From my past experiences I have come to the conclusion that “time is money,” 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 street. Remember it is your time that is being taken up by the performance of whatever daring stunts you may be able to “show off,” and no matter how large an audience you may have, there are no benefits derived therefrom.
The work of a Steeple-Jack has a great many assets besides that of being able to earn a great amount of money. With the exception of the money question, here are two that will appeal to every man: First, it is healthful work, because you are always in the open air. Second, you have no boss. You are your own boss and may come and go when you please. However, I would not advise any man who is following this work to assume too great an air of independence. We all concede that it helps to be a little independent at times, but always bear in mind that it is the privilege of the “other fellow” to assume an air of independence also, and, after all, YOU are dependent upon his work. By that I do not mean just one individual, but I am taking your trade as a whole. In business we must give and take. Remember that.
The Steeple-Jack’s work is ordinarily performed on smokestacks, flagpoles and church spires. You will agree with me that there are very few who follow this line of work. Just to prove this to you, allow me to ask you a question: “How many Steeple-Jacks do you know?” Perhaps the answer will be “One,” “Two,” or “Three,” and, again, it may be “Not any.” 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 and, in a great many cities, not any.
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 work, for I have been convinced that cheap and skimpy workmanship gains nothing for you. However, on the other hand, if you put forth your best and succeed in pleasing the man who is to be considered, you can always count on a renewed order the following year. REMEMBER: Satisfy the other fellow first and you cannot help but satisfy yourself.
THE SMOKESTACK
To a Steeple-Jack any stack, regardless of whether it is composed of brick, steel or concrete, is a smokestack. Undoubtedly you have heard these stacks referred to as chimneys; nevertheless, from now on we will call them smokestacks.
Steel smokestacks are supported by guy wires. As a general rule two sets of guy wires support a steel stack, but I have often found a smokestack supported by three sets of guy wires. These guy wires consist of four wires to a set.
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 up. This wire is flexible and is called a gimblet wire. Above all things, do not use this gimblet wire for ascending purposes; by that I mean in such a manner as to cause the weight of your body to rest upon this wire, as there is often great danger in an act of this kind.
Read carefully the following few lines and you will be convinced of the risk you are taking by endeavoring to ascend on the gimblet wire.