The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-09-02
Frederic Haskin's Letter
The Highest Life in NerO York

who have GAed Of pneumonia and
similar germ diseases at ripe ola
age
A steeplejack's safety, according
to one of them, depends very Largo
ly upon how the ropes which hola
his bo'sun's chair are knotted and
| manipulated. If the equipment is
efficient, the chance of a fall is yerv
slight. AS soon as the beginnsr
understands this, a good deal of his
fear leaves him.
Il had one boy with me once -
declared this steeplejack, who was
SO timid l couldn't teach him
nothin'. His hands would trenbIa
while they wuz paintin', and ono
time when the chair swayed slight
ly he let out an awful yell l Ee9r
te1lin' him that the ropes WIZ safe
but it didn't do any good. Finally
L seen he had to have a lesson. So
one day, when he was going nm a
ffagpole, lookin' desperate but So
curely tied as usual, l suddenIv
gave him push. He went down
head f1rst-only a little distance
The ropes held him, OF course. After
that, he knew he couldn't fall very
Tar and stopped being frightened"
A Tight Squeeze.
Like swimmers, steeplejacks ara
frequently attacked by cramns
largely because of the strained posi-
ton in which they are compelled IN
work. Having laboriousIy pullss
themselves up to the top of the
chimney, they must stay there
They cannot waste time and siren
uoas labor going up and down for
iuncn- While painting or repairing
they are usually seated on a mar
row board. The tools cannot be
flung carelessly on this board. but
must be held or made fast to the
seat, for if they fell they would
probably kill someone on the
ground below.
Not long ago, a steeplejack work
ing on a 130-fOot stack, repairing
damages caused by lightning, was
seized with cramps which
paralyzed his arms.
Taking turn OF the rope about
my leg" he later explained. 7
A-PPCN II SAbcfC " III lily LEtk1. and
then slid out of the narrow board
the fashion of an inch-worm, got
The fashion of a ninch-worm. got
lower grip with my teeth and
then slipped my leg grip until nv
body was extended. In this slow
and painful way l managed to get
within 80 feet of the ground. Then
he cramps seized my legs. For Z
was able to hold on with
ny teeth-theh l dropped. LUCKILY.
suffered only a few bruises with.
10 Internal injuries, and after a.
good rundown and rest | was able
o go back to work"
while the ropes are important in
he steeplejack's game, it is nature
which provides him with the talent
or scaling high chimneys. As sci
.nce explains it, he has a highly de-
Teloped condition of the semi-cir-
;ular canals of the inner ear,
where the sense of equilibrium is
coated. 1t is the same physical
ttrlbCte which the most success
III avlators possess. In addition
e must be equipped with strong
alf and forearm muscles, and he
must know how to use his feet
here have been steeplejacks who
ave possessed prehensile toes,
which were a tremendous aid in.
limbing.
One of the most irritating factors
nth which the steeplejaCk must
ontend is the inevitable crowd
Thich gathers TO watch him from.
he street below. He knows what
hey are thinking as they gaze up at
I'm and his apparatus clinging Like
ant to the surface of the build.
lg. Suppose he fallst" Some OF
lem will even wager on his chances (
survival and feel disappointed II
e fails to come tUmbling down in
heir midst.
Years ago, one steeplejaCk work
lg on Chicago church tower, be-
anne so maddened by the spectacle
the waiting crowd that he climb
l into the belfry tower and hanged
Imself- In his pocket they found
note which said: Well, I see
lat nothing but my death will
atisfy the public, so here goeg.
Ill be my own eXecutioner. / sup
ose the verdict will be Gone to
ell. >"
Yes, unfortunately, there are Oc-
Isions when the crowd fails to aP-
sar such as one here in New York
short time ago when three nen
Llmly scaled a building and re-
owed $4,000 worth OF furs from
e top window without any one OBJ
rving them.