Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-09-02
A solemn CEREMONIAL.

The city OF Louisville on Monday last presented So
Tenn spectacle The awful calamity Of the previous dav
had sensiby wrought upon the minds Of all and hers 49,
In the air and tone OF persons suerestvs az
personal misfortune to each. Business was suspended
and what are generally the thronged streets wore
Sabbath-day appearance The bells throughout the ctv
were toed for several hours in the middle Of the day
and grief sat upon every counenance 1t was day set
apart for the burial Of the dead The people began n
collect as early as II o'clock at the First Presbyterian
Church to witness the funeral ceremonies Three o'clock
was the hour appointed for the services to
Such was the hrong in and about the building that Il
thought best to conduct the services in the yard which
as well as the streets around it, were filed with human
bongs Every one present seemed be deeply impress
Cd with the occasion At the northeastern angle of the
tower tables were placed upon which the collins contain
ing the bodies Of the dead were laid
The exercises conducted by several cerpymen or
the Presbyterian denomination. After the chanting Of
hymn the Rev. Mr. MoRRIsos, who officiating in the
church when it FELL gave short Of the accident
He remarked that upon previous occasions the place
Of worship Of the Walnut street Presbyterian Church.
now 60 completely ruined, had suffered from mishaps
Upon one occasion the eastern wall was blown in and at
another time the tower unroofed On the Sabbath 80 dis
astrous to life he requested preach but was NOT
generally known that there would be divine service hence
the small number that were assembled Upon next Sun.
IeCeutlV
would be installed There were not than eghtyfve
persons in the house at any time Sunday During the
sermon, which had been commenced at later period
than usual storm came up, and the main door Of the
basement room where the meeting being held was
blown open. An Elder Of the church Immediately arose
and closed Again the door was forced open and again
closed Athird time the violence Of the wind blew the door
open notwithstanding the Elder pressing tat the time
Instantly the whole house filed with particles of sand
and the speaker had his eyes filed with the fine dust
This caused some disturbance in the assembly and most
OF the persons arose to their feet jumping out Of
son said ne had no time to from the effects the
gust OF wind that struck him with particular fury before
he heard cracking sound overhead and in moment Of
time after the tempest blew open the door with such vo
!ence, filling the room with sand the whole walls had
fallen in Immediately above the pulpit in which he was
standing the pasterng not broken and to his right
several old ladies escaped unhurt He expressed himself
being greatly shocked at the suddenncss Of the caaity
and when he fairly recovered from the blindness caused
by the ascending dust &C. terrible sight presented
itself Before him he saw two men already dead, the
head OF another man greatly mangled just appearing
MES Of DEATH and young lady with her body ben.
one Of the seats and her face most horribly distorted
From the different parts Of the building he could hear
the groans of the dying and the sted screams Of the
crushed, but could distinguish bodies but these first
mentioned the others being actually buried in the mass
never fall to his lot to witness such another calamity
and in view of this terrible affection so unexpected to
those Immediately concerned he would warn all present.
in the language of the SCRIPTURE Beyc also ready for
in such an houas ye think not the Son Of Man eometh
Rev. Mr.. HILL then made some impressive comments,
and Rev. Mr. HsEY concluded the exercises with prayer
The copses were then taken back the which
Immediately proceeded to the designated burial grounds
followed by the relatives and friends of the dead.