The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1860-03-09
Appalling Catastrophe.
Failing ofG Wall at ST. Xqvier's Church,
Thirteen Lives Lost.

Cincinnati 1htTteen LiVeS LOST
The city of Cincinnati was thrown into
state OF great excitement yesterday, in
consequence of an appalling catastrophe
which occurred about eight O'Clock in the
morning, at the St. Xavier Church, on
Sycamore street. between Sixth and
Seventh. The Church has lately been
undergoing demolition, preparatory TO the
erection Of new and more commodious
one. and is at the present time more than
half torn away. Some thirty or forty la
borers, mostly Irish, were engaged in
the progress Of. razing, thirteen Of whom
at the time of the accident were at work
on one Of nofthern walls, arranging TO
tumble il down, but of sudden it tot
tered, and without moments warning
to the unfortunate workmen il fell inward
ly. burying all Of the thirteen beneath the
ruins. The news of the sad calamity, so
unusual and so terrible in its details, spread
through The length and breadth Of our
city like wild6re, and scarce half hour
had elapsed before there were drawn TO
;he spot fully fifteen thousand spectators.
Hundreds of people with picks and spades
lent their might, and quickly the bodies
Of the men were exbumed, exhibiting in
their mangled appearance most hor-
rible and revolving spectacle. Brains,
pieces ofskulls, &C., were scattered about
here and there. and the bodies generally
were so mashed and disfgured as 10 pre-
clude immediate identification. Fathers,
mothers, wives, sisters, and brothers, OF
those known to be employed at the church
flocked 10 the ground, and by their pi:e-
Gus waiings, mingled cries and prayers,
frantic ajaculations, and in some cases,
the most terrible suspense, all formed a
pagent Of sorrow and desolation that we
hope never again to witness.
The bodies were removed fast, as the
work OF disinterring proceeded, TO a sub.
terranean apartment Of the ST. Xavier
school, building adjoining. The first
one taken from out the crumbIing mass
of brick and morter, was identified by a
woman close at hand as being that OF her
husband. As it was borne away she
threw herself upon the corpse and clung
TO il with the greatest tenaCity, the whole
time giving vent to the most unbounded
grief that must have touched the sympa-
thies OF those around. To disengage her
from the body required force. She was
led away, but needed not The caress:ng
kindness Of friends; a ghaslly smile was
perceptble about her lip. and her eye was
lustreless, and wandered in frenzy from
object to object. She mnttered incohe-
rent sentences, and ever and anon would
pause and fold her hands to Heaven, as
If in prayer. At dusk last evening ske
a0as maniac-the awful reality Of the
day was too much for her.
One of The killed, young man from
Brown county, Ohio. had just been EN-
ployed-scarce an hour had elapsed from
the time Of his setting to work before bis
death. He came 10 this city for tie pur.
pose Of stud ying bookkeeping, and com
pleled course OF instruction at one OF the
colleges last week; being without friends
and without money, lie availed himself o
au opportunity OF going to work as Ia
borer.
With the exception OF the above men
toned, all the parties were married anc
leave families, who are in the mos: abiect
circumstances. depending upon the mea
gre pltIance OF dollar day for subsis'
| tence.
With much endableness, the So
ciety and Church Of Jesus (Jesuits) have
determined upon aiding and caring fol
the families Of the deceased. AT all thu
different Catholic churches o! the cit,
there will also be taken up, next Sunday
a collection for the same purpose.