The Nevada Democrat., 1858-04-21
From the Cincinnati Enquirer
A Thrilling Scene.

Mr. Thomas Kingston, who for several years
has followed the business Of putting up lightning
rods, which, of course, requires steady nerves
and firm brain, met with an accident recently,
by which, but for the most singular presence
OF mind, er rather supernatural instinct, he
would have fallen from dizzy height, and
been dashed to pieces. He is compelled to climb
roofs, over chimneys, and put up spires and fix
rcd, with perfect coolness and precision, hun
drCds of feet above the level of the earth.
On the occasion to which we refer, Mr.. X.
had ascended st. Paul's Cathedral, whose spire
is about two hundred and thirty-Gve feet high,
near the head of Broadway, and clung to the
very top, where, having left his ladder below
he clung by his arms and legs, fastened the last
foot of the rod and attached its point quite a
heavy piece of metal-securely, as he supposed,
to the cross surmounting the steepls. He had
just completed this difficult and dangerous task,
watched by number Of persons in the street
below and while looking at the work and ex-
pSrieneing that satisfaction which results from
hazard passed aud labor accomplished, of q
sudden something heavy struck him aud made
his brain reel, until he could hardly see. In-
stead of losing his hold at once, as would seem
to have been the natural and inevitable result
he cung with a power beyond himself, and
will superior to his own, closer and instructive
ly to the spre. He knew not what had occurr-
ed, and to his confused senses it appeared that
the steeplc was tumbling, or that some strange
cause was about to bring the vast structure to
the ground.
Some forty seconds-an age to hini--must
have elapsed before he sufficiently collected his
scattered thoughts and subverted consciousness
to know that the entire upper part of the rod
had fallen upon his head, causing the blood to
trickle over bis forehead, and nearly binding
him. He was in o dreadful perplexity, and most
dangerous position. He feared, If he moved
he would 60 ceaving the air to q terrible death
upon the stony street below-and at the same
time be knew he could not, in the disordered
state of his nerves, and his increasing weakness,
retain his grasp, more the result of fate than
Of feeling, much longer. If he stirred he might
fall; if he remained he certainly would and So
determined to make at least an effort for his
life, he put one foot very cautiously, then his
arms, and then moved the other foot; and after
half minute Of exertien and the greatest dan
ger, he touched the topmest round Of the ladder,
and in q few seconds more was inside Of the
steeple and SAFE
Then it was Mr.. Kingstons great courage and
strength forsook him; his nerves and muscles
relaxed; he grew sick unto death; his knees
gave way; his vision swan. and he sank upon
the platform motiOnless and insensible. He
must have lain there half an hour before he
could rise and walk and he did not recover
from the shock for more than fortnight after
ward.
The people gazing up at him from the street
describe the scene as painful and exciting in
the extreme. When they observed the rod fall
thrill of horror ran through their hearts, and
two women swoened away, for they expected
to behold him the next moment dashed to pieces
at their feet. Destiny had ordered otherwise,
and Mr. X. still pursues his dangerous avOca-
ton; but he forget the intense horror Of those
century-like moments when he seemed to hang
upon the air more than two hundred feet above
the earth, and to be momOntarily descending to
o dreadful death.