey.s presence Of mind did not
leave him. lie down fatr' he called.
So both men carefully laid themselves
at full leneeh on the icy roof in order
that the increased friction might re-
tard. and perhaps stop, their descent.
For an instant it checked the move
nelt. Then the men began again
slowly to slip nearer the angle Of the
roof and the steep pitch below.
It seemed like hours, although 1t was
only few moments, when Harvey felt
his heels catch on slight projection.
a blind gutter had been built into the
lower edge Of the upper part Of the
roof to carry off the large amount OF
water that would fall upon such an ex-
panse Of roof. The upper gutter pro-
jected above the slate roof only about
half an inch, but it was against this
that HarYey,s heels had caught
There he hung on the very brink Of
the abyss-safe for an. instant He
dared not move a muscle, however, or
even turn his head to see If Dennison
were still on the roof. He did not cry
out for help, for he feared that the
mere effort of filing his lungs and
shouting might dslodge him. No one
could see the men on the fat Of the
roof from the street below. The only
hope lay in the carpenters who #sse
at work inside the building. But hoW
should they know what was happening
up there on the roof?
Suddenly Harvey heard q voice, low,
but distinct, come from the tower
above him. "Hold on" it said, "and
I'll help you!" Then after long time
Harvey heard the sound Of several
voices. Whoever had found him had
got help.
The first voice spoke again: "Hold
onl We will lower this rope to you"
Presently something rubbed on the
slate above Haryey's head. 1t was
the rope, which they were slowly
working down toward him.
"Can you get hold of it," asked the
yUice.
II don't dare move much" Harvey
replied. "Can't you get it down near
my hand?'
They had to give it q flip to get it by
his shoulder. Then it traversed the
length Of his arm and finally touched
his hand
Harvey raised his arm very careful
ly and took hold Of the rope. 1t was
an inch cable that had been used IN
raising the slate from the ground to
the roof.
"Can you turn over very carefully
and climb upw. asked the voice.
Cautiously Harvey worked his hand
along on the rope-it was his right
hand-until he finally drew it taut.
Then he carefully raised his left hand
and, reaching across, grasped the rope
with that hand TOO.
Then when the worst Of the matter
was over, he began to shake Ike
leaf. BE lay there, fat on his back,
clinging desperately to the rope and
dreading inexpressibly the next step.
How was he to. turn over on that Ship
perry roof when he needed both hands
to cling to the rope?
At last he spoke hoarsely:
Can you pull me up%
They consulted together.
II don't dare to turn over" he
added.
There was a sharp tug on the rope.
Harvey let them draw his arms up to
their extreme length, still afraid to )
trust his weight to his rescuers. Then
he felt his heels lose their grip on<the :
gutter, and he began slowly to lloj::'ss
upward.
It was not till he had ~. = r'''r ;:9
ed the tower that he d:s!;H: ;s:;t Il. -.
head in De1nison's directiu:i ~ sr: u
he were still safe. There liz MIS-.
spread out on the roof, just rs IIa:.:eS
bo1 Jaa, I|a did NOT 1roya =, ,D,I>;,.l,