Year: 1870




Two brothers named Rodriguez, Spaniards.
as their names indicate, came to Father Ed
ward 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 were broken and other
repairs to it, no one conld tell how much,
were needed, but he besought them TO put
up scafolding in order to get at the rod,
which was to be repaired. Having been COM
uissioned to do the work they proceeded to
the execution of it without delay.


To the passers along the thoroughfares the
sight Of two men treading their way up the
outside of the spire was full of interest Com
ing out Of the spire at one of the Louvre win
dows, just above the vial face of the tower,
the men swung ladder partly by a rope
dropping down from narrow aperture just
below the base of the spire, and partly by It's
hooks caught upon the stone moulding
around the next story above the tower. Up
the pendulum ladder one OF the men Chamber
ed, hanging TO the rungs like parrot to the
perch. On the ledge of the moulding the
hooks the ladder hung to was good base of
operations. A half dozen ladders were pro-
vded. One was drawn up and planted on
the new base, and lashed in place both at the
top and bottom. The top touched the last
ledge of moulding in the ascent, the base out
OF which the tower arose.


On the streets for squares distant, along
Plum, in both directions, and along Eighth.
eastwardly, witnesses watched the ascent,
while near the scene the pavements were lined
with spectators. The two brothers were on
the scene by this time, and the ascent up the
spire proper had been commenced. The first
ladder Of this final series rested on the base
OF the spire and was lashed to it both at the
top and the bottom, by ropes passing around
the spire. The two men carried q second
ladder up this one, lashed the bottom of the
former to the top of the ladder. The next
thing was to secure this last edition of climb
ing apparatus. One OF the brothers climbed
it while the other held its base. Up in that
dizzy height 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 ter
inmates the spire at height of two hundred
and twenty-five feet above the base OF the
Catnedral. when the line OF Spliced ladders
bad 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 po-
sition first upon an arm of the cross, and
then stepped up and stood erect upon the
very tiptop OF the upright portion of
that stone cross. Standing there he unscrew-
ed the top Of the lightning rod and tossed it
to the ground. Several variations of the per-
formance took place about this time. Once,
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 same time, when the men de-
scended, leaving their ladders for continue
tion 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 obsery-
ers. One strong fellow turned from the sight
with the remark that it was too much for his
nerves. Others shuddered audibly, and wish
ed aloud for the men to come down, but still
they continued to look. Men who had pass
ed at fonr o'clock, when the work began, re-
turned and saw it completed at sundown.-
Everybody expressed relief when the men
came down, and many gave vent TO regrets
that the perilous work would be continued
tO-daY.-Cincinnai Gazette.