Rensselaer Union, Volume 2, Number 37, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 June 1870 — A Thrilling Scene. [ARTICLE]

A Thrilling Scene.

Two Spanish brothers, Rodriguez by mime, went to Father Edward PurCell and asked leave to put in order the lightning rod that runs up the tall spire of the cathedral at the corner of Plum and Eighth streets. The Father told them that the insulators on the rod wefe broken, and other repairs to it, nd one eculd tell how much, were needed, but he besought them to put up scaffolding in order to get at the rod which was to be repaired. Having been commissioned to do the work, they proceeded to the execution of it without delay. Coming out of the spire at one ot the Laurve windows, just above the dial faces ot the tower, the men swung a ladder, partly by ’ a rope dropped down from a narrow ■

aperture just below the banc of the spire, -«nd partly by Its own fco-ks canght upon 'he stone moulding round the next story above the tower. Up this pendulous lidifrr one of the m-n clambered, hang ing to the rugs like a parrot to its Dtirch. On the ledge of the molding which the hooks of the ladder hung to was a good base of operations. A half a dozen ladders were provided.. One was drawn un and planted on the new base, and lashed in place both at the top and bottom.. The top touched the last ledge of molding in the ascent, the base out of which the tower arose. On the streets for squares distant al-ng Plum in both directions, and along Eighth eastwardly, witnesses watched the ascent, while near the acene the pavements were lined with spectators. The two brothers were on the scene hy this t me. and the ascent up the spire proper had b- en commenced. The first ladder of this final series r< st-d on the base of the spire, and was lashed to it both at the top and the bottom, by ropes p-issing around the spire. The two men carried a second ladder up this one, lashing the bottom of the former to the top of the latter The next, thing was to secure this last addition to the climbing apparatus. One of the brothers dim’-ed it while the

other held its base.' Up in that dizzy height a rope was thrown around the spire, and the top of this last ladder secured by it, until five or six ladders were strung in the series, the topmost reaching within two or three feet of the base of the cross, which terminates the spire at a height of 222 feet above the base of the cathedral. When the line of spliced ladders hail -crept up the eastern face of the spire to this position, a ladder with hooks at the top was carried up and hooked upon the cross. One of the brothers ascended this, took position first upon an arm of ihe cross, and then stepped up and stood erect upon the very top of the upright portion ot the stone cross. Standing there, he unscrewed the top of the lightning rod, and tossed it to the ground. Several variations of the performance took place about this time. Otoe, both the brothers were on the opposite arms of the cross. The standing upon the top of the cross and the climbing about its arms’continued for some’ time, when the men descended, leaving their ladders for a continuayon of the performance. The crowd cheered when the top of the cross was reached—that is, the boys in the crowd cheered. The men were sober observers.- One strnng fellow turned from the sight with the remark that it was too much for his nerves. Others shuddered and audibly wished aloud for the men to come down, but still continued to look. Merf who had pa«sed rat four o’clock, when the work began, re-. turned and saw it completed at Everybody expressed relief when men came down, and many gave vent to regrets that the perilous work would be continued.— Cincinnati Gaiette. i