THE GREATEST STEEPLEJACK IN THE WORLD.

Otago Witness, Issue 2206, 11 June 1896, Page 49

THE GREATEST STEEPLEJACK IN THE WORLD.

If it be true that a spice of danger lends a cbarm to an occupation, then that of th.c Bteeplejaok must surely be the most fascinating in the world, and certain it is that the' extraordinary men who gain their livelihood by doing all kind 3of repairing work at a height so great that apparently NOTHING BUT A BIRD COULD REACH it do realty like the calling. Assuredly Mr Joseph Smith, of Rochdale, known as the " Lancashire Steeplejack," does. Host people witb Mr Smith's abilities woald be content to gain a livelihood with their feet firmly planted on terra firma; and, in a sense, this extraordinary man does, for he managed with conspicuous success for some years the S h . James's Theatre, Manchester, only relinquishing the appointment to become managing partner of the Circus of Varieties, Rochdale ; but it is in the air, at an elevation the mere contemplation of which would make most men shudder, that this famous steeplejack is really in bis element. Mr Smith is of opinion that " steeplejacks, like poets, are born— not made." Jk<' I remember," he says, " Blondin once performing in a town where I was &t> work

repairing a chimney. One morning he came ! to see me go up. I asked him to go with me, but he wouldn't. A wonderful man ! I admit he had crossed Niagara on a rope, and conld dance 70ft above the ground. • But I wouldn't climb your ladder for all the world,' he said ; •I am sure I should be nervous.' " Still, Mr Smith thinks it possible fora man to force himself by sheer force of will to mount to the top of a chimney 250 ft high, and even look below, without feeling giddy ; but he thinks such a man wonld b8 certain to lose his head sooner or later. He might go on for years and never feel all that time that be had' any nerves at all, when suddenly one day, especially after some mishap, he would go all wrong, and though the fit might pass off, it would be sure to come on again, the visitation probably taking the form of A DEBIRE TO IiBAP DOWN. It was in a case of thie kind that Me Smith nearly once lost his life. What would you do if you found yourself at the .top of a 200 ft chimney with a mate who had gone suddenly mad? Supposing the poor wretch were to throw himself off tbe landing stage, would you risk your life to save him as Mr Smith did ? He is a short man, under sft Sin, but a great heart beats in that little body. Id was at Sutcliffe Mill, Rochdale, this bappsned. As the madman went over Smith caught him by the atkle, and, notwithstanding the man's plunges and kicking, held bravely on. But there isn't a man in the world who could hold a fellow-creature in that position long. But even when the grip of those iron fir gars began to loosen the brave little man did not despair ; he simply charged his tactics. There was a life to be saved, and be meant to save it. LeaniDg over the platform, he endeavoured with his disengaged hand to reach the belt which all steeplejacks wear round the middle. Then, to use the words of a gentleman who witnessed the occurrence, "a sudden stillness fell on the shrieking crowd below." At first they thought that Smith had quarrelled with his mate and pushed him over, but they now realised that they were witnessing an act of UNEXAMPLED HEROISM. Slowly the figure on the stage craned over, and the disengaged haud slid dowu, till the people began to wonder how he managed to retain his foothold. Still the belt was out of reach. What was to be done. Presently the crowd saw the struggling body slowly, by sheer strength, raised till the belt was within reach. " He's saved him 1 " cry a thousand voices below, and a cheer breaks out, which presently diaa away ia shrieks of horror. The madman finding that his efforts at self-destruction were being defeated, turned on his preserver, and bit his thumb to the bone. " Let him go 1 " yelled the mob below. They little knew their man. Let him go ? Nt>; The man was losing his head, but be' held' on, and the would-be suicide was drawn, despite his struggles, on to the platform.' Then the second acb of this wonderful drama. commenced. Tbe maniac turned on his preserver, and a fierce struggle ensued. Backwards and forwards they swayed, their- -breath -coming in short, fitful gasps. Exhausted by what he bad gone through, and in- the grip of a man as powerful as himself, Smith- found he was being gradually dragged towards tho edge of the stage, which was only about 2ft square. Even then his presence of mind did not desert him. At his feet was an iron bar. He stooped, gained possession, and the next moment stretched his antagonist senseless. This done, he tied a rope round the senseless man and lowered him to the ground. Mr Smith, in speaking of this matter said: "I was careful only .to hit him hard- enough to stun him." The great steeplejack is delightfully communicative about his method of working. Flying KITES— WEIGHING 30LB TO 40LB, and Bfc to lOfc high — across, v chimney, and pulling them down by a thin, hanging "string fastened to the corners has, he saye, quits gone out. What is knowa as " laddering " is a much more expeditious method. When a chimney in need of repairs has to be laddered, an iron dog or holdfast, tipped with steel to increase its penetrating power, is driven firmly into the brickwork. To this is lashed an 18ffc ladder, which tho steeplejack mount'?, taking with him another ladder, the bottom of which he lashes to the top of the first ladder. •• I can fix," says Mr Smith, •• with the assistance of one labourer, 60yds of laddering in 45 minutes. It is true," ho goes on, " that as the top end of each ladder is loo?e it sways a bit as you mount ; but ibs safe enough. There are few people, of course, who would care to sit cros&kgged on the top rung of a swinging ladder 20ft from the ground ; but tbe position U the only one which gives the Uversge you want for driving in the holdfasts. Yefc, careful as I always am, the uDexp?cted is always happening. I remembdr once ss I was walking round the coping of a 200ffc chimney, the whole of - THE COPING GAVE AWAY under my feet. ' Down I went with the debris, but we parted company on the road, for fortunately I fell close to the ladders, which I clu'ebed, and so saved myself. " The most hazardous feat I ever attempted I accomplished thus. Once wheo, on the j anniversary of John Bright's birthday, it was proposed to place a flag on the spire of old Eochdale Town Hall 2Gs£c from the ground, after I had started climbing hand over hand, I found, to my dismay, that the lightning conductor was in a very insecure state. However, there was no help for it, so I persevered. Arrived at the summit, a 3till more dangerous task awaited me. This was to get a footing on the shoulders of the wooden man and lash a pole 18 ft long with a banner attached to the lance of St. George. I succeeded in doing this. But I shouldn't care to tackle the job again." " All chimneys," Mr Smith says, "vibrate. If they do not yield to the wind pressure, they are brittle and unsafe." Tha motion, this wonderful steeplejack declares, is not unpleasant, resembliug somewhat that of a cradle rocking. Although Mr Smith gets the repairing of most of the high steeples and chimneys in this country he manages a deal of work abroad. In continental cities the appearance of Mr Smith is bailed as quite an event ; and no wonder, for on these occasions he performs ft few f«at* just to keep up the repafca-

tion of the old country. Mr Suaitb, like other men, seems to have his little eccentricities. For 10 ysara he lived with his family in a Pallmau car made after bis own design ; but Mro Smith grew weary, and so they returned to the conventional red brick house again. But be stuck to his caravan — a movable house on wheels — which he takes about the country with him, as he dislikes lodgings and stands in abject dread of damp sheete. — Answers.