Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1858-08-18
The Cathedral OF the Continent.

Archbishop Hughes, of New York, has com
Ineneed the construction in that city of the
most imposing Cathedral on the American con
tinent The ceremony of laying the corner
stone took place on Sunday, the 18th, and the
concourse Of people is estimated by the Times
at one hundred thousand. The new st. Pat
rick's Cathedral will stand ON the block Of
ground bounded by Fifth and Madison avenues,
and BY Fiftieth and Fifty-frst streets, and is TO
be raised some five feet above the level Of the
sidewalk, and surrounded by a terrace. In his
address, the Archbishop stated that one hundred
and three persons had subscribed and many Of
them had already paid, $1,000 each, to carry
forward the great work of the new Cathedral,
during the first year of its progress. subjOined
is description of the building as'furnished by
the Architects, Messrs Renwiek and Rod
rigue
The building Ia to be Gothic structure, on
the plan of Latin cross, 32s feet long and us
feet wide On each corner of the west front
there are 20 be towers, the north tower TO be
capped with high pointed roof, and the south
ern one to bear lofty openwork spire 1888 feet
in height from the pavement 10 the cross. A
nOcle porch, deeply recessed, and fringed with
long pendants, will occupy the space between
the towers; above this will rise the gable, TO
the height of $50 feet from the ground, orna-
mented with large rose window.
At distance of twenty three feet from the
ceatre, immense buttresses will rise on the sides
and rear; these are to be constructed of solid
masonry, and will sustain the arches and vault
ed roof; they are TO terminate with foliated pin
naces and support the walls Of the elerestOry
with graceful flying buttresses. Between each
buttress in the side aisles and clerestory will
be richly traceried windows. The church is to
be entered by several flights of marble steps
The material is not vet decided on. The
Archbishop desires the building to endure as
long as any human work can last, and the
Architects have been engaged in testing the
merits Of different kinds of stone during the
summer.
Entering the church by the western porch,
forest of tall marble columns will meet the eve.
Fifty seven clustered shafts will support the
groiEed roof and bear the arches which divide
the aisles. Nothing viii intercept the view,
and from the door to the aspe which terminates
the church, the high altar, approached by three
fights of steps, will be the only conspicuous
object to break the perspective. 0n either side
of the altar there are to be chapels large enough
to seat any ordinary congregation, and between
each of the butlresses of the nave, which pro-
ect outwards sixteen feet, will be small chapels,
giving a larger and more airy appearance to the
church.
The vault of the roof will be of masonry
the only one of any size in the United States.
No pews are to cucumber the foori the seats
will be either free, or, more probably, chairs
will be let out for each service after the manner
of the French and Italian churches Behind
the high altar is TO be chapel Of Our Lady;
there will be no cellar or crypt The building
rests on one solid rock, and the floor will be
simply leveed off ard paved with marble.
The Cathedral was designed by James Rem
wick, Jr-, and has been his constant study for
upwards Of eight years. The foundation will
be completed tn Autumn, and next Summer
the work will be pushed on vigorously. IN
three years from this day part, at least, Of the
edifiee will be sufficiently forward to allow of
the celebration of the services Of the Church.
Such is the plan Of the church. Its iuaugu-
ration was commensurate with the design.