The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-06-03
THE EMIGRATION NEW BROOM.
The Catholic Church Taken Possession OF by
the New Commissioners Of Emigration.
Tho Catholics Aroused-The Priests Statement
How the Catholics Came to Get Possession
Of the Church-Intervisw with the
Doctor-Mouraing and Weeping
Among the Emigranta


just taken by the new Board of Emigration Com
missioners in reference to the Roman Catholic
church recently erected on the island Last Feb
ruary an investigation OF the disturbed condition
or the island and the maladministration OF the
authorities Of this department took place at Castle
Garden. Several witnesses were examined and
certain ugly facts were brought into the light
of day, but strange to say, nobody was
hurt, and the only tangible result ~ was that
there has been an attempt made to keep better &C.
counts in the future. Matters went on pretty
fairly during the declining days OF the old Com
missoners-R Richard O'Gorman, President; Eman-
uel B. Hart james b. Nicholson, Alexander Frear,
Willy Wallack, George A. Forrest, Andreas Well
man and Henry L. Hoguet. Since the appoint
ment Of the new Commissioners-Hen HurlbuJ,
President; George Starr, Menger, Stephenson,
Quintard, Kaufmann Forrest, Mayor Havemeyer
and James L. Lynch-bOth eI oDciO members and
without yotes-things have been
GOING FROM BAD TO WORSE,
and eliminated yesterday in avisit Of Commits
soner Stephenson, Chairman OF the Wards Island
Committee and Quintard to the Island, when they
announced their course In reference to the church
above alluded to, which fell like bombshe
among the Catholic population of the Emigrant
Department OF Wards Island, the Soldiers Home,
Inebrate Asylum and the Wards Island, or, as it
IL better known the City Insane Asylum numbering
altogether over thousand people.
This intended action on the part OF the Commits
siOners OF Emigration, which has caused so much
excitement is no other, in the opinion of the
Catholics the island, than the practical taking
away OF the Catholic church. which has been re-
GENTLY erected at the expense Of the Roman Catho-
lie population; the deprving of Catholic emigrants
OF all form Of religious worship consistent with
their belief and the driving OF Catholic officials to
divine service in Harlem and elsewhere.
To get at the bottom of this religious war the
HERALD reporter visited Wards Island last
night, and is enabled to present to the HERALD
readers the following conversation with the
Roman Catholic chaplain OF the department,
the Rev. Father Praihensky. The reverend father
is q venerable old gentleman, whose hairs have
grown white in the service OF religion and in mis-
Rrduous duties as missionary He told his story in
A PLAIN, EARNEST WAY,
and with an occasional deprecating shrug of the
shoulders when the subject was too much Tor his
feelings, which was more expressive than words,
and impressed his hearers with full conviction OF
his own sincerity.
The reporter found the venerable gentleman,
who, it may be remarked, is now five years chap
lain to the Emigration Department on Wards
Island, in his study, and, alter the usual form OF
81 understand, sir, that quite religious war has
been inaugurated on the island within the last lew
The clergyman smiled and remarked, 81 am
afraid, sir, we are only at the beginning oft. 1t
commenced only In earnest Yesterday, and sup
pose wei refer to my own fock-must yield, as
we are the weaker party. 1t has lasted over
year and half and thought that peace mad
come; but the tocsin was sounded yesterday
again, and YETI with shrug OF the shoulders) Il
do not know why II should be so. We only want
what is right and what Is our own as Catholics"
lis it true, sir, that the new Commissioners OF
Emigration have taken away your churchr'
Us as Sa yes s
by the old Commissioners OF Charities and
Correction, and that we were to have
at our own expense Tor ourselves. II you
refer to the recent report OF the late Commission
ers OF Emigration sent to the Legislature you will
md that among the repairs and improvements
effected during the year the most important was
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH,
which was ready for use in the month Of December
last, the old chapel being ordered to be fitted up
needed
'Would you be kind enough to give me the his
tory Of the erection OF this church. sir, and how ii
came into the hands of the Roman Cathoiicsr"
FATHER PRACHENsKY's STORY.
certainly. Twenty years ago the Catholic and
OF the entire OF Wards Island, worshpped in the
same buiiding--in the building known as the
and the Roman Catholics up stairs This ar
rangement was most satisfactory Mean
se the number vastly 81 Roman nan cahoe e
rangemnnt was approved OF by all parties, Commis
sioners Included, mp to three or four years ago:
Five years ag0 this system worked well, when
came here, but since that time we had such an i'm
mense influx Roman Catholic immigrants
datons became needed. At Que time the galleries
OF the Catholic floor Of the .Nusery,' IN which
we held service, gave way we had them propped
up. but they sunk again; the floor bulged up IN the
centre, and under these circumstances IL bee
necessary TO apply TO the Commissioners Tor fresh
SEVEN HUNDRED PERSONS w0RSH PPED.
would give way. We applied TO the commissioners
and aver great struggle, in which eX-Commis-
sioner Waach opposed Us vehementy, we got
promise that the shell oil church should be bul
for our USE which we were TO decorate and furnish
internally ourselves. This of course was built
citizens oil New York one dollar ana
was the property OF the emigranls them
selves en the ere e OF the building , was
on the Sth OF December last went into the church,
and so large was tie Catholic population on the
island at that time that they could not be accom-
medated In our old place OF worship and was
obliged TO celebrate Divine service in the new
building before yet the windows were closed up or
"A little before ths,' continued Father Prach
ensky, commissioner Wallach introduced
resolution In the Board TO the effect that the arch-
sect should be instructed to construct the new
THIS resolution, ter hard fght, was defeated.
He also moved that the priest should not he al
Uwea 10 erect any statues or images IN the church
..10u KNOW said the venerable gentleman. 1--WE
believe m-shaving these things and fight was
made over that resolution aud, after hard struR-
gle, was also defeated and all went along uuietly
until yesterday. Everybody had thought that the
thing was ended. The old Emigration Commits
sIoners went out Of office, and the new
came In few days since In
the old Board we had four Catholicism the pres
ent but one, Mr.. Lynch the President Of the Irish
societies, and he is an eZ-oDctO member, without a
vote, except IN matters involving the expenditure
OF moneys Yesterday, after divine service, was
~ my prayers near the altar when the chairman
OF the Wards Island Committee Commissioner
Stephenson,
CANE INTO THE CHURCH.
j arose TO meet him. and he sad. u want TO
speak 10 You about making SEINE arrangements TO
DIT up this place for Protestant mode or worship
The old controversy renewed. and he said,
sWe VIII nave but one church on the island In the
luture> said You cannot