davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1938-08-13
PRESIDENTS TO
OPEN SEPT.25

RICHMOND, Va, Aug. 13.-The
Washington Presidents, cham
pions of the Dixie Professional
Football League for the past two
seasons, will meet the Richmond
Arrows in the opening game of the
loop schedule, Sunday, September
Is, at Richmond. Portsmouth
will play at Norfolk on the same
day, while Alexandria draws a bye.
Baltimore has withdrawn its
franchise for the season, and the
open dates will be used for exhibit
ton contests.
September 25-Washngton at Rich
mond. Portsmouth at Norfolk, Alex
andria, bye.
October 2-Norfok at Richmond, Alex
andria at Portsmouth, Washington, bye !;
3, open date; Is, Alexandria at Rich
mond, Washington at Norfolk, Ports
mouth, bye; %, Portsmouth at Rich
mond, Washington VS.. Alexandria; Nor
folk, bye; 20, Norfolk vs. Alexandria,
Washington at Portsmouth, Richmond,
bye.
November 6-Richmond at Norfolk
Portsmouth VS.. Alexandria. Washington,
bye; 10, Washington at Richmond Nor
folk at Portsmouth. Alexandria, bye; 20,
Alexandra at Norfolk Portsmouth at
Washington, Washington Redskins at
Richmond exhibition: 81. Portsmouth
at Richmond, Alexandria VS.. Washing
ton, Norfolk, bye.
December 5-Alexandria at Richmond,
Norfolk VS.. Washington, Portsmouth,
bye.
The Washington times., 1938-08-13
Britist'. olympic Ace
Won't Come 10 u. ).

LONDON, Aug. 10 0.N.SO.
Sidney Wooderson, British Olym-
plan and holder of the recognized
world record for the mile run,
has cancelled plans for an in.
vasion Of America, he announced
today.
With the Princeton mile in
october originally slated as his
main objective, Wooderson has
decided not to enter because Glen
Cunningham, the American cham
pion and holder of an as yet un-
accepted record for the distance,
is not participating.
IF I went to America" Wood.
erson told International News
Service, lit would be only to
meet Cunningham, who is my
greatest rival"
The Washington times., 1938-08-13

Just so did George meet Death.
Not so long ago, George hoped
about the seventh green on the
National Women's Club links with
not a care in this world but to
twist a wiggly worm out of his
snug cast or to peck playfully at
a Kro-Flite pitched dead to the
pin. Sometimes, when the owner
iof the ball addressed it with his
putter, he would be startled to
find George perched on his Shout
der, cawing away for dear life.
For George, the clubs pet crow,
was just being sociable and he
loved human company.
SPURNED LOVE
Never an unkind word or a cuff
did he get from the minister's out
on the Bradley Road course in the
months he had graced it with his
presence. He grew to prefer hui
man society. And when an elderly
female crow with a gimpty leg
tried to tempt him with alluring
mating caws from the treetopS
over No. green, he snubbed her
Establishments and stuck to his
post.
Closest of all Georges many
friends was Mrs. Illarion Mish-
towt, wife of the manager of the
National Women's Club, who used
to be naval atache at the old
Imperial Russian Embassy in
Washington. Whenever George
was hungry, he'd fly up to the
clubhouse porch, where Irene
MiShtowt would feed him his ia,
vorite food-liverwurst and boiled
chicken skin.
So famous did George become
that photographers from the dig
nified National Geographic Mag
azine arrived on the spot to take
his picture. Nor did this initiate
his ego. He remained the same
playful, democratic crow he had
always been.
PLAYFUL, TOO
Like a dog, George loved to
collect various and sundry small
objects and hide them. One of his
favorite collectors items was pen
ellis, the little yellow stubs that
golfers leave about. These he
stuffed into every nook and
Granny, and once he found a
hole in the top of a golfers Sc
dan through which he dropped a
dozen or so. Quite a card was
George.
One day, not so long ago, some
man-no, certainly not man
some unspeakable beast, missed
an easy putt on hole number Z.
Lifting his putter, he took de-
liberate aim and cracked George
over the head. For no reason att
all he vented his rage on that
innocent, Outstanding bird, then
skulked off before anyone could
learn his name.
The darby caddies came and
told Mrs. Mishtowt that George
was dead.
Captain and Mrs. Mishtowt are
Russian. If they ever discover
who the man was, it's going to be
curtains for him.
The Washington times., 1938-08-13

sTATE-sunday, Monday, Tuesday;
always Goodbye" Barbara stanwyck,
Herbert Marshall. Wednesday and
Thursday: "Vivacious Lady" Ginger
Rogers. James Stewart. Friday, satur-
day: Overland Express" Buck Jones;
yellow Jack" Robert MONTGOMERY,
CTRCLE-Sunday and Monday: The
Rage Of Paris" D. DarrieuK, d. Fair
banks. jr.: news; comedy. Tuesday
and Wednesday: "Josette," Don AIMEE
che, Simone Simon cartoon; comedy.
Thursday and Friday: Lord jeff" r.
Bartholomew, Mickey Rooney; newaj
short. Saturday: The County Chair.
man" VIII Rogers: short subjects.
JEssE-sunday and Monday: Rage
Of Paris" D. Darrieux, D. Fairbanks.
Ir. Tuesday and Wednesday: White
Banners" Claude Rains, Fay Banter.
Thursday and Friday: Crime School,"
Humphrey BoEart; Dead End Kids"
Breen; Texas Trail" william Boyd,
George Hayes.
SYLVAN - Sunday and Monday:
White Banners" Claude Rains, Fay
Doctor Rhythm" BinS crcsSy; S SIN.
ners In Paradise" John Boles, N.dge
Evans. Thursday and Friday: Three
Comrades" Robert Taylor, Margaret
SullaVan. saturday: 'Torchy Blame In
Panama Panama" Lola Lane, Paul Kelly.
PALM-sunday, Monday and Tues
day: Toy Wife" Luise Rsiner, Melvin
Douglas. Wednesday ard Thursday:
Three Comrades" Robert Taylor,
Margaret SULLIVAN. Friday and Satur.
day; Lord jeff" F. Bartholomew,
N W ON Sunday and Monday:
Don Ameche. Tuesday and wednep-
day: "Cocoanut Grove" with Fred
McMurray and Harriet Hillia.d,
THURSDAY and Friday: The Toy Wife"
saturday: Men Are Such Fools" with
wayne Morris; Boots and Saddlea,.'
with Gene Autry.
FA1RLAWN-Sun and Monday:
Rage Of Paris" DanielIe Darrieux
Tuesday: County Chairman" VIII
Rogers Wednesday and Thursdav3
divorce of Lady X" Merle oberon.
Saturday: CITY Streets" Leo carrlllo.
CoNGRESS-sunday and Monday:
blockade" Henry Fonda. Tuesday
and Wednesday: DIR Rhythm" B,nR
Crosby: Thursday and Friday: Three
comrades" Robert Taylor. Satur lay:
overland Express" Buck Jones
LlDo-Sunday and Monday: Warner
Baxter, Freddie Bartholomew, Kid.
mapped" Tuesday and Wednesday:
Double feature Katharine Hepburn.
Cary Grant, Bringing Up Baby:
also Lois Wilson, Life Returns"
Thursday and Friday: The Jones FARM
lily in Borrowed Trouble" and ''AIca.
traz Island. Saturday: Double fea-
ture-The Dead End Kids in Crime
school" and Tex Ritter in Sing,
Cowboy, Sing"
The Washington times., 1938-08-13

Bradford, quarterback, this sea-
son D.. Bradford was practically
of no help whatever to the Grim
son Tide last season because of
a bad knee, but he is fully recov-
cred now and 'Bamans are an
ticipating banner year for the
all-around star Ireland,
which seems to have a monopoly
on all the great hammer-throw-
ers, has come up with a new
one in the person of BERTHE
Healion, southpaw, reputed to
hurl the weight more than 1872
feet Burleigh Grimes calls
Johnny Hudson the most i'm
proved player on the Dodgers
Grimes nhon0oH Hndcon
The Washington times., 1938-08-13

from shortStop when
Durocher Hudson has handling
the post makes Grimes smile time he looks at him
Incidentally Grimes refuses his mohbas
recently he hurled three innings for the Dodgers exhibition
against the of Italy at North Adams
held them played first
trips the Irish, originated
promote college basketball large Madison
Square Garden the proud father of Moose Swaney
has hurting the House of David baseball almost
long still participate
at least although he has passed the half
century mark in AL McALWEE.
The Washington times., 1938-08-13
D. G. Nine in Finals
Local Printers Play St. Louis Team

ST. LOUIS, Aug. 10. - The
baseball tie a m representing
Washington, D. c., in the Union
Printers International Baseball
League goes against the st.
Louis nine today in the final
game of the tourney. Washing
ton, defending titlist, took a
Suggest from Baltimore yester-
day by a 1912 count.
The Washington times., 1938-08-13
FORT MYER TOPS
TWO OPPONENTS

PENLLYN, Pa, Aug. 13.-The
10-goal polo quartet of the Third
Cavalry, Fort Myer, Va, defeated
two opponents in round-robin
polo series at Penllyn Country
Club.
The Cavalry team, burdened by
handicaps, defeated Philadelphia
Country Club by an 8I5 count,
and then upset Penllyn, Ga.
Capt. Donaldson, of the invaders,
was by far the outstanding player,
tallying in every chukker of each
game.
The Washington times., 1938-08-13
w. MARANvILLE
QUITS MONTREAL

MONTREAL, Aug. 13.-Walter
Rabbit" Meanwhile, former ma
jor league player and manager
and for the last three years man.
ager Of the Montreal Royals of
the International League, resigned
his position with the Royals
First Baseman Alex Hooks was
selected to pilot the club for the
remainder of the season. Montreal
is in seventh place.
The Washington times., 1938-08-13

st. Louis turned back New
York, 81. after trailing into the
ninth inning. The Missourians
tied the count at Tall, and it
was not until the fourteenth
inning that they were able to
score the winning runs.
Holbrook and Hofberg, of the
Washington delegation, were
outstanding in their game.
The Washington times., 1938-08-13
Last Nights Fights

At NEW YORk-FrltZie ZlVlc, l45,
decisiOned Joe Pennino. l49
New York (O.
AT ATLANTIC CITY, N. BOBBY
Jones. 1863. Atlantic City, outFointed Bob
Turner. 1888, Richmond, Va. t1O).
AT LONG BEACH. \. Y.-Al Davis
1875. New York. outpointed Al Ragone,
1873. New York 80.
AT DETROIT Dave Clark. III,
Detroit, kayoed Pete Georgi, Ill, Pitts
buFgh (3l,
The Washington times., 1938-08-13

days. BILL
D A w s o N
writes in as
follows:
Been read
ing an awful
lot about the
pc W er of
c H A r Ii E
MALONE off
of a tee in
your column
lately. Some
d ay W h e n
you haven't
anything to
d o, t a Ike q
stroll ow n
The Washington times., 1938-08-13
George, Pet CrOW at
National, Victim of
Hute Golfers RUqe
BY Lillian RIXEY

AS it must to all living things death few days ago
George.
Most things that breathe mercfuly granted peaceful
ending to their petty troubles this EARTH while unfor
unate few taken with violence through ac Of God
but usually by an act of man,
The Washington times., 1938-08-13
WALLPAPERS

300-yard shots, and not ones
you read about, watch TINY ING
HAM and BERNIE PHILLIPS
when they play d match. They
really smack them. Il would
like to see CHARLIE match
shots with them some day. If
they should, don't keep it to
yourself as I want a front seat"
Two days before MR.. DAW-
SON wrote his letter I carried
o note on TINY'S power-driving
in my column. I mentioned the
fact that on East Potomac,
where the land lies flat and
there is no roll, he can hit
them out 315 yards. I am sorry
to say I wasn't aware of MR..
PHILLIPS.
Eyewitness MAURY FITZ-
GERALD tells me he has
watched CHARLIE tee off at
Woodmont and smack q ball
which carried, and I mean car
ried, 285 yards into a trap.
To settle this question of who
can hit the farthest, MAURY
and I are going to bring these
power-driverS together in the
very near future. Watch for the
match date in this column or
In Maury'S.
The Washington times., 1938-08-13
Seek Sunday Game

The Palisades Softball team
wants a game for tomorrow morn.
ing. Call District o4S6.
The Washington times., 1938-08-13
X X ootnotes X X

In effort bolster his outfed which has been
steady twoyear-od Bill Terry is planning shifting Mel
young third baseman with the Jersey City Skeeter to
place OFT Alabama is expecting great things from Vic
The Washington times., 1938-08-13
FOrp!
land
After
BY Lillian Rixey-

I am delighted to say that I
beat one of my readers (the
other one) to the punch by two
The Washington times., 1938-08-13
First Game

Goals, First Chukker-Countrv club
handicap (2), Donaldson 2. Hines FAIR.
Second Characterization . Smith.
Third Characterization, Hines. Ref
eree-Herb Swami.
The Washington times., 1938-08-13
Ladies at Work

Yesterday was Flag Day out
at Indian Spring. BETTY
MECKLEY took top honors
when she holed out with 70 on
the eighteenth green and
planted her flag in the cup.
MARION BROWN was next with
her last shot just off the
eighteenth green. Third was
MRS. MYRON DAVY, of Con-
greSsional, who finished her
given number Of strokes with her
drive off the seventeenth tee.
At Congressional yesterday
the ladies staged a beSt-ball two.
some. Winners in Class A were
MRS. J.F. DOWDALL and MRS.
j. o. RHYME with 86-7-79; in
Glass B, MRS. A. M'N1TT and
MRS. MARVIN JOHNSTON,
with o7-22-75; and in Class c,
MRS. .MOORMAN and MRS.
p. j. WINKLER, with 112.27k
-S412. MRS. DOWDALL won
the prize for the lowest number
Of puts with 80 for the 10.
The weekend card at local
clubs is replete, all, yes, veddy
full indeed. At Kenwood, the
George Diffenbaugh trophy; at
Belle Haven, the Presidents
Cup; at Congressional, a four
ball championship; at Indian
Spring, a Scotch foursome; at
Capital, a mixed Scotch four
some; at Congressional, a "bet-
a-million" tourney, and at Bea-
yer Dam, a "goofy" event in
costume. That Is all.
The Washington times., 1938-08-13
Teams on Tour

Two important team matches
are scheduled for this week
end. The Congressional Coun-
try Club team, Maryland cham
pions, are junketing down to
the James River layout this
Sunday to tackle the Country
Club Of Virginia team. The Con-
gressional lin cup includes
WIFFY cox, PARKER NO
Lam, DIR. H. L. SMITH, CLAUDE
RIPPEY, BILLY SHEA, BILLY
DETTWEILER, GENE PITT.
MAN. LOUIS FUCHS, EARL
MAILER, WALTER MEAL
LUM, FRANK M. GOODWIN,
BOB HOLLAND and LARRY
BERNARD. They will meet the
Richmond team, which includes
BOBBY CRUICKS HANK,
FRANK SUTTON, CLARKE
LEA, CHARLIE KENT and
WINSTON MONTAGUE.
Also on Sunday, the Belle
Haven team will play the Ope-
quon Golf Club, of Martinsburg.
w. Va. for the Bi-State Golf AS
ISOLATION title on the neutral
links of Bedford Springs, Pa.
Both 10-man teams are tied for
first place following a four
match series in which Belle
Haven and Opequon each carded
203R points. Belle Ravens
team won last year and are
slight favoriteS in this years
playoff. Belle Ravens lineup,
captained by ANDY CLARKE,
follows: THEODORE RUTLEY,
A. D. JESSE" WILLARD, j. B.
M U RPHY, r. L. KANE,
TURNER SMITH, CHARLES
MARQUARDT, CHARLES roll
Inns, ROBERT BLICKLE,
ANDY CLARKE and JAMES R.
CATION.
The Washington times., 1938-08-13

denotes one-third inning.
denotes two-thirds inning,
The Washington times., 1938-08-13
WARNER BROS. THEATERS

AMBASSAD DOR - Sunday. Monday,
Tuesday and Wednesday: Edward q.
Robinson in The Amazing DR.. Glitter
mouse. Thursday and Friday. Freddie
Bartholomew and Mickey Rooney in
Lord jeff" Saturday: Merle Oberon
IN divorce of Lady X": Floyd Glib
bons sort; cartoon.
The Washington times., 1938-08-13

YORK-Sunday and Monday: Dan
ielle Darrieux and Douglas Fairbanks.
ir, in Rage of Paris" Tuesday and
Wednesday: Luise Rainier and Aelvyn
Douglas in TOY wife" Thursday ana
Friday: Madeleine Carroll and Henry
Fonda in Blockade" Saturday;
Bobby BrsOn IN Hawaii Gala"
The Washington times., 1938-08-13

UPTOWN-Sunday. Monday and
Tuesday: Freddie Bartholomew and
Mickey Rooney in Lord Jeff"
Wednesday and Thursday: Bob Burns,
Martha Rave and Dorothy Lamour in
'Tropic Holiday" Friday: George
Raft and sylvia Sidney in You and
Me" Saturday (return sngagen.entl:
Loretta Young and Spencer Tracy in
Mans Castle"
The Washington times., 1938-08-13

LIIIAm hlXey oGIUU q o " II
to East Potomac where there
isn't any roll and watch two
tall lanky masters of swing go
to town. They are never more
than five feet apart, even in the
rough. Guess they don't trust
each other.
The Washington times., 1938-08-13

APP OLO- Sunday and Monday.
Freddie Bartholomew ard Mickey
Rooney in Lord Jeff" TUESDAY and
Wednesday: Bob Burns, Martha Rave
and Dorothy Lamour in "Tropic Holt
day." Thursday: Madeleine Carroll
and Henry Fonda in Blockade" FRI
day: Fred MacMurray and Harriet
Hilliard in "Cocoanut Grove" Satur-
day: Victor McLaglen in Devils
Party and Edith FeIlowa and Leo
Carrillo in "City Streets''
The Washington times., 1938-08-13

TINOLT: Sunday, Monday and Tues
day: Margaret SULLIVAN and James
Stewart in "Shopworn Angel: wednes-
day and Thursday. Barbara Stanwyck
and Herbert Marshall in always
Goodbye" Friday and Saturday (re-
turn enEaEemenD. Rudolph Valentino
in The Sheik;" Saturday, My Bill"
with Kay Francis.
Evening star., 1938-11-20
THIS WEEK MAGAZINE
His LIFE HANGS BY A ROPE
by Forrest Wilson
by Forrest Wilson

spire is advertised to everybody IN
Massachusetts,.
Shaky as he was, Tom swarmed up
the steeple with his straps, hauled up
the blocks and fastened them, and
then to put the final touches on the
rigging, did what only few climbers
have nerve enough to do - stood up
on his bos'n's chair, holding only to
the side ropes. Far below flowed the
Park Street and fremont Street traffic.
Then the world began to 60 black
for Steeple Tom. He tainted - passed
clear out. When he came to, he found
himself still standing there. his hands
rigidly gripped to the ropes. Some
instinct had set his hold and preserved
him.
He Slipped weakly down into his
Evening star., 1938-11-20

his way home, went to work on his
bedpost with string, wire and weights,
and evolved his three strap system"
Of shining up things For the string
he substituted 2i-inch ropes, con-
suited with a blacksmith to invent
snap-hooks for their ends, then tried
the device on telephone poles. 1t
worked Tom had SIP of his own and
borrowed 81 more from pals. 1t was
enough to buy tackle and bosns
chair. He started out to hunt Jobs.
At the end of his second season
Tommy came home in a fur coat that
cost $llO. There was a diamond ring
on his finger, diamond pin in his tie.
He had roll of $500 and a handbook
showing 81 900 balance.
Any building contractor can build
Evening star., 1938-11-20

sCaffolds and send his workmen safely
to any pinnacle, but a building con-
tractor is expensive The steeplejack.
even when drawing his $lO0a day. is
bargain in comparison But there are
steeplejacks and steeplejacks, includ-
ing the ordinary variety that use
scaling ladders on chlmneys and drive
in spikes to hold them. 1t is Steeple
Toms boast that he has never yet
deiaced a chimney in climbing it.
He uses straps - three loops of
rope, two of which are supporting him
while he throws the third around the
spire, flagpole or chimney above, and
snaps it taut. Often he uses kite to
fly light line, which catches over a
chimney top.
But the kite method has its dangers.
The tops of old chlmneys may be
broken. When you're dangling hun
dred feet in the air, it's no comfort to
think that your lead line, which is
holding you. may be fraying on some
sharp edge
Twice fatalities have occurred on
Steeple Toms jobs, and each time he
has knocked off work for a week.
It's shell shock. For two or three
days after somebody falls, you can
hardly stand up, your knees knock so"
Somehow, though, the narrow cs-
capes, the nightmarlsh jams out of
which only Steeple Toms nerve and
instinct have taken him. are more
terrifying than actual tragedy. A
typical one occurred only recently,
when Tom was recovering from the
first serious illness of his life He was
obeying the doctors orders to rest
when his bid was accepted to paint the
steeple of the Park Street Church in
Boston.
Sick or not sick. this was nothing
to miss The Park Street Church has
the tallest and most beautiful wooden
steeplc in New England The weather
vane is 2l8 feet above the heart of
Boston's business district. Thousands
of Bostonians pass the church every
day. The steeplejack working on this
Evening star., 1938-11-20

seat and lolled there for some minutes.
Then, mastering every bit of his
resolution he unhltched the rope in
his tackle blocks and lowered himself
to the deck at the base of the spirc.
He took a couple of days off, went
back and finished the job.
Back in 1919 he had a CHASTITY
experience in River Point. r. |. A big
mill had burned down. leaving stand
ing only the 2OO-fo brick chimney
of the powerhouse. The company.
which planned to rebuild, hired Steeple
Tom to inspect the chimney to see if it
had been damaged by the flames.
For the only time in his career
Tom made this ladder job. 1t was
too tempting. Years before, a con-
tractor had left imbedded in the brick
and mortar row of iron pegs that
had evidently supported scaHolding
Steeple Tom decided to use them. The
only trouble was that the pegs we're
zigzagged up the chimney and were
spaced at irregular intervals.
Tom knocked together a couple of
lO-foot scaling ladders and at 9 o'clock
on a dull November morning he started
up. His method was to climb one lad
der, carrying the other, his chair and a
lead line paying out from coil at the
base of the chimney. He hooked his
chair to the top rung of the ladder in
place, then, leaning out, fshed up
with the other until he caught the
next peg, then he swung across on it.
dragging the other ladder
1t was hard, slow work. much harder
and slower than Steeple Tom had
anticipated. When he was up fifty or
sixty feet it occurred to him that
though he might scale the chimney in
this way, he could not descend with
the ladders. because of the zigzagging
of the spikes II he got stuck, he would
have to haul up his straps and make
an emergency fastening for his hoist
ing tackle
BY noon he was only halfway up
the chimney and could have stood
big lunch But he had to go on without
Evening star., 1938-11-20

P IN Boston there's man who'll
walk out on any movie when
~ they sneak up on him and
show one of those dizziness pictures -
people clinging to precipices, cars
tumbling off cliffs. comedians totterlng
along the copings of skyscrapers. and
such
You wouldn't think this fellow had
a nerve in his body, for he's a tough.
weathered specimen with the thick
hands and biceps of workman. But
he can't take height - in pictures He
is Thomas Fitzpatrick, New England's
leading steeplejack, who signs letters
and hotel registers as ''Steeple Tom"
Steeple Tom doesn't believe in kid
ding the Law of Gravitation. All his
life he's been pitting Drawn and wit
against gravitation and fighting bat
tie with nerves, and there's no sense
in piling any foolish tilts with gravita-
tion onto steeplejack's everyday
nerve strain 1t only encourages the
Shape that for thirty years has been
grinning at Tom over his shoulder In
that time he has scaled some $50
steeples, stacks, chimneys, towers.
tanks, 1agpoles, domes, monuments
and statues atop public buildings -
but he has never been up in an air
plane, gone to the top of the Empire
State Building for the view, climbed
mountain or watched human fly"
When he goes to hotel he would
just as soon have room on the second
floor. He vastly prefers the seashore
for vacations; but Clara, who is Mrs.
Steeple Tom, and the two kids. Eileen
and Tommy, Jr, like the mountains,
so their old man growls and goes along.
He's extremely fond of his family,
but for his trade he reserves something
like veneration. The big moments of
his career: the time he first flew a
line over the top of factory chimney
with kite; the time he painted the
Old North Church steeple for the
Paul Revere bicentennial and all
Boston watched the time he inspected
the William Penn statue above
Philadelphia's City Hall tower and
walked around the old Quaker bronze
hat brim 548 feet above the street -
these things stick in his memory like
historical events. He has their dates
down pat.
1t would be hard to convince Steeple
Tom that he started life under any
particular handicap. though his earli-
est recollection is of an orphan asylum
at New Haven, where he was enrolled
as Pat Fitzgerald. The Fitzpatricks of
Stafford Springs, Conn.,, took him to
raise. remaining him Thomas For a
Stafford Springs boy there was only
one future job in the mill. At Ia
Tommy was working at a machine
He didn't like it and quit after year.
Outdoor jobs, climbing trolley poles
on interurban projects, brought him
to 1906. his goth birthday, and Murch.
who was to introduce him to steeple-
jacking Murch was painting a Stafford
Springs mill stack when Tom got
home that fall. Murch needed
ground helper" and Tom took the
job.
Murch wasn't much of a climber,
young Tom was shrewd enough to see
no system, no decent equipment.
Yet he earned better pay than the mill
superintendent in Stafford Springs.
So, when MurCh left him stranded
after an out -of-town job, Tom bummed