Year: 1870

/


From the Cincinnati Gazette.


Two Spanish brothers, Rodriguez by


name, went to Father Edward Purcell and


asked leave to put in order the lightning


rod that runs up the tall spire of the cathe-


dral at the corner of Plum and Eighth


streets. The father told them the insula-


tors on the rod were broken, and other re-


pairs to it, no one could 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
/ commissioned to do the work they pro-


coeded to the execution of it without


delay. Coming out of the spire at


one of the Louvre windows, Just


above the dial-faces of the tower, the


men swung a ladder partly by rope
| drOppfd down from q narrqE- apersture
| Just below the base of the spire and partly


by its own hooks caught upon the stone


molding around the next story above of the


tower. Up this pendulousl ladder one of the


men clambered, hanging to the rungs like


a parrot to it's perch. On the ledge of the


molding the hooks of the ladder hung TO


was good base of operations. A half a


dozen ladders were provided. One was


drawn up and planted on the new base and


lashed IN place both at the top and the bot


tom. 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 along Plum in both direc-


tions and along Eighth eastWardly wit
nesses 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
lol rnff apha 4


base of the spire, and was lashed to it both
at the top and the bottom by ropes pass


ng around the spire. The two men carried
a second ladder up this one, lashing the
bottom of the former to the top of the lat
ter. The next thing was to secure this last
addition of climbing apparatus. One of
the brothers climbed it while the other
held its base. Up in that dizzy height
a rope was thrown around the spire,
and the top of tie last ladder secur-
ed by it, until five or six ladders
were strung in the series, the topmost reach
ing within two or three feet of the base of
the cross, which terminates the spire at
height of 222 feet above the base of the ca
thedral. When the line of spliced ladders
had crept up the eastern face of the spire to
this position, a ladder with hooks at the top |
was carried up aud hooked upon the cross |
one OF the brothers ascended this, took !
position first upon an arm of the cross and |
then stepped up and stood erect upon the
very top Of.he upright portion of the stone
cross. Standing there he unscrewed the |
top ofthe lightning rod and tossed it to the |
ground. Several variations of the perform |
ance took place about this time. Once both |
the brothers were on the opposite arms ofthe
cross. The standing upon the top of the |
cross and the climbing about its arm con-
tinued for some time, when the men de- /
scended, leaving their ladders for con-
tinuatiOn of the performance. The crowd |
cheered when the top of the cross was
is the boys in the crowd /
cheered. The men were sober observers. /
One strong fellow turned from the sight |
with the remark that it was too much for
his nerves. Others shuddered audibly and |
wished aloud for the men to come down. /
but still continued to look. Men who had |
passed at o'clock, when the work began,
saw it completed at sundown.
expressed relief when the men
came down, and many gave vent to regrets
that the perilous work would be continued |