The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-06-10
NEW ST. PATRlCK'S CATHEDRAL.


DISPUTE ABOUT THE CONVEYANCE OF THE
SITE HISTORY OF THE TRANSFER
Arumor has been rife in this city Tor some days
past that tho Order Of the American Union, claiming
that the site OIL the new ST Patrick's Cathedral, on
Fifth avenue between Fftieth Fifty first Streets
decided by Board OF Aldermen to the Cathedral
without compensation about TO take steps TO CON-
pei the 10 pay city the value there.
OF. reporter OF the HERALD called Vicar General
Quinn yesterday to obtain his views IN relation to tho
matter Father Quinn said :s'rhere is nothing In this
story the Cathedral having obtained possession OF
tho properly without compensation. was purchased
In 1915 whereabouts from various persons who had
previously purchased from Others in tho city. 1t
was purchased by the Of St. Peters Church
and St. Patr,ck's Cathedral The property comprised
the whole square between Fourth and Finn avenues.
Filteth an Fifty streets and had been
farm. The old farm house. frame building, ia still
standing the east side OF Madison avenue, which
WINS through alter tho properly was purchased by
tho churches, and Is used the temporary resi-
denco OF the priests serving tho brick church
now standing tha grounds Tho original
intention was 10 establish Catholic col
lcge there, and the building spoken OF was
actually used for that purpose IN the years ls17lS
10, but the Catholics were not very numerous at
Tor day college, SO the enterprise Tell through.
Then property lay unoccupied Tor years.e
In 1852 the assignees Of st. Peter's Church,
by an order OF the Supreme Court on partition
SUIT sold their interest OF one-haf. OF the
property at public auction in the Exchange, which
is now uSed as the United States Custom House, and
il was bought by agent oil the trustees OF st. Pa
tricks Cathedral. do not recoect the price now,
but think 1T was about s3s, o00 know about these
matters because was at that time myself connected
with ST. Peters Church, and therefore Interested In
getting much possible for the property We did
net know az the time who was bidding on the prop
erty.
A POLITICAL DODGE.
This story has been starleu before almost every
election twenty years, and has been used by the
party. IL was brought up IN tue senate once
ABOUT twelve years ago, Ithiuk-by u gentleman who
was rsprssenns sns Senatorial district 1nat includes
told by him ~ an instance Of the magnificent
gifts made by the city 10 the Catholics. We had an
abstract made OF all the papers connected with tho
purchase and transfer OF ths property, and this abb
stract sent TO the gentleman rciorred to, VINO
aerward made an apology In the seoale Tor what he
had previously said. Mr. James I. Glover.
OF No. "a Wall street, the counsel OF the
Board vi Trustees OF st. PatricK's Cathedral,
attended to tho whole business tor US,
the papers connected with ~ IN his possess
sion now. cannot tell without referring 10 The
papers who the property purchased iron but the
Micnae Curran who SAID 70 have been ono VI tho
st. Andrews Church, Guy Hail place. He at one
time had charge OF the church on the cathedral Site
and as u was necessary TO raise money 10 build the
brick church now standing there, The properly was
conveyep to him by the trustees Tor that purpose,
ana aiterward he conveyed back again. So that is
tns matter. This American Union 10 nothing but
Know Nothingsm under new name, and us agita-
tion OF this matter won't amount 10 anything. We
viii be very glad II they do they say they intend
TO- bring the attention oil the Mayor be-
cause then We also Will nave an opportunity 10 SUBJ
init the papers him and eGectually
silence the story.
STATEMENT OF COUNSEL.
Mr.. Joseph 4. Glover, VINO spoken oil BY
al his house, No. l23 East Thirticth street he
said :-"ihis Is not new story. II has been
told ana over again by certain newspapers
from political purposes aud tho last time I'm 1872,
l Think by Mr. Rush G. Hawkins, lawyer
ana member OF lne U Mon League Club, took the
trouble, The request OF the trustees, who Thoughts
tnat some public aenai ought 10 be given TO H. TO
copy tho records and publish them. and OF the
Tax Commissioners az the same time made
public statement that the deeds ana transfers
set the matter at rest Tor ali respectable
people, and therefore notn,ng more has boon saia
sunk TO the lowest depths OF misrepresentation
cannot OF course go into The details OF tho case Win
referring 10 tho papers winch are IN my oice, out
the facts IN general way foows:-Ih:s t.acts
Ike ali the othor lands In the ncighborhood formed
the Of tho last century, between 1870 and 1900,
It sold 10 private party or parties the city re-
serving Claim 10 only uillng quit rent II may
have passed through othcr hands subsequently,,
tut that 1 10 not remember now How.
nected with Catholic institutions purchased II
Tor Catholic churches with the object Of makinga
cemetery Of 1t. Those churches were ST. Mary's, 81
PEERS and 81. falrick's Cathedral 81. Mary's al
terward refused 10 enter INTO the arrangement, and
St. Peters Church and 81 Patrick's Cathedral be-
JOINT ners with equal interests The property
Tor az actual value AZ that time, and even
the quit rent mmutcd and paid on about eight
years ago. Alter u time ST. Peters Church
became and assignment oil us Interest
In this properly made Tor the Denent oil It's credt
Iors. Under that assignment one-haii OF tho prop
erty sold and bought by ST. Patrck's Cathedral
tor etuing like 500 O00 and with tnat money The
debts OF ST. Peters were all paid of. Thus II was
tuat tho property came into the POSSESSION Of st.
PaLrck's Cathedral
BACKBONE on THE STORY.
Now there IL another thng That deserves notice In
this connection 4 he common lands OF the city, oil
which this particular piece Of property formed
part, laid out originally IN parallolograms but
streets wcro inarke out Dy the street CON-
miasioncrs the boundaries were somewhat changed.
Thus the Fiitetn street sdo OF this piece there
q strip about loot and hall wide on
Filh avenue running OF 10 point on Fourt avenue
taken oil Tor the street, while similar strip was
added to u on the Fiity-nrst street side. Now 10
Ftieth street ~ was necessary Tor the Cathedral to
convey the strip by iced, aud SO with regard 10 tho
strip Ftyirst street, IL was necessary Tor the
city 10 convey II Ny decd TO the Cathedral
rho consideration named these deeds 81,
but the transaction TACT a mere transfer OF
deeds. Auy disposed 10 find fault with tho
Catholic Church can OF course nnd the record OF this
away without looking for the corresponding or
the Cathedral TO the city say thcre Is merely nomi
mai transfer and hold u up as an example oil tho ctys
liborality TO Catholic institutions"