,illustration3 ,the ,steeple-,jack's ,instructor ,the ,s4 ,j4 ,lee ,publishing ,co4 ,chicago1 ,u4 ,s4 ,a4 ,,the ,,steeple-,,jack',s ,,instructor ,illustration ,showing the ,modern ,methods ,used by ,successful ,steeple-,jacks ,price #b4jj ,by ,,clarence ,,james ,,murray ,published by ,,the ,s4 ,j4 ,,lee ,,publishing ,,co4 #afj ,,north ,,wells ,,street ,,chicago1 ,u4 ,s4 ,a4 ,copyrighted #aiba by ,the ,s4 ,j4 ,lee ,publishing ,co4 ,chicago1 ,u4 ,s4 ,a4 ,,contents ,page ,introduction #i ,how to ,become a ,steeple-,jack #i ,the ,smokestack #af ,to ,rig a ,stack ,without a ,gimblet ,wire #ca ,how to ,change the ,riggings #ci ,steel ,stacks with ,brick ,lining #dj ,smokestacks with ,ladders #db ,steel ,stacks ,decay at ,band #dc ,reguying #dd ,tripping the ,riggings #ej ,self-supporters #ee ,knots #eh ,square ,knot #fj ,bow-line ,knot #fb ,half-hitches #fd ,the ,black ,wall #ff ,tanks1 ,towers and ,standpipes #fg ,standpipes #fi ,water ,towers #ga ,church ,spires #gd ,the ,flagstaff #gh ,tops of ,poles #he ,names of ,knots1 ,bends1 ,bights and ,hitches #ic ,how to ,become a ,steeple-,jack ,in this book ,i am placing before you the secrets of a trade ,i have followed for fourteen years4 ,i have made as high as #agj a day4 ,it is a poor ,steeple-,jack who cannot make at least #be a day4 ,if you have the ability1 the appearance1 and can approach a business man1 you need not worry about getting his work4 ,he is aware of the chances you are taking4 ,he has work that must be done1 and has an admiration for the man with nerve enough to accomplish what he would not undertake himself4 ,steeple-,jacks are always in demand4 ,when ,i speak of ,steeple-,jacks1 ,i refer to men who comprehend that a certain thing up in the air needs attention1 whether it is the reaving of halyards on a flagpole1 the adjustment of a cross on a steeple1 the replacing of a guy wire on a stack1 the repairing of the hands of a clock on a tower1 or the mere painting of any of these lofty objects which ordinary workmen are not courageous enough to attempt4 ,i know a great deal of this fascinating game1 but ,i do not want to convey to you the thought that ,i know it ,,all1 for that is not the truth4 ,bear in mind the old adage3 8,we are never too old to learn40 ,i call this work a game1 because it appeals to me as a great game1 although it is difficult work4 ,people will gather in crowds on the street to watch a ,steeple-,jack at his perilous duty4 ,i use the word 8perilous0 because that is what it would look like to the man on the sidewalk1 but to one in the air it is just a trick to the trade1 and he would not exchange places with the man who is so eagerly watching every move he makes for fear that he may make a wrong move4 ,while he is thus busily engaged watching you1 the following questions run thru his mind3 8,how in the world did he ever get up there80 8,how can he stay up there so long80 ,his thoughts finally run something like this3 8,my1 but he certainly is brave40 ,from my experience with ,steeple-,jacks ,i am convinced that they never like to be called 8brave10 because stunts that are pulled are all in the game1 and it is no more dangerous for a ,steeple-,jack to climb to the top of a flagpole or smokestack than for the individual to ride in an elevator1 a motor car or train1 for when we consider the number of people who are trusting to the safety of the above mentioned conveyances1 and the proportion of accidents in comparison to the number of ,steeple-,jacks and the accidents in connection with this trade1 the ,steeple-,jacks are not at a disadvantage in respect to casualties4 ,it is to the credit of the ,steeple-,jack1 however1 that he is less careless regarding the dangers of his profession than the thoughtless traveling public4 ,the ,steeple-,jack considers it no more irksome to go out on a job than the book-keeper to go to his desk or a bank teller to enter his cage4 ,the only difference between the ,steeple-,jack and the book-keeper or bank teller is in regard to working hours4 ,the ,steeple-,jack's hours range from two to four a day1 while those of the tradesman are from six to ten hours a day4 ,the ,steeple-,jack1 whose day comprises about four hours 7often less and seldom more7 makes more money in his day than the average man makes in a week4 ,as before stated1 ,i have had considerable experience in the line about which ,i write1 and ,i therefore feel safe in saying that no man is worthy of the title of ,steeple-,jack unless he can make at least #bj a day in days when he chooses to work less than the customary two to four hours4 ,from my past experiences ,i have come to the conclusion that 8time is money10 and therefore my advice to any man who entertains the idea of going into the great game of a ,steeple-,jack is to always bear that slogan in mind and never perform for the audience which you will undoubtedly have watching you from the street4 ,remember it is your time that is being taken up by the performance of whatever daring stunts you may be able to 8show off10 and no matter how large an audience you may have1 there are no benefits derived therefrom4 ,the work of a ,steeple-,jack has a great many assets besides that of being able to earn a great amount of money4 ,with the exception of the money question1 here are two that will appeal to every man3 ,first1 it is healthful work1 because you are always in the open air4 ,second1 you have no boss4 ,you are your own boss and may come and go when you please4 ,however1 ,i would not advise any man who is following this work to assume too great an air of independence4 ,we all concede that it helps to be a little independent at times1 but always bear in mind that it is the privilege of the 8other fellow0 to assume an air of independence also1 and1 after all1 ,,you are dependent upon his work4 ,by that ,i do not mean just one individual1 but ,i am taking your trade as a whole4 ,in business we must give and take4 ,remember that4 ,the ,steeple-,jack's work is ordinarily performed on smokestacks1 flagpoles and church spires4 ,you will agree with me that there are very few who follow this line of work4 ,just to prove this to you1 allow me to ask you a question3 8,how many ,steeple-,jacks do you know80 ,perhaps the answer will be 8,one10 8,two10 or 8,three10 and1 again1 it may be 8,not any40 ,i have worked in this business in every large city in the ,united ,states and ,i can candidly say that ,i have had very little competition and1 in a great many cities1 not any4 ,another important factor of this work is always to endeavor to please the man whose work you are doing and never to do cheap or skimpy work1 for ,i have been convinced that cheap and skimpy workmanship gains nothing for you4 ,however1 on the other hand1 if you put forth your best and succeed in pleasing the man who is to be considered1 you can always count on a renewed order the following year4 ,,remember3 ,satisfy the other fellow first and you cannot help but satisfy yourself4 ,,the ,,smokestack ,to a ,steeple-,jack any stack1 regardless of whether it is composed of brick1 steel or concrete1 is a smokestack4 ,undoubtedly you have heard these stacks referred to as chimneys2 nevertheless1 from now on we will call them smokestacks4 ,steel smokestacks are supported by guy wires4 ,as a general rule two sets of guy wires support a steel stack1 but ,i have often found a smokestack supported by three sets of guy wires4 ,these guy wires consist of four wires to a set4 ,there is supposed to be a wire which runs through a sheave from the top of the stock to enable the stack man to rig up4 ,this wire is flexible and is called a gimblet wire4 ,above all things1 do not use this gimblet wire for ascending purposes2 by that ,i mean in such a manner as to cause the weight of your body to rest upon this wire1 as there is often great danger in an act of this kind4 ,read carefully the following few lines and you will be convinced of the risk you are taking by endeavoring to ascend on the gimblet wire4 ,if the gimblet wire in question has been in that position for a year1 in all probability it is rotten at the point where it runs through the hook at the top of the stack1 and it would not take much weight to loosen it4 ,so bear in mind1 no matter how light or heavy in weight you may be1 do not climb up on the gimblet wire4 ,the following is a more simple and far more safe way of getting to the top3 ,first of all1 get a board from six to nine feet in length and two to three inches in depth4 ,take one end of the gimblet wire and tie it to the end of your board1 and fasten the other end of the wire to the board about three feet from the end4 ,take your stack hook--a hook of good -inch steel4 ,this hook should be about fourteen inches long1 the hook being six inches long2 a five-inch opening with an eye opening of about two inches1 so that you can hook your block and tackle to it4 ,attach your stack hook to the board on the side opposite to where your gimblet wire is fastened4 ,be sure the hook is turned towards the stack4 ,illustration3 ,ready to ,pull the ,rigging ,up ,illustration3 ,the ,boatswain ,chair ,when this is done1 pull on the wire2 that will draw up your riggings1 reaving your block and falls out to the size of the stack1 so as to enable you to keep them from twisting with the gimblet wire4 ,now1 then1 should this board be weak and break while you have your riggings near the top1 to prevent them from falling down and one end of the gimblet wire from running to the top1 tie a heavy piece of cord to the end of the gimblet wire1 running it to the other end of the wire1 then fasten to your blocks4 ,this will prevent a hard day's work untangling your riggings from the guy wires1 should the board break4 ,illustration3 ,tripping ,riggings on ,top of ,stack ,after drawing your rigging to the top1 the board drawn tight up to the block on top of the stack1 pull on the gimblet wire that is attached to the end of the board4 ,this motion brings the end of your board bearing the hook and rigging up4 ,in some cases1 the stack being small in diameter and the board being too long1 the hook will stick far out from the stack1 and with all hard efforts will not lodge it over the top4 ,when you have this proposition to contend with1 leave the stack about three or four inches on the gimblet wire that holds the board tight to the block on the stack4 ,in some cases you have to drop the board as far as from two to three feet below the block1 in order to get your hook in a position where it will settle over the top of the stack with the hooked part inside of the stack4 ,this is very important4 ,be sure that the hook is not only setting on top4 ,this can be determined by twisting all four lines1 making them one bundle2 then by giving the lines a few switchings back and forth in all directions4 ,when this is done and you have fully convinced yourself that the hook is properly over the top1 then your next move is to start for the top4 ,if it is your first time in a boatswain chair1 ,i would suggest that you sound yourself first as to dizziness4 ,this can very easily be done by the following method3 ,stand along the side of the stack1 throwing your head to one side and looking up1 allowing your eyes to follow the stack and the clouds1 shaking the head at different times4 ,this brings on dizziness4 ,then stand erect1 so as to clear your head4 ,after getting into the boatswain chair1 you place the fall line of your riggings--that is1 the line with which you draw yourself up--between your legs4 ,this enables you and your helper to pull more steadily together1 and you get to the top much quicker4 ,i have noticed that the majority of stack men regard this as the most difficult part of the job--drawing to the top4 ,once up1 the job is half done4 ,after you reach the top of the stack1 the first thing to be done is to cut away the string that holds the stack hook to the board4 ,you then lower the board to the ground4 ,still tied by the wire to the board for further use in case you want to trip off with it when the job is finished4 ,there is still an easier way1 which ,i will explain later4 ,now we will say the work you are to do is paint4 ,for your information ,i will say that oil paint is preferred by ,steeple-,jacks for several reasons1 some of which are3 ,it is easy to apply in all kinds of weather2 you are bound to get plenty of it in the face1 and it is easier to wash off than tar4 ,from my personal experience ,i have found that graphite and oil preserve a steel smokestack better than any other4 ,you will come in contact with people who will differ with you as to this point2 however1 when you meet with a difficulty of this nature1 give the man what he asks for4 ,if he wants water1 give him water2 if he desires to have tar1 give it to him1 but if he wants something good1 then suggest an oil paint4 ,graphite and oil--the preservable4 ,a great number of men with whom you deal will say3 8,i want tar on my stack40 ,i have learned from my own personal experience that the answer which will in nine cases out of ten take with the man with whom you are dealing is something on this order3 8,if you want tar1 all right1 but it will cost you more money40 ,he will immediately confront you with a question similar to this3 8,why is that80 ,your reply should be3 8,if ,i put tar on your smokestack and come back next year for your work1 you will refuse me1 because tar blisters in places and rust forms under the blisters1 which prevent the rust from being seen1 and in a few years there are holes in the stack1 whereas an oil paint wears off1 showing the rust spots40 ,illustration3 ,changing ,positions on ,top of ,stack ,however1 ,i am running away from my story4 ,we will go back to the top of the stack4 ,you look down1 getting straight above a guy wire1 reach over as far as you can and paint1 leaving the space directly in front clear2 drop down about ten feet1 painting as you go2 draw up to the top again1 switching the stack hook over and directly above the next nearest guy wire4 ,in order to accomplish this1 take an extra hook similar to your stack hook and about seven feet of -inch line4 ,place the extra hook over the top2 tie the other end of the sling to the rope of your boatswain chair1 making it good and secure4 ,then lower your weight from your rigging until it rests on the extra hook and sling4 ,you then draw your regular stack hook up to the extra hook4 ,when this is done you pull your weight again to your riggings and push the extra hook around4 ,do this until you get to the position you want1 just above the next nearest guy wire1 repeating the same as you did above the other guy wire1 painting about ten feet down4 ,when this is done1 draw back to the top1 using the same method to get over to the middle of the two spaces you have painted4 ,then start to paint between the two spaces already completed4 ,by so doing you are able to make a larger sweep on your way down4 ,in order to make time on a stack it pays to have a helper on the ground1 so as to take the end of the fall line or handy line and pull you around and by doing this also help to keep you in to the stack1 which enables one to work to a better advantage and much quicker4 ,remember1 8,time is money10 and there is lots of it to be made4 ,the opportunity is there4 ,tradesmen of all walks of life say3 8,gee1 business is dull in my trade4 ,if ,i only had the opportunity that some people have40 ,a ,steeple-,jack should never say that1 because there is always work to be done on a smokestack the year 'round4 ,don't be afraid to ask for it1 and also a price4 ,yours is not a common trade4 ,it takes brains1 brawn and nerve1 so don't permit your nerve to fail you when you are asking a price4 ,another thing to be careful of is not to allow your rope to get caught and tangled in the end of a guy wire attached to the stack at the band4 ,should this happen1 it may put you in a very hazardous position4 ,give this a glance now and then and1 should such a thing happen1 do not get excited and start tugging4 ,the more you tug1 the tighter it gets4 ,have someone to switch it out from the ground4 ,it is possible to do this from the air4 ,illustration3 ,showing ,falls ,caught in ,guy ,wire ,high wind is the ,steeple-,jack's greatest enemy4 ,it is only a fool who would attempt to rig a smokestack when the wind is blowing a gale2 in fact1 it is almost impossible to work in a high wind4 ,more work can be accomplished in one-fifth of the time on a calm day4 8,time is money10 but always take time when your life is at stake4 ,always keep in mind the motto3 8,safety ,first40 ,when tying up your riggings for the night1 and it might be calm at the close of the day4 ,weather changes in a very few minutes at times4 ,to safeguard against the rope from wearing against the stack and guy wires1 walk out about fifteen feet from the stack1 taking a piece of extra sling4 ,tie the sling to some object that is solid1 throw two half-hitches with your fall line around the riggings just above the single block4 ,when this is done1 pass the sling which you have tied to some object through the hook of the block1 making it fastened to the block4 ,then pull the slack out of your riggings with the fall line1 at the same time keeping the two half-hitches just above the block4 ,do not take up all the slack2 leave some play in your lines1 using your own judgment as to whether the lines will come in contact with the guy wires4 ,the weather will shrink the line more or less4 ,,to ,,rig ,a ,,stack ,,without ,a ,,gimblet ,,wire ,when this proposition confronts you it may look to you like a job not worth fooling with4 ,it can be done and1 on some stacks1 almost as quickly as with a gimblet wire4 ,there are a number of ways to rig without the aid of a gimblet1 of which ,i will show you two of the quickest and most simple4 ,look over your guy wires and pick out the most solid of the lot running to the top band4 ,make sure of its anchorage4 ,there are supposed to be two clips at each end of a guy wire where it is connected to the turn-buckle1 and at the band place the double block without the stack hook on the guy wire4 ,tie a long and heavy line to the block4 ,take this line1 passing it around all the guy wires with the exception of the one the block and falls are attached to4 ,then reave out your line to what you would figure the length of the stack to be4 ,you then take hold of the line that is around the guys1 pulling on it and at the same time switching on your rigging4 ,unless the guy wire is slanting at about #de degrees down1 your rigging will slide up very easily4 ,with this system it is possible to get your rigging to within a very few feet of the top band1 then tie off your tug line1 be sure to some object that is good and solid4 ,remember your weight will be on that1 and also your life4 ,,safety ,,first always4 ,you only fall once4 ,use every safety device available4 ,remember this book only tells you how to rig1 but it takes common sense while following these methods1 and that is1 take no chances where you think a thing will hold4 ,be sure it holds4 ,the first thing to do when getting into the boatswain chair is to see that your lines are not twisted4 ,have your helper walk out some fifteen or twenty feet from the stack4 ,take the fall line with you on your way up4 ,the stack hook1 extra hook1 sling string1 small stick1 hang line1 and you are ready4 ,quite a load going up6 ,after placing the line between your legs and your helper stands away out1 this helps to avoid the twisting of your line4 ,while going up remember this3 ,a very steady pull1 the two pulling together4 ,long grabs and jerks are liable to prove disastrous1 as it may cause the line to snap4 ,half-inch line has tremendous straining power2 nevertheless1 there are flaws in rope and rope also rots4 ,my first experience on a stack ,i remember ,i wanted to buy #a-;inch line4 ,now wouldn't ,i have had a wonderful time trying to get that ton of rope to the top of a smokestack6 ,since then ,i have used -inch rope1 but that is too small4 ,at any rate ,i had the correct idea of 8,safety ,first0 at the beginning4 ,however1 -inch is the proper size for a job not over two hundred 7#bjj7 feet high4 ,now1 when nearing the top guy wire1 have your helper slack up1 allowing you to continue the pull alone4 ,when the two blocks are together tie a safety line to the wire4 ,tie the extra hook to the stick and the end of the sling to your chair1 then in the hook1 passing the hook over and in the eye of the band4 ,pull the stick away from the hook4 ,you then tie the stick to the block attached to the guy wire4 ,after this is done1 lower yourself until your weight rests on the line hooked in at the band4 ,make sure when lifting the riggings away from the wire that they don't fall1 leaving you up there in a great predicament4 ,if this should happen1 you will agree with me on that point4 ,experience is a great teacher4 ,i have had this experience3 ,on lifting the block away from the wire1 place it in the eye of the band2 also draw yourself up close to the band4 ,untie the sling1 tying it closer to the hook1 then draw up a long pole--the size you figure you will need to reach the top with4 ,tie the stack hook to the pole2 put the block and falls in the hook2 push it to the top4 ,illustration3 ,poling to the ,top of a ,smokestack ,now1 not in all cases is this as easy to do as to say4 ,if the top is only fifteen or twenty feet from the band1 it can be done without much effort1 but should it be a reach of thirty or thirty-five feet1 ,i would suggest the following method3 ,tie a hook to the pole just so it will stay on4 ,a light hook is required for this4 ,place your handy line through the eye of the hook4 ,tie the handy line end down about eight feet from the top of the pole1 then lash yourself to the band1 pull yourself up and stand in the chair1 throwing one leg over the guy wire4 ,make yourself good and solid1 spread your feet out in the chair4 ,do not have them together4 ,this sometimes prevents the chair from sliding to one side4 ,above all remember never to let your riggings get away from you4 ,you are in a mighty tiresome position4 ,always be sure to have a handy line with you in making a reach of thirty or thirty-five feet4 ,figure your pole1 which is only two by two or so1 is easily broken in a little wind4 ,i have had poles break eight or ten times before reaching the top of a stack4 ,now1 in pushing the pole up with a handy line1 always wait until the wind ceases for a second1 then up with it4 ,this has to be done quickly4 ,with the pole leaning against the stack once over the top1 pull the pole away from the light hook1 lower the pole until the top end is at the band4 ,tie on the hook and block1 then1 with the handy line now over the top1 pull on it and at the same time push on the pole with a steady push and pull4 ,the rest is very simple4 ,after this is accomplished1 undo yourself from the band1 lowering yourself into the boatswain chair4 ,hook up the riggings to the chair1 start for the top1 cut away the pole1 lower it down and start your work4 ,illustration3 ,climbing ,guy ,wire with ,slings and ,chair ,,how ,,to ,,change ,,the ,,riggings ,when completing one side of a stack and in order to get the tackle to another position on the stack1 twist the rope1 making it all in one2 then leave a little slack to make a snake whip movement towards the top1 and you will have the satisfaction of seeing your rigging move around on the top4 ,if the wind is blowing hard1 perhaps you will have to do several of the switching movements before getting the hook to start to move4 ,then take the line around the guy wire and you are ready for the next set4 ,,steel ,,stacks ,,with ,,brick ,,lining ,you will encounter a little difficulty in the shifting of your riggings from the ground when you are working on steel stacks with brick linings4 ,in fact1 you will save time by not trying to shift from the ground4 ,if the brick extends all the way to the top1 you will have to have a hook large enough to spread over the steel and brick4 ,it is wise to go to the top1 whether you have to tow it over fresh paint or not4 ,in doing this you have your helper walk out some fifteen or twenty feet4 ,you then place your legs around the fall line2 after this is done both you and your helper pull together4 ,in this movement you are going up backwards with your back towards the stack1 until about half way up2 then turn with your face towards the stack4 ,daub the tips of your shoes with paint2 this helps to cover up the prints of your shoes on the fresh paint4 ,if you do not comply with this rule1 the print of your shoes on the fresh paint will look from the ground as if those spots had never been painted1 and would tend to leave a bad impression as to your workmanship with the man for whom you are doing this work4 ,neat and impressive work draws more returns4 ,on reaching the top an equal size hook is required1 as aforesaid1 with the sling1 afterward having your helper take the fall line over the guy wires and you are ready to do another set4 ,,smokestacks ,,with ,,ladders ,there is no use of going into detail about rigging a stack that has a ladder on it4 ,this can be answered in a very few words3 ,walk up the ladder and hook the rigging over the top4 ,but there is this much about it--,watch your step6 ,these ladders after a few years become very rusty and the bolts where connected from the inside are sometimes eaten away by the gas from the coal1 and just a little weight on them might cause the handles to give way4 ,so always remember to be very careful when climbing a smokestack that has a ladder connected to it4 ,,steel ,,stacks ,,decay ,,at ,,band ,you will notice that as a general rule steel stacks commence to weaken at the first half-dozen sections from the top downward1 or at the band4 ,the rain hitting the in- and outside from the top1 and lying around the band1 is causing the rust to form more quickly than on any other part of the stack4 ,this accounts for the aforesaid parts weakening the quickest4 ,it is always wise to sound a stack at the top and band so as to determine whether it will stand much tugging or bouncing upon4 ,if it looks weak and you make up your mind that you will go through with what you are doing1 ,i would suggest that you do all the pulling and take just what tools you can possibly get along with4 ,,reguying ,to reguy a smokestack it is necessary to have these parts before the job is really called complete3 ,turn-buckles for the bottom ends of the guys and clips for both ends4 ,although you can guy a smokestack without these articles1 it is best to have them4 ,without the aid of the turn-buckle to draw the slack out of the guy wires1 a device like this can be used3 ,lash the guy wire with a sling1 using two half-hitches so as to grip the wire4 ,tie a bow-line knot at the opposite end so as to enable you to attach the block and fall1 placing the opposite block in the eye of the guy wire anchor1 then by pulling on the fall line1 this takes the slack from the wire1 even with the turn-buckles4 ,sometime you will have to resort to this method in order to take up the loose slack4 ,illustration3 ,drawing ,guy ,wire ,tight with ,block and ,falls ,when guying a stack the first thing to do is to place the spool that holds the wire between two boxes of equal size4 ,take your handy line and a small single block when going up to attach the guys2 hook this single block to the eye of the band at the position where you are to work2 have your helper tie the handy line about three feet down from the end of the guy wire1 and then bend the wire double4 ,you then have your helper do the pulling up of the guy wire4 ,should you do the pulling while sitting in the chair1 you would soon notice the strain from it in the stomach4 ,as you have nothing under the feet to press the strain there1 it really falls to the stomach to receive all the hard work4 ,always leave some slack to the guy wire4 ,a stack must vibrate to a certain extent1 therefore if the guy wires are drawn as tight as they possibly can be1 the chances are the result would be a broken wire or an anchor giving way4 ,illustration3 ,helper ,pulling ,guy ,wire ,up to ,stack ,band ,in using clips to fasten the wire at both ends1 they should be a size larger than the guy wire1 and when clips are not available1 allow about two feet over4 ,after passing guy wires through the eye of the band or the eye of the anchor1 take a piece of gas pipe of a size that will slip down over the guy wire some foot or a foot and a half1 then twist the end of the guy wire with the gas pipe around the other part of wire that extends down4 ,this is a wonderful way to fasten the wire to the stack1 and will last as long as the stack will4 ,illustration3 ,turning ,guy ,wire with ,steel ,pipe ,,tripping ,,the ,,riggings ,tripping the riggings off the stack after the job is completed takes only the work of a few minutes4 ,see to it before making the last trip up that you have that necessary appliance with which to save you a few unnecessary trips up and down4 ,take a small steel bar about -inch in size and bend it into the shape of the letter ,s4 ,judge the diameter of the band on top of the stack2 make the hook so it will fit snugly on top4 ,this hook should not be over five inches long4 ,after placing the trip hook on the stack1 take your handy line1 lay it on the hook1 tie the end of your line in the eye of your stack hook1 then tie up about two inches above the eye in several places4 ,the last two tie-offs will prevent the stack hook from falling to one side4 ,illustration3 ,handy ,line ,attached from ,s ,hook to ,stack ,hook ,illustration3 ,results of ,turning ,hook in ,wrong ,direction ,illustration3 ,hook ,turned in ,proper ,direction for ,tripping ,after leaving the stack1 have your helper tie the handy line away from the stack4 ,this flopping back and forth will annoy you while at work4 ,after you have finished and are ready to trip1 twist the rigging until it is twisted all the way to the top4 ,in doing this twist the rope so that the stack hook will turn out and away from the trip hook4 ,this is important4 ,leave slack on the riggings at the same time4 ,do not let it untwist4 ,then take the trip line1 pull steady on it1 until you see the stack hook raise up and over the stack4 ,then lower on the trip line until you see the stack hook is off and below the top of the stack4 ,then let go of the riggings so they will untwist2 lower away2 untie the handy line from the block hook2 then pull one end of the handy line to the top4 ,it will go through the small ,s up there and fall to the ground1 leaving the small ,s hook on top of the stack4 ,,self-,,supporters ,steel smokestacks are generally supported by guy wires1 although there are some steel stacks without guy wires1 which are called self-supporters4 ,self-supporters taper at the base and have an extra heavy foundation and a ladder to enable you to climb to the top1 although in my travels ,i have come in contact with one self-supporter that had neither ladder nor gimblet wire4 ,fortunately this self-supporter was very small in diameter4 ,in order to make the top of this particular stack ,i had to rely on an extension ladder1 working my way up by degrees2 first lashing the ladder to the stack1 extending it as far as safety would permit1 then lashing the stack again with an extra large sling about -inch1 making a bow-line knot and with a sling to both sides of the ladder ,i used the block and fall1 pulling the bottom part of the ladder up as far as possible1 lashing off again1 then pushing the top part up4 ,illustration3 ,ladder ,lashed to ,self-,supporting ,stack ,after making the lower half of the extension ladder solid at the top and bottom so as not to permit it to sway to either side1 climb the top half of the ladder1 lashing the stack again1 and repeat as before4 ,guy wires have to be replaced from time to time1 as these wires rust and fall down1 leaving the stack to the mercy of the winds1 if not attended to before they become so badly decayed4 ,as stated before1 stacks that are supported by guy wires have from one to three sets1 and generally four wires to a set4 ,a -inch galvanized wire is sufficient for any stack1 although some people prefer a larger size wire for double safety4 ,,knots ,knots are a very important factor in the ,steeple-,jack's life4 ,only knots that have been properly tested should be used4 ,many a terrible disaster has been caused by the use of a knot which was quickly invented by a man and never tested4 ,avoid such accidents by learning to tie knots in the proper fashion4 ,slip knots are bothersome as well as dangerous to both the person working in the air and the people walking underneath4 ,there are very few knots that are useful to the ,steeple-,jack1 and it is well for every man following this trade to learn to make these few knots well and thereby avoid delay when in need4 ,for instance1 if you were on the top of a stack and saw a part of your rigging that did not look any too safe1 or you were near a band and saw your hook was only sitting on top of the stack and not inside1 as it should be4 ,a sling and the knowledge of tying knots properly is required4 ,practice until you are thoroughly familiar with this important part of your trade4 ,,square ,,knot ,as ,i said before1 slippery knots are bothersome in many cases4 ,when you use the slip knot the only way to get it out is to cut the line2 then you are disfiguring the line or shortening it4 ,the square knot and the bow-line knot are the ones most commonly used4 ,in tying a square knot take the ends of the rope1 passing the left end over and under the right1 and then take the right end and pass it over and under the left4 ,in trying to make the square knot there often forms what is known to line men as 8the granny10 which is useless for any hazardous purpose4 ,follow the instructions of right over and left over and you can't go wrong in making the best-liked knot of all--the ,,square ,,knot4 ,in using the square knot while working in the chair1 make two half hitches in each end of the line4 ,this is used to insure double safety4 ,when using the square knot for the purpose of adding more line to the riggings1 tie both ends of the lines 7as illustrated on page #fa74 ,illustration3 ,square ,knot ,illustration3 ,granny ,knot ,illustration3 ,square ,knot ,sized at ,both ,ends ,,bow-,,line ,a more efficient knot than the bow-line knot was never known4 ,this knot is used more than any five knots put together in the ,steeple ,jack's work4 ,the bow-line knot is mostly favored in climbing a flagstaff1 when making the stirrup to climb1 and in many ways for the smokestack4 ,in making the bow-line knot follow the illustrations according to numbers4 ,in ,no4 #a the rope is formed in a bight2 pass ,no4 #a through the bight under then over and then under1 as illustrated in ,no4 #b2 then over and down through the bight as illustrated in ,nos4 #c and #d4 ,draw tight as illustrated on page #fc4 ,as ,i said before1 the bow-line knot is a very useful knot on the flagpole4 ,by placing the sling around the pole1 passing the end through the eye1 then make your bow-line knot1 leaving the loop for the size of your foot so as to slip your foot in4 ,illustration3 ,how to ,tie the ,bow-line ,knot ,,half ,,hitches ,the half hitch is used very frequently by the ,steeple ,jack1 especially in tying off the riggings for the night or pulling up a pole or paint4 ,in making the half hitches1 pass the end around the object you are tying1 then over and around1 standing part between the object and itself2 then under and around the standing parts and between own loop and the one first formed4 ,it is no more difficult and takes no longer to make this knot than it does for you to count three4 ,illustrations on page #fe4 ,illustration3 ,half ,hitch ,,the ,,black ,,wall ,the ,black ,wall1 known by many as the chair hitch1 is used by the ,steeple ,jack while working in the chair up or down2 stopping to rest or work1 reach through the rope of your chair1 grab the fall line by the right hand1 pulling it through between yourself and the rope of your chair4 ,at the same movement turning the rope from left to right making a loop in this movement1 reach up and set it on the hook of the block at the chair2 while doing this reach with the left hand and hold your four lines tight together4 ,this prevents you from going down while making the ,black ,wall or chair hitch1 as it is commonly known4 ,illustration3 ,black ,wall ,knot ,,tanks1 ,,towers ,,and ,,standpipes ,water tanks1 water towers or water standpipes are an easy matter to work on as far as the rigging is concerned1 but not as much money is to be made as on smokestacks1 church steeples and flagpoles4 ,nevertheless1 they are worth soliciting4 ,take1 for instance1 a water tank4 ,a water tank consists of only the tank itself sitting on a flat roof or ground4 ,water tanks vary in size4 ,we will say a tank twelve 7#ab7 feet in diameter1 fifteen 7#ae7 feet in height1 with very little rust scales4 ,this tank can be painted in about three hours and requires no more than three and one-half gallons of oil paint4 ,i have received as high as ,sixty 7#fj4jj7 ,dollars for a few hours' work on tanks of this kind4 ,illustration3 ,painting ,water ,tank ,standpipes are more on the order of smokestacks4 ,some have brick foundations running up a third of the way and again others have brick half of the way up and the other half steel1 while you find some that are all steel from the bottom to the top4 ,all standpipes have ladders going to the top1 therefore it is an easy matter to rig such standpipes with a set of falls and work in a boatswain chair4 ,for an example we will take a standpipe that is made of steel and that is one hundred and twenty-five 7#abe7 feet in height1 twelve 7#ab7 feet in diameter4 ,a standpipe of this kind would require about eighteen 7#ah7 gallons of oil paint4 ,it would take one man working in a boatswain chair about three and one-half 7#c7 days4 ,it is always safe to ask about #bej4jj for a job of this nature4 ,illustration3 ,painting ,standpipe ,,water ,,towers ,a chair man considers a water tower more difficult to work on than the two mentioned previously4 ,the majority of water towers are supported by four stiff legs4 ,some have more and very few less4 ,you will find very few water towers that stand less than one hundred and fifty 7#aej7 feet high4 ,to paint a water tower it is best to start on the tank proper1 tying a rope over the ball or pole that extends from the top of the tank1 allowing enough rope so that it will extend to the edge of the roof of the tank1 then attach the block and falls to same4 ,take the other end of the rope1 which is attached to the top of the tank1 running it down on the opposite side from where you are going to work1 and there fasten it securely to the beam under the platform to the other side4 ,illustration3 ,,water ,,tower ,attach the riggings at the top of each stiff leg to the platform while working down the leg supports4 ,it takes considerable time and plenty of patience when working on a water tower4 ,a water tower one hundred and fifty 7#aej7 feet high with four stiff legs and the tank proper about twelve 7#ab7 feet in diameter by twenty 7#bj7 feet in height will require in the neighborhood of twenty-five 7#be7 gallons of oil paint4 ,it will take one man approximately four days and a half 7#d74 ,it should not be difficult for you to secure about ,three ,hundred and ,fifty 7#cej4jj7 ,dollars for a job of this kind4 ,,church ,,spires ,a tapering construction and not a hard job to rig after once tried4 ,if you are capable of rigging a church spire1 then it is an easy matter for you to rig a church dome or any other structure of that nature4 ,for the majority of church jobs an extension ladder is the handiest article4 ,after drawing the extension ladder up to what is known to the ,jack as the pigeon hole window in the church spire1 build your platform from the window with #cd lumber1 extending it out some six feet2 lower a line down on both sides of the window1 having your helper tie the two ends together around the lower section of the spire4 ,then by drawing it to the window you will have your first loop around the steeple4 ,place the extension ladder on the platform2 nail two boards to the inside of the window1 then attach other ends of boards to the ladder4 ,use all the safety devices available when going out on the ladder4 ,lash the ladder wherever it is possible and also yourself by placing a line under the arms and tying the line that you have around the spire1 working it up as far as you can go1 then lash this to the ladder so as to keep the ladder from swaying to the left or right4 ,illustration3 ,showing ,ladder ,position from ,pigeon-hole on ,spire ,an extension ladder will bring you within a distance from which you can easily lasso the spire4 ,then by using the system already mentioned in the self-supporting stacks without ladders you will be in a position to accomplish any work you are on the spire for4 ,illustration3 ,showing ,where ,riggings ,should ,be ,lashed at ,top of ,spire ,,the ,,flagstaff ,although the flagstaff is the most simple part of the ,steeple ,jack's work1 at the same time it is the most dangerous4 ,before climbing a wooden pole look all around it first to see if any cracks are visible4 ,in all probability there are1 as most wooden poles are cracked4 ,if the crack runs up and down then the pole is safe1 unless it is dry rot1 but if the crack runs crosswise on the pole watch your step4 ,chances are it will hold1 but again it might not4 ,watch your step1 because no one will watch it for you4 ,remember1 a man can only fall once4 ,illustration ,,the ,,staff ,the flagpole is composed of the following parts3 ,the pole ball1 spindle1 truck1 sheave1 cleat1 brace and halyard4 ,the halyard is the rope with which the flag is drawn up to the top1 and it is never used for climbing purposes4 ,the art of climbing a flagpole with ease and performing that which is to be done upon the pole will be explained in detail later on4 ,the ball on the top of the staff plays no important part4 ,it is used more for ornamental purposes than anything else4 ,the spindle is the rod that runs from the ball through the truck into the pole4 ,the truck holds the sheave4 ,the sheave holds the halyard4 ,the cleat is for the purpose of tying the halyard to a few feet from the base of the pole4 ,the majority of poles have iron braces for support connected about six 7#f7 feet up from the base of the pole4 ,from experience ,i find the steel pole the most dangerous4 ,in my opinion it is more dangerous than the wooden pole for the reason that rust forms inside of the steel pole and around the bands where it is connected1 and in the winter time it is easily broken by the cold weather if any weight is put on it1 whereas the wooden pole can be tested by sounding it as to its condition4 ,if the wooden pole has the dead sound it is in all probability dry rot1 and with a pole of this kind ,i would advise you to be extremely careful4 ,never sway such a pole any more than you absolutely must1 and take plenty of time in climbing it4 ,a pole in this condition gives no warning before it breaks1 but a pole with plenty of sap gives a cracking sound before it gives way1 which gives the man working on it a chance to slide to a more secure position4 ,illustration3 ,climbing ,flagstaff ,with ,slings ,a boatswain chair and two slings are the only tools necessary to work on a flagpole4 ,take two slings made of at least -inch line1 splice an eye in the end of each sling--the eye being about two inches in diameter2 place the sling around the pole1 drawing the end opposite from the eye through the eye2 do likewise with the other sling2 tie the boatswain chair to the top sling1 allowing five inches from the rope of the boatswain chair to the eye of the sling2 tie a loop in the end of the lower sling--tying a bow-line knot4 ,this is called a stirrup4 ,leave the same distance from eye to knot as from the chair to the knot4 ,get into the boatswain chair4 ,the first thing to do is to see that the loop around the pole is as tight as it will go4 ,then place your foot in the stirrup1 take hold of the pole to steady yourself1 raise up in the stirrup1 and with the right hand push the sling holding the chair up1 again making the sling tight to the pole4 ,sit down in the chair1 reach down and pull the stirrup sling up until you can get your foot in4 ,repeat these movements and you will see how simple it is to climb without exerting yourself4 ,at every movement going up and coming down make sure that the sling that holds the chair is secure and thereby prevent it from slipping down4 ,should it be loose and slip down and your foot in the stirrup1 the result would undoubtedly be that you would be dangling in the air head down4 ,avoid all of this by taking every precaution4 ,,top ,,of ,,poles ,at any time you are working on a flagpole and the work consists of replacing a truck1 ball or spindle1 the only thing to do is to make sure of the pole being solid enough for a little swaying4 ,if so1 take a sling1 lash yourself to the pole under the arms as a back brace1 then reach up and pull yourself up and stand in the chair4 ,avoid shaking the pole as much as you possibly can4 ,then draw up the saw4 ,saw off about one foot of the top1 take a brace and bit1 drill the holes1 chip off around the edges and set your new truck on4 ,the spindle should be set about from #h to #aj inches down in the pole1 then wedge in with small sticks to make it solid4 ,in painting a flagpole use the halyard to hold your paint4 ,twist the rope several times to keep it at the same distance as yourself4 ,in painting a pole work down as you work up4 ,illustration3 ,working the ,top of a ,flagstaff ,illustration3 ,s ,hook ,used for ,tripping ,purpose ,illustration3 ,swivel ,snap ,illustration3 ,cleat ,illustration3 ,top of ,flagstaff ,illustration3 ,five-inch ,brush ,is ,mostly ,used by ,steeple-,jacks ,illustration3 ,come-along ,used for ,tightening ,guy ,wire ,illustration3 ,double ,steel ,ball-bearing ,block ,is ,preferred by the ,stack ,man ,illustration3 ,single ,steel ,block ,illustration3 ,clip ,illustration3 ,guy ,wire with ,clips ,illustration3 ,turn-buckle ,illustration3 ,gimblet ,block ,illustration3 ,extension ,ladder ,,prices ,,to ,,charge ,,for ,,work ,prices vary in the different parts of the country1 so it is really difficult for me to give you exact pointers on that1 but we will take for an example a smokestack one hundred and fifty feet 7#aej7 feet high1 six 7#f7 feet in diameter1 in six sections of the ,united ,states4 ,these prices are figured on the basis as follows 7the firm or individual for whom you are doing the job is to furnish the paint under these prices73 ,new ,york1 ,n4 ,y4 #acj4jj ,chicago1 ,ill4 #agj4jj ,denver1 ,colo4 #agj4jj ,san ,antonio1 ,tex4 #adj4jj ,new ,orleans1 ,la4 #ace4jj ,san ,francisco1 ,cal4 #acj4jj ,the following prices are used as to flagstaffs sixty 7#fj7 feet high3 ,new ,york1 ,n4 ,y4 #ce4jj ,chicago1 ,ill4 #dj4jj ,denver1 ,colo4 #dj4jj ,san ,antonio1 ,tex4 #ce4jj ,new ,orleans1 ,la4 #ce4jj ,san ,francisco1 ,cal4 #ce4jj ,with reference to forty 7#dj7 foot staffs1 use the following schedule3 ,new ,york1 ,n4 ,y4 #be4jj ,chicago1 ,ill4 #cj4jj ,denver1 ,colo4 #cj4jj ,san ,antonio1 ,tex4 #be4jj ,new ,orleans1 ,la4 #be4jj ,san ,francisco1 ,cal4 #be4jj ,as above stated1 these are not standard prices1 but it is safe for you to quote your prices along these lines4 ,,names ,,of ,,knots1 ,,bends1 ,,bights ,,and ,,hitches ,black ,wall ,hitch ,bow ,knots ,bow-line ,bow-line on bight ,bow shortening ,builders' hitch ,builders' knot ,butchers' knots ,catspaws ,chain hitch ,chain knots ,clinches ,close band ,clove hitch ,crown knots ,cuckolds' necks ,deadeyes ,dogshanks ,double chain ,double crown ,double figure-eight ,double knots ,double wall ,double wall and crown ,eye splice ,figure-eight knot ,fisherman's hitch ,fisherman's knot ,fivefold knot ,flemish eye ,fourfold knot ,french shroud knot ,gaff-topsail halyard bend ,garrick bend ,gordian knot ,granny knot ,gunner's knot ,half-hitch ,half-hitch and seizing ,half-hitch ,hawser hitch ,hawsers ,hitches ,larks' heads ,magnus hitch ,manrope knot ,matthew ,walker knot ,midshipmen's hitch ,mooring knots ,open-hand knot ,ordinary knot ,overhand knot ,pier bend ,reef knot ,reefing knots ,roband hitch ,rolling hitch ,running bow-line ,running knot ,sailors' knots ,sheepshanks ,short splice ,shroud knots ,simple hitch ,simple knots ,sixfold knot ,slip knots ,slippery hitch ,square knots ,stopper knot ,threefold knot ,throat seizing ,timber hitch ,tomfool knot ,treble knot ,turks' caps ,turks' heads ,twist knot ,wall knots ,waterman's knot ,weavers' knot ,wedding knot ,whipping ,wind knots ,,the ,,end