The New York herald., 1869-04-12
RELIGIOUS SERVICES in THls CIIY.
ST. PETERS CHURCH.


Discourse by Rev. Father Quinn New
City Railroad Act--Threatened Demolition
Of st. Peters and Trinity Churches.
At st. Peters church, Barclay street, yesterday,
there was large congregation. The services were
very imposing and the music was of the highest
order Rev. Father QUINN on ascending the pulpit
addressed his congregation as follows:-I think
1t my duty to call your attention to-day to an
act which is pending before the Legislature, which
has passed tine House OF Assembly and Is
at present before the Senate. 1t is an act
authorizing the construction of railroad. which
necessarily interests us very mucs Our at
tentiOn has not been called particularly to 1t
before because the title Of the act was SO general In
is character. Its number Is 273 and 1t is entitled
s.An act to authorize the construction Of certain
railroads in the city and county OF New York and
across Harlem river" This road part Of the way
through the city is to be an underground railroad,
and unfortunately for us, is to be elevated rail-
road from Canal street to the Battery running east
OF Church street, not less distant than twenty-five
feet from the sidewalk, and not more re-
mote than 100 feet From the terms OF
the bill which saw yesterday, you would imagine
that those who are laying out this road were con-
structing o road through Westchester county
through some foreign county-wnere there are no
obstructions, no property or buildings Of any value
SO sweeping, utterly regardless Of the interests OF
private individuals and Of public interests these
terms When you consider that this elevated rail-
road is to run on q line certainly not far remote
from the point on which stand at the present mo-
ment from Canal street to the Battery, you will see
what sacrifices are necessarily involved. Within the
ST lew years you know this part Of the city has
changed entirely Its character. Fifteen or twenty years
ago the houses tnat were on Church street were not
has increased immensely IN value and some OF the
most magnificent and tosty stores nave been erect.
~,tSAlo that IN
through, and stores covering ground which in itself
70 OF Immense value II this act which Is before
consider that the company that shall undertake to
bal line OF rallroa through such buildings, eX-
tending more than a mile, must be Immensely rich, or
II not Immensely Iich they will have the property
SO apprais ed as to allow only small valuation Tor
what Is taken. Leaving twenty-five feet between
the line Of the railroad and the side OF the street
necessarily renders that. as well as the ground
which they would occupy for the road, almost worth
sa veaences I which we have hsa to endure from ra
roads with which we have been surrounded have
not been slight: Having already two lines OF rail-
roads alongside OF the church In Church street,
having two also In front OF the church on Barclay
street. we thought we bad been taxed sufficiently to
Se We DO think tSs these lines o railroads
which are now constructed OF are under way are
amply suffcient Tor the wants OF the public
In this lower part of the city. There Is no
public necessity that we see that can justify in
the slightest degree such high-ha ded measure as
the Que proposed. This road II built. u not only to
destroy private property Of the most valuable char
acter but is to run through the sanctuary Of God.
The men who are engaged in speculations Of thus
kind have regard far as we can see, either for
private or public interests interests the sa
cred, II they can only increase their wealth. We
OF this KIND and to protest in the strongest Ian
guage that we are able TO use. We are not here Of
yesterday. The property on which this church is
Oallt, and the grounds surrounding 1t, on
which is the house in which the Sisters
Of charity reside, were purchased by our
ancestors nearly one nunored years ago. and were
nurch0sel the purpose To what tlev have
been ever since devoted-the use OF the Catholic
church. Our Catholic brethren at that time, were
very few IN NUMBERS and Is fair also, to suppose
that they were poor, because the church, which pre-
ceded this, although u very small building, they
countries for assistance. There Is in the sacristy
the wall record which Is dated 1892 In which the
INST pastor Of this church, Father 0Brien placed an
the end OF time to celebrate certain number OF
for the people OF the island OF Cuba, who had
sSs carcn sS to eesote yeay sss
for the repose OF the soul OF certain
for the purpose Of enabling Father oiren 60 com
plete the church, and therebv founded this mortuary
mass. After that the Catholics gradually increased
IN number. and from this church pastor went forth
20 erect another church In this city, also from
this church went forth those who began to the
foundation OF ST. Mary's church In Albany. Though
frequently In adversely, having erected this church
only by incurring q heavy debt, we have, never.
the less, succeeded up to the present time in
have removed alsiost entirely the heavy
obligations under which we have labored
for so many years. Now, after having all this,
knowing that the bones and ashes OF the first Catho-
lies that settled in this city reposng beneath this
church; after retaining this property when large
those who desired that 1t should be turned TO COM
mercal purposes after retaining It, not for the rich,
but for the large number OF the poor who will always
reside In this part OF the city, we are informed that
nn act Of the Legislature, utery regardless Of rights
40 sacred. long held IL by its nat to send rail-
road through its centre and destroy the church
and destroy the sanctuary OF God. believe
shai this bi has passed through the Assembly con. con.
each member was 50 occupied with his own private
interests and Iusiness that ne neither attended nor
had 0rpOftun " OF attending to the terms and the
mbtive OF thus bill The bill has been allowed TO 90
TINS far through neglect or want OF attention or
reading the terms OIL the bill before them. Certainty
In the lower house there Is a large number Of
a,ni Ca,noiics' . But DO ,. not address myself to
have any Christian sentiments. And there
other interests. IL Is not necessary for me TO
speak for them. II tins bill pass It will destroy not
Protestant church IN the city Of New York-that is
Triuity church. But II Is not for me TO speak for
ture-i tnInk there are throughout the whole citywa
vast number OF persons VINO sympathlzc strongly
with That church; who would certainty be dissatis-
1ed IT, by any act Of the Legislature, such vandalism
shou be committed. Tue bill Is before the Senate,
a body OF men whose judgment Is supposed to be
cain; who, from their education. from their posi-
ton society are supposed TO have the interests OF
the public at heart, and who are not or should
no, De- Influenced BY mere railroad specuasons ,S
oI these men and see on which side they are given
Of measure which Is destined II passed, to be so
ruinOiis IN its character, 80 run0us to vast num-
Der OF citizens, SO ruinous 10 catholic interests IN
the low er part OF the city and In the whole city Of
New YORK. For we speak not only In the name of
the eighteen or twenty Thousand Catholics that wor-
snip In this church. We speak In the name OF the
three or four hundred thousand Catholics OF this
city. speak In tie name of all the Catholics Ia the
State VI New York, VINO would consider an act OF
tins kind as an act Of vandalism. We appeal then
10 the members Of the Senate, before whom this
hill s pending to consider II In Its true light and TO
consider how impossible IL would be for
any corporation TO pay the value OF the
properly taken or ruined by building such
q road on The line marked out In the bill