Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1916-04-17
AsTR|DE WEATHER COCK
Edward L. Allen Climbs to I"p o.
Steeplc OH City Hall
Saturday

A large concourse of people gath
cred in front of the City Hall, OIL
Royal street, about four O'CLOCK iaS'
Saturday afternoon to witness a GAR
ing feat upon the part OF a young man
named Edward L. Allen, VINO nae
announced through i megaphone thal
he would ascend the City Hall with
out a ladder and make his way tt
the spire on the top of the steepie.
It being a holiday to school child
rem, a large percentage Of that ele
ment was on hand early, 1t was a!s'
half holiday for many mechanics
and others, and the streets being alive
with female shoppers, hundreds bank.
ed themselves in the street oet"eei
Cameron and King, while others
took places of vantage in balconies
| windows and in the market area.
After passing around his hat &n'
| securing a sum sufficient to pay TO-
| the performance, Allen began to as
| cend the wall of the edifice near the
! main entrance to the City Hall. DC
moved along gradually, reaching the
| roof. the base of the steeple in which
the town clock is situated, passing
TO the roof of that enclosure and up
ward until he reached the stecp!e
| proper. After testing the stability OF
| the lightning rod, he moved slowl!
| higher and higher until he gained
| the first ball, and in few minutes he
had placed himself upon the top o.
it. Standing erect he caused the tor
| ball and the weather vane to swa!
70 and from, as he shook them, which
act caused temporary nervousness t.
some of the spectators. He was sool
| again on the ascent, until SEEING tht
weather vane he turned 1t toward
every point CT the compass and thei
mounted the top ball. After enjoying
his high altitude for q few minutes
ne gradually began his descent, anc
,lightcd again upon terra firma annie
the cheers ofthe large crowd. The
point reached by Allen is said to be
ITO feet. 1t took him is minutes t.
make the ascent.
! The last time crowd was attracted
% this square was several years age
when the Firefghter of the District
If Columbia made Il visit to this city
for the purpose OF demonstrating HOY
far water could be forced from thai
apparatus into the city should con-
:ragration need its services. Tbs
BOAT was bcrthed at the foot OF Cam,
eron street and hose were laid from
that point to Royal, where it va:
shown streams could be sent hjgi
up on the City Hall stecple.
In bygone days large cGncOurscs
Of people were wont to assemble here
I 20 witness the test of tic hand cagin.
es used at that time. The old Sur
engine and the Star would enter into
competition, and when stream was
sent over the City Hall stcerle b!
either apparatus hurrahs would reno
the air.
During the civil war ascensions
were at times made by certain indi
viduals from the roof Of the present
Alexandria National Bank building tc
the roof of Phoenix Hall, on tht
northwest corner. Later men walk
ed tight ropes from the third story
of the bank building to the roof Of
Aaron KatZ's store, on the south
west corner and from W. f. Bain's
store to Phoenix Hall. In 1860 mar
named "Chip" Thompson was en-
gagged in performing such q feat
when he fell from the rope upon tht
cobble stones below A wall Of hor
ror went up from the spectators as
the man descended among. them
Thompson was picked up and carried
to the old City Hotel. 1t was at first
supposed he had received fatal in
juIics, but he recovered and ha'o,
pcned to a similar accident in q
rcighboring city about Il year later
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| PALM SUNDAY