The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-10-23
A NEW FIFTH AVENUE SHRINE


Principal among the stately ecclesiastical edinces
whose domes aud spires daily rising above
tho palaces OF New York Is the new Episcopal
church OF ST. Thomas, now rapidly approaching COM
pletion on Fifth avenue, at Fifty-third street. Az
one reaches the eminence on which the marble
walls OF the great cathedral are being reared
his eye rests upon a majestic pile just beyond,
already wrought into imposing nave and transept
and crowned with noble dome. Every angle
and window OF the edifce Is eloquent with
the poetry or imposing and symmetrical
architecture, and contemplating Its unfinished but
grand proportions the behoder is filed with admi-
ration AS yet however the outlines or the struc-
ture are only suggestive OF future grandeur The
dome is not half finished, the walls OF the tower
only reach to the base or the Gothic ribs that form
the network or the roof ana the immense rose win
dows are empty and dark. Outside the walls are
great piles OF timber aud brown stone blocks with
scores Of workmen buslly engaged among them;
and through the rafters there project towering
masts from which wide scafolding depends and
up whose sides there constantly gdes mass OF
chaotic material that slowly separates at the top and
blends as If by magic with the beauty OF the edince
The structure is in the style OF the early period OF
decorated Gothic architecture and is Ito feet long
by l01 feet wide. The material CONSISTS OF rub0ie
stone, faced with Newark brown stone of which the
inside columns caps, bases, corDels and the mui-
Inns and tracery OF the windows are also composed.
The nave commences on Fifth avenue, and running
westerly 70 feet opens into irregular octagon 10
feet in diameter On the opposite side Of this octagon
the chancei apsldai IN form, and on the north ana
south soes OF the octagon at right angles with the
nave and chancel, branch out the two main tran
septs which are as wide as the nave and chancel.
This portion OF the building is distinct both inside
and out and forms cross. In the two sides of the
octagon next to the nave and branching out
dagonally from It minor transepts, and
on the opposite two sides, next to the
chancel and opening into 1t, are organ spaces.
On the north side Of the nave Is chapel extending
from the ocagon easteriy and fronting on Fifth ave-
nue.. This chapel Is two stories in height and can
either be used as portion or the church or sepa-
| rately for week day and Lenten services. On the
south side OF the nave Is an aisle, extending from
the octagon to the southeast tower thrtyfou feet
square at the base and rising to altitude OF 200
feet The main entrance to the church Is from Fifth
avenue and here, extending the whole width or the
nave, between the tower and chapel and projecting
seven feet from ii, is trpet porch, forming most
elaborate exterior. From richly clustered columns
with moulded bases and carved caps spring heavily
moulded arches extending from the front Of the
porch to the inside OF the nave wall These three
arches are surmounted by gablets. filed In with
open tracery and mathematical carvings The
whole height OF the porch is thirty eight
feet. From 1t and opening into vestibue
are three doorways and over them in the
lympans Of the arches VIII be sculptures in alto
relief representing important epochs IN the life OF
| Christ. On the south side are four entrances-one
into tower one into minor transept through an ex-
| ternn porch OF effective design, one in centre Of
| south major transept one turret communicating
with galleries. THIS turret rises 10 q height or
IL IA SPIRAL staircase leading from the ground to
| platform on top. The octagon above mentioned IL
The great feature OF the design aud from which all
4 thor mart M bp
trically spread out like branches from the parent
trunk. At each OF the right angles OF this octagon,
| and forming the union with nave, traosepts and
| chancei, are clustered columns Of Newark stone
thirty feet high, mounted on heavily moulded bases
OF these spring eight arches OF solid masonry, but
up to a Level and forming the base Of the dome.
Their feet with angels win spread wings, are eight
| richly moulded and traceried ribs uniting at the
| form the main framework OF the dome and
united together with arched ribs one tier above
another and encircling iis whole circumference.
over The minor arches OF ocagon are four rose Win
dows in which Will be figures OF the four Evan2ests
IN stained glass; 1he clear story walls are cunt on
| arches which rest on monoth columns OF Newark
stone, with moulded bases and carved caps These
walls are pierced with large windows, filled In with
rich stone tracery, and will contain iife-size ngures
OF the saints IN stained glass. The roofs OF nave
and major ransepts will be open.timbered, moulded
on wall columns with carved caps and moulded
| bases viii rest on stone corbeis deliberately
aDts ana ana pe9ss ,ns m osSe. The
nave and transepts are three large wheel WINDOWS,
twentyone ieet in diameter. filed with geometrcal
| tracery in stone OF Itch and beautiful designs and
| combining Christian embems and figures IN stained
| glass The chancel is distinct feature, impressive
as whole and rich IN detail. Its apsular end con-
tanning i've tbreebay windows have stone tracery or
various designs and are filled In with stained glass.
rich In color and embodylng life size figures OF the
Saints The ceiling will be grained IN wood, its
main ribs being supported on columns with carved
aea nd ss a On Wc 's
posed to make OF stone will stand In the centre OF
the sacrarium. The stalls, sedllas reading desks,
choir seats and other furniture OF the chancel will
| be executed In oak, richly carved. The organ will
be In two sections, having reverse action, and
placed IN the chambers previously mentioned, on
| either side chancel and opening into chancel
| and octagon The two organ screens Will be open
traceried so as to expose the pipes, which Will
be richly Illuminated. The construction OF these
| organ rooms has been made q special study by tue
architect, and the plan assigned by him for them
which is endorsed by the first organist or the
try-wil greatly assist the music by giving IL unu-
| sua feeling aud power.
There are galleries in the transepts, In the aises
and east end OF the nave over the vestbule but they
are 50 arranged as not to project In the main body
| clear. They are approached by ample stalrcases
from ioboies in angles OF the transepts and In tue
on the northwest end OF the church are the church
| offices, comprising almonry, vestry and robing
| rooms. over these are the parish school rooms.
Tness rooms have separate entrances from an arcade
winch extends across their front and connects the
recory. which win be ouilt at the extreme west end
OF the lot, with the robing and pastors study
The arcade II formed BY columns with richly moulded
caps ana bases ana heavily moulded arches, pro-
/ duces a very pleasing effect The rooms are con-
nected with and open into the church, and the parish
| school Is connected by passage with the Sunday
school room over the chapel at the end OF the
/ church. Ample ventilation il provided and moor
porated In the construction Four large ventating
nues, two feet IN diameter, are carried up In the
main angles OF the octagon TO height OF eighty
! feet from the floor An opening Is provided in tho
apex or the dome and an open chamber Ia also 10
be placed above the ceiling OF nave transept ana
chance Tor the escape or impure air.
There are TO be 800 pews capable OF seating 500
ua nj Win rfc
traceried ends. Provision is also made for $50 otner
pews. anord1ng, when necessary, seats for 2.6o0
persons Inc alleys, porches and chaneel will be
tiled, and the chancel steps will be of Newark brown
stone. The whole OF the interior Will be richly deco
rated In poiychrome; and Christian emplems and
Scriptural texts Will be introduced In appropriate
places.
TINS church was commenced on the LIST OF April.
1883, and will be completed next spring. 1t In being
hnllf desiuna nd uuda liz AMI