National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1879-03-15
ST. DOMINlC'S CONVENT.
The Corner Stone to be Laid on st,
PatriCk's Day.
Plan of the New Building to be Erected Next
to st. Dominic's Church-A Fine Resi-
dence for the Pastor and His As
slstants-A Society Hall In the
Basement "Details ofthe
Architects Design.
Proposed Improvement of the "Islaud."

proposed improvement OIL the 'lhluNu.'
The cornerstone of the new st. Domnic's
Convent to be erected adjoining St. Domnics
Church will be laid next Monday, on which
occasion the different Irish and Catholic socio-
ties engaged in the celebration of st. Patrck's
day will take part in the ceremonies Of laying
the stone. The new building will be located
fifty feet south of the present imposing church
structure. Tho main building will be As
feet 'front.' by 55 feet deep, three stories high,
surmountod with a handsome Gothic roof
The back building will be 35 feet wide, 80
feet deep, and three stories high topped of
with Zip roof There will he n connection
with the main church by means of handsome
stone chapel 80 feet long by 20 feet WIDE with
u fre.proof record vault attached all covered
with Gothic roof with the rafters for the
same made of dressed Georgia pine, covered
aud chamtered and onamented in keeping with
the architecture of the church. This latter
connection is TO be made through the present
Sacred Heart Chapel, located in the southwest
corner Of the church. The facade of the main
building, which will front on Sixth street. will
be faced with pressed brick. starting from Port
Deposit broken range ashlar work seven feet
high. The first floor will be approached by
handsome flight of granite steps to hallway
10 feet wide. On the north side of the hall
will he a parlor, 12Xl5 feet musc-hall, 10
xl5 feet; cloak and portcr's rooms, each SIX
~ feet, with ceilings 10 feet high. Adjoining
these rooms will be the stairway IL feet wide.
On the south side will be a suite of parlors,
communicating with sliding doors In the
rear of these will be the dining-room, also
communicating with the parors with sliding
doors, so that all of these apartments can be
thrown into one grand hail. 20X60 feet, when
occasion requires. The main hall or passage
way will be finished in octagonal outline, the
north side Opening into u library 20x30 feet,
the south side communicating with n hall 5
feet wide, extending through tho back build
ing, and the centre space of the octagon will
be prepared with q niche to receive the statue
OF st. Dominic. The rest of the space on the
first floor will be utilized for pautries, store
room, and kitchen, with all modern improve
mems introduced.
The second story will lie reached by n broad
Hight of stairs communicating with Il hall 10
feet wide running east and west through tho
main and back buildings On the north side
of this hall will be the Archbshop's study and
Archblshops chamber, with convenient toilet
rooms. Gu the south side of the hall will be
the pastors study, pastors chamber and tot
let rooms, All Of these rooms will be II 10
feet each, with Il ceiling II feet high On this
floor, in the back building, will be an infrmary
10 y - feet, with u ceiling IL feet high, and
the remaining space will be used for bedrooms
averaging II X 10 feet each, with ceilings ~
feet high.
The third floor will contain seven bedrooms,
each IL 10 feet, with ceilings IL feet high
with convenient toilet rooms attached to each.
The basement will contain society hall %
feet wide by 80 feet deep, with ceiling 0 feet
high and the pastor and scXton's Office roo ms,
each l 1 by Is feet with ceiling of the same
height, and wide aud easy stairway commu-
nlclting with the first floor. The cellar under
the basement will contain the furnace, fuel,
storc'rOom, and Laundry.
The front OF the main building will be
| broken ut the centre with tower Ii feet wide
| Ivy 80 feet high. The door and wndow-trim.
mngs on the front will be of Connecticut stcnc
and the corniccs Of galvanized iron. The hall.
way and basement win BE- wainscoted with
| North Carolina pine four feet high, and the
doors and trimmings of the interior are to be
| OF white pine, handsomely grained.
The designs of tho building were prepared
| by Mr.. Philip W. Dryer, Baltimore arChi-
tect, and reflect no little credit upon his skill.
| The building will be constructed under the
| supervision of Mr.. John b. Brady, one of the
most skilllul aud accomplished young archi-
tects in the District
The contract for the basement has been
awarded to Mr.. Samuel Bigger, carpenter and
| builder the brick work to Mr.. George Dant,
| the Cut-stOne work ana masonry to Edwards
| Walker, & Corcoran, and the plumbing to Mr.
| r. q. Campbell. The contract for the painting
has not, rs yet, been awarded. Tho structure
when finished will be one of the handsOm est
Of the kind in this section of tho country. 1t
| is the intention Of the pastor, the Rev. John
a. Ru,chlOrd, to push the work to an early
completion.