The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-09-29
THE NEW CATHEDRAL.
Fifty Thousand Square Feet OF Marble
Wals-The Grandest Ecclesiastical
Edifce in America-Interest.
ing DescriptiOn-PrO-
gress OF the Work.

ocs The entire square between Fifth ana Madison
avenues aud Fifty first and Fifty second streets Is
occupied by the structure. Gigantic spars project
above the walls from the interior and, looking In
from the vast entrance, score OF workmen are
seen like lillputans lost among the marble BLOCKS
and scaGoidiug The blows Of Their hammers break
family on the silence of the area into which at
times there comes feeble murmur from busy
thoroughfares just below, ana the wiui that howls
outside scarcely strs the inner air, except where 1t
wnirls in little eldes just inside The empty doors
and windows one square from the towering
walls is the marble cutters yard resouAdl1B WIN
the ceaselcss ring of many cAseis ana s'feWh with
carved stones Of rare beauty.
This eGiGoe Is ST. Patrck's Cathedral, projected by
the late Archbishop Hughes ana intended 10 be the
most imposing church edidce In America. Tive
millions OF dollars are TO be devoted to Tie
work The corner stone was laid IN 1858,
in the pre- OF over 10000 people ana Tie con-
sruciou proceeded rapidly until the commence
ment or the war, when work was suspended for
four years. The walls have now rlsca tue height
OF nifty feet aud the portals IN the iron, aud tran,
septs give idea Of the beauty oil th structure
when completed; but no conception can he formed
now Of the grandeur of the ediGce except from the
large drawings OF the architect. ~ present there
are only bare walls and a vast amphithoatre filed
with tinbars marble blocks aud masonry; but when
completed majestic pile Will crown the noble
eminence visible from all approaches 10 New York.
gorgeous with stained windows, ana crowned with
taperng spires whose snow-whie shafts " III rival
the Arctic pinnacles.
Let us sand before the cathedral and contemplate
Its proportions. On the chisel-dressed upper sur
face OF the sto ne foundations sunk to the solid rock
there rests base course OF granite similar to that
OF the IT easury at Washington. From this pure
feet similar in architecture to the style which pre-
vailed in Europe from 1850 TO AGO. free from the
heavlness of an earlier and the over ornamcntatlon
and eccentcites Of later periods ana suggestive OF
the edGces at Amiens, Rheims ard Cologne, and
the naves OF York, Lincoln and Westminster. Two
towers 105 feet apart and 80 feet square rise 10 the
height Of 1S6 feet, when they assume The form OF
octagonal Comes, "a feet high, and then ascend as
spires to the further elevation OF l3S feet or rs feet
In all Each tower vii lbe divided into three stories
the first with doors corresponding to the main en-
trance, the second with richly decorated windows
and the third with four small windows on each side.
Above this will be the octagonal centres, "a feet
high, also with windows, supporting the panelled
spires and surmounted BY O cross.
The decorated main entrance, ~ feet Deep 80 feet
wide ana 81 feet HIGH Is 1anked on either side by
large painted window and EMPOWERED in carved
devices or religious significance. An orna-
mented arch, fringed with double row OF
foliated tracery, springs from columns with bases
and foliage caps, and terminates the top III O
mock final, forming itself symbol OF the whole
front. The gable Is panelled with racerles and has
shield bearing the arms OF the diocese in the
trail panel. over the gable Is a crochercd moulding
with large rich finals Of American foliage and a
row Of inches, TO lie filed with statues of saints and
martyrs seven feet SIX inches high. Above this is
the large rose window, tweay-sX feet in diameter
q magnificent blossom of Gothic tracery, with hun.
dred shafts OF marble radlaing from the centre and
holding triangular pieces OF stained glass; and gill
and decorated.
The transept fronts are divided into a nave with
two side aises, with doors anu windows, and orna-
mened with niche traceries. the doors are 20 feet
wide by 81 feet hgh, AMI the windows are p BIZ 81
feet Tue height OF the transept gables VIII be IT'S
feet TO the top Of the crosses. The Madison avenue
front Is 10 be used a. an entrance for the priests and
although the same general eifect VIII be pre- erved
IN the architecture 1t viii not be remarkable in
enc hundred aud three Windows, the lower tier 20
feet and the upper TIER Is leet high, VIII admit light
through stained glass and add to tue Imposing
eject of the exterior. There WIN be two tncsne ses
OF gass, with space OF two inches between the
frames so as TO prevent the formation OF ar
reats and preserve al eQaoie temperature through
The interior WIN be divided into nave, transept
and CHOIR The following are the dnnenslons-
Internal length SOC feet; breadth Of building, 90
feet; breadth OF chapes On each s'ie ! lecti lot
breadth ~ feet; length OF ueIlsept', lso f9et;
height OF nave, lCS feel; breadth o. nave, = iee,.
Tue nave ana UansepLs VIII nave ccntfa nave ana
two side Asses and with chapels III the nave. the
choir and sanctuary win have cenra' narc and
four siGe alses, with an extreme NldgI oil ll0 ieet
The height OF the side ai5ics WILL Ua o. lect ana
their breadth in the. nave - fee. The
nave WIN be divided from the aislcs By
thrty-twO clustered columns OF white marble, aud
the arches OF the nave ana aisles Wi ne OIL t1cA
MA tered and decorated in coos The choir will
have five bays, aud Will be arranged With double
asles either side OF The central aisle Tie chapel
OF the Bless u Virgin will be IN the aisle 81 tie rgnt
The ceatral aisle ana the s1cfstles IN ti5 aisle az
she leii. Inc high altar viii be located ioriy-cght
feet east OF the intersection OF nave al transept
ana viii be OF White marble with an altar screen Oh
coored marble columns, Win "a'e inatDic mches
and statues
towards the altar the scene wa b. OF ihdescri-
bable magnncence. An area OF 3, $40 square iect
VIII be spread out before tie visitor. from the
tessellated floor aud Ron upholstery OF the aeats the
eye VIII lit up along clustered column ald DQ.alc
devices TO an ayched and star-s.alne ceulnr, with
foliaged bases and wrought cribs, ITO feet high.
on the right and LETT SPACIOUS cAapeis
will look out upon the nave, ana far doan
beyond the transient IN the dn religious igti' OF the
gorgeous wind ows VIII stand tie imposing altar.
Still further on there will be the ciapo OF the
Blessed Virgin, and rs one walks along the spacious
alses to scan the fair proportions, half hidden III
the distant reccsses "A flood OF Dry VIII Ditst upon
him rom the blazing rose windows aooye the
grand front entrance. FOurteea thousand people
vii be accJ annotated Ia the building. ana Ia an
emergency 1900 eau &c admitted. me largest Of
our Churches WI not seat owes d 90 add tne i'm.
scented when al the solemn dedication OF ths cathe.
dral the s,cred anicn Of praise lfst sWes tHrough
From oae oi The towers srept bell will send i,s
deep-t0nei summons iar aerosi the cry over the
ryefs That fiow IN sight OF the marble pile. ana out
into tue villages and valley OF New Jersey and Long
Island. ia the other tower tile chimes Will be
placed In the clear atmosphere OF upper New
York Their music Will ring ont swectiI over one oil
the most arlsOcratc aud elegant localities IA the
world. Where unsighily excavations ROCKY ledge:
and the shanties OF the rap.uly Tectdin9 poor
now abound there will be al tue hrs
peal OF those chimes long shaded avenues, oyel
whose smooth paveInents fashion VIII disporl 10
Qilded cquipagos, paatal residence, dining every
square, ald all that wealth aud taste secure bl
concentl ated about the sacred edlGcc PeOpic Iron
every section OF our country Will worship tCOrc lht
Cathedral's altar; for what Catholic man OF woman
would visit New York over the sabbath wlthOai at
tending services In this magnificent temple, nOnu
mem alike to Catholic enterprise and Christian iber
alityS Not only the city OF New York out the who
country may be proud of this noble structure.
The work on the cathedral Is progressng rapidly
Ono hundred thousand dollars were subscfiOet
before the laying OF the corner stone and large con
tributions have been received since. no diiilcnt
Whatever is apprehended in raising the neceAsa
funds. The dlOcesesis thoroughly enlisted 10 ~