Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1858-08-06


tors. in Rome. has Just been finished and
dedicated with great pomp and ceremony in
S. Petersburg The church, which is said to
be magnificent as well as gigantic structure
was commenced by Alexander |. in 1918, and
has consequently been forty years in the pro-
cess of construction The church will prob
ably stand for centuries, a monument Of Rus
sian greatness and perseverance. Its style is
uniQuee, and it is surmounted by dome
three hundred and forty feet high, supported
by twenty-five polished granite pillars, and
surrounded by massive bronze gallery. IL
ha, four fronts. furnished with porticos of one
hundred and twelve feet in length, which arc
supported by granite moonliths fifty feet high.
The situation Of the building is unequallcd,
ON the Place of St. Isaac, adjoining the
Admiralty with its principal front look
inc out on the Ncoa, and environed by pala-
ces, il ovorlooks not only the whole city, but
its dome, with its lanterns and cross, is WISH
bic from the entire surrounding country, as
far as Cronstadt and the Gulf of Finland.
The dedication of the church commenced
on the 9th Of June with the conservation Of
the principal alter the two other affairs were
consecratcd on the following days. The ded
ication was not treated simply as a religious
ceremony. but likewise as a military and pop
ular festival The Guards formed an espaler
from the Winter Palace to the church. and
the latter was encirclod by military Gordon,
outside of which platforms were erected to
which spectators were admitted at prices
ranging from one to fifteen rubes per head.
Windows in the vicinity, commanding good
view of the main entrance 60 the church,
rented at one hundred TO one hundred and
fifty rubles for the first day. At halfpast
ten o'clock the Emperor, accompanied by the
Crown Prince Of Wurtcmburg and brilliant
and numerous suite. left the palace on horse
back, and rode along the line Of the military
whore he was greeted by the populace and
soldiers with the most enthusiastic cheers.
lie was followed by the Empress, who like
wise passed along the line of the military in
the gala carriage used at tho coronation. The
entire imperial party then proceeded through
the espalier OF Guards into the church. where
grand mass sung by fourteen hundred
voices. After this, procession was formed
and marched round the cditice, led by the
Metropolitan. assisted by numerous body of
Archimandrites. In tho rctinue Of the En-
peror. during the procession, was the aged
but still robust and active architect of the
cdifce, Montfcrrat, who has been presented
with 10000 rublcs and annual pension Of
5000 rublcs. 70 be continued to his wife, in
case she survives him. and has been raised to
the rank of an actual Councillor Of State.
The first church dedicated TO ST. Isaac Of
Dalmatia was erected Of wood, In ZIG, to
commemorate the birth Of Peter the Great.
and was rebuilt with stone in the following
year. This building stood close TO the shore
uf the Nova, near the spotai present occupied
hy the equestrian statue Of pctcr the Great
q " a q arf.
romaiued vacant for thirty years. In l76S.
Catharine II directed the reconstruction Of
the church on its present site. The Emperor
panl added q cupola Of brick-work to this
structure, notwithstanding which it remained
$50 ungainly, that its demolition and the cree
ton in its place of new edifce, Of marble
granite and metal, was resolved upon. 1t
was not. however, till 1918, when Alexander
J. approved the plans Of Montierrat, the I'M
perial architect-in-chicf that the building now
Just finished was actually begun How many
millions of rubles have been expended upon
the building within these forty years, it Is
impossible to say. for although the work of
the mechanic and laborer may have stopped
occasionally within this time, yet artists, such
as sculptors, painters, &c, have been uninter-
ruptcdly employed on the decorations.
A German letter from St. Petersburgh, June
lG, gives some additional particulars Of inter-
est respecting this church. Tho writer says
that an immense concourse Of people continued
70 visit the church. notwithstanding that the
dedication ceremonies were concluded, and
still passed into the building to feast their
eyes upon the splendors of the great oriental
cathedral. 1t is constructed of granite, mar
bic, iron. malachte, aabaster lapi-lazul,
bronze, silver and gold,--wood having been
altogether excluded from the building, except
in some of the doors. The lightning rods
are made Of platina while the great dome
and the five crosses, visible at distance of
forty versts, are plated with pa pounds Of
gold The interior area is 10000 square feet.
The entire structure as it Misunderstanding
the II gigantic pillars with the Corinthan
capitals, the dome, and the immense bell of
$4,000 pounds weight, with all the interior
splendors Of porphyry, Of Carraran marble
and gold, the ''lnconostase, with It's gilt dec
oratious and the works of art in painting and
lpturo-reproscnt an expended capital of
nearly ninety million thalers NEARLY 500, OOO,-
COO. The granite moneliths, measuring So
feet in height and feet diameter at the base
cost each 10000 thalers. 100000 thalors
were expended on gold augmentation.
The Cincinnati Gazette Of Monday reports the
total destruction of Gen. Harisons famous
log cabin at North Bend. 1t occupied
by Col. VIM. II. II. Taylor. (who married
daughter of Gen. Harrison and family, and
such was the rapid progress of the fire, and
SO late its discovery, that the members Of the
household barely escaped in their night
clothes.
OF course nothing was saved in the way of
furniture or documents, and the probability is
that many valuable papers LETT by President
Harrison. together with articles cherished as
relics of the Old Hero, and Of the early his
tory of the West have been destroyed with
the building The only portrait of Mrs.
Harrison in existence, painted by Beard
with two or three of the General, taken at
different periods of his life, are also probably
destroyed
PUBLIC RECEpuoN.-The Louisville Con-
ricr pcrpetrates a pungent take-of of the GUS
tom of giving receptions to returning Mem
bers of Congress. 1t says when Humphrey
Marshall reached that city Robert f. Baird