Folder: S.F. Churches-Catholic-St. James.
Newscopy: "San Francisco's famed steeplejack Ralph Clark had a routine job yesterday, as far as he was concerned, but to gaping spectators it was a chilling experience. St. James Church at 23rd and Guerrero-sts is being repainted, and Mr. Clark, with his assistant Paul Donley have been assigned the job of gilding the cross and ball atop the steeple. The first picture shows Mr. Clark after he'd successfully reached the pinnacle. The board on which Mr. Donley sits, projects from a doorway 20 feet below the top. But the next pictures show the problems the two men faced in their job. Mr. Clark used a long pole to hook a rope ladder onto a bracket (arrow in the second photo). Then the two of them threw their weight on the ladder - and it and the bracket came loose and tumbled down around them."
Newscopy (continued): "Third picture shows the different method they then used. Mr. Clark, at top, swung a steel cable around the steeple and Mr. Donley caught it. Using it as a safety belt, Mr. Clark inched his way to the top and, in the final picture, waves to show how easy it was. First picture was taken with a News camera with a five-inch lens, and the other three with The News 'Big Eye' 40-inch lens."
