The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-05-25

/ rocky ped 0Xtenuou twenty Ieet DolOW the sur
face level The foundation stones are large
blocks OF blue Rneiss. which we're laid In CO.
mont mortar. The first base course Is OF Dix
Island granite from Maine. as is also the first
course under all tho columns and interior mar
bic works Above this base course the exterior
OF the building Ia white marble from the quar-
Ties at Pleasantyille. Mestchcster County. n.
| " and at Leo, Mass. The backing OF tho walls
| il OF solid brick and stone masonry. with hol-
| lows TO prevent dampness and for ventilation.
DESCRIPTION OF THE BUILDING.
Tho architecture is of tho decorated or geo
| metric style that prevailed in Europe in the
| thirteenth century OF winch the cathcdras OF
| Rheims Amicns. and Cologne. on tho Cont.
| mont and the naves Of Yorkminster. Exeter, md
| Westminster are expononts. But the New York
| cathedral IL not n copy.
The ground plan Is IN tho form OF latin .ir,
| cross. tho sanctuary or choir tho short part
above the arms. and tho transepts represent tho
arms. Tho dimensions are; Interior length.
3OG feet breadth OF nave and choir, 06 feet. eK-
| elusive Of tho chapols and 100 feet with the
| chapes; length OF the transept lao feet; width
of centre aisle. AZ feet; height. 1903 eet; width "
the side aisles "a feet: height OF side aisos. 81
| foot
THE FIFTH AVENUE FRONT.
| The Fifth avenue front consists OF central
| gable. with towers and spires each side OF 1t.
! The gable will he 1856 feet in height and tho
| towers and spires each $50 feet AT present tho
| towers only roach To- the roof. Ms tho valuable
| funds were required for other parts OF the
| building. The grand portal in the lower divis-
| ion Of tho central gable has its lambs richly
decorated and frinGed with double row Of
ioated tracery. The wall is IL feet 9 inches
! thick. and the whole surface oncrusted with
marble. The design contcmpates the statues
OF the twelve APOSTLES. to be placed in the coves
not begun The width OF tho opening door is
30 feet, and the height 81 feet. transom OF
| beautiful foliuge with emblcmatic designs
crosses the opening OF the door at the spring
line ot the nrch over which there is window
St a GgG Ne% YORK Th has sO"i b Of rscS
! over the central door; tho coat OF arms OF
the United States is over ono Of the smaller
Of arms Of the State S"' Of New York V'G IS
over the other sido door. Tho label over tho
! gable is crocketed with very beautiful and
| original designs OF grapevine and morning
| glory intrtwined and alternating. the whole
! On either side OF the main door are buttresses
| terminating in panelled pinnacles and between
| theso buitrssses and tho tower butiresses are
inches in which statues are 10 b. placed. Tho
| horizontal haustrado over the first story Is OF
rich pierced trqcery Over this. and across
| statues. The columns OF these inches are deco
rated with, foliage capitals and gablets. with
inches will be filled with statues Of the saints
and martyrs. Above them is richly moulded
ing a rose window twenty-slx feet in diameter.
which is rs fine as those Of some Of the great
Above this window tho main gable is carried
up 10 the roof lines. and is veiled by n pierced
screen OF rich tracery terminated by label
designed from the leaves and crockets Of the
| passion flower. and support a foliated
Butresses on either side Of the central window
terminate in pinnacles. and between them and
The towers are SO feet square al the base.
| with immense walls. They are square to the
height OF 1856 feet whom the design contem-
plates octagonal lanterns "a feet high supporting
| the spires. l40 feet high. making the total
height 33l feet The towers are divided into
three stories, the first conta ming portals corre-
| sponding in architecture to the central portal.
Inc second story OF me towers contains win
| dows with richly moulded Jambs. and tracery
| corresponding 20 the central rose. and termi-
mated by gablets OF pierced tracery. Tho third
side. terminated by label mould eornice
naaked BY massive buttresses. decorated
| by clustered pinnacles. The octagonal lanterns.
which will be supported above. have windows
with fine tracery. over which are gablets with
traceries terminated by cornces and pierced
bailements; The eight corner buttresses will be
terminated by plnnaeles.
The spires viii be octaGonal. The first story
viii nave rich moulding In the angles. and the
sns columns os w iheb he wsh by ns
supporting gablets with finals. The second
story Will be- moulded and panelled. and ter
inmate in a foliage final carrying the Crosses
I which will be of copper. Circular stone stair
| ways in the towers communicate with the organ
galleries. IL Is proposed 70 place chime OF
| bells in the tower on the corner. ITO feet above
| Fifth avenue.
streets are divided by huttresses with inches
and pinnncles into hye bays. each pierced by
Each window is divided into threo bays.
The transept fronts are divided into central
hlse io ieet wlle anu ltO iert hlgh 10 inc top OF
the crosses OF the gables. Over each door tho
great transcpt windows il tho whole space up
70 the spr.nging OF the gables: These two great
windows are IS feet wide by 50 feet high, and
are divided by clustered muions into six bays
and the arches are filed with rich traceries. A
| row OF inches crosses each transept AT the cave
! line, and above this the gable Is richly panclled
| The sido asles OF the transepis arc marked by
| windows and ianked by buttresses in which
spiral stHlr5 Leading to tho roofs
The side aisle Of the sanctuary has three bays
the side aisle OF tho rear has i've; The ceres-
tory rises 3S feet above the roof OF the side
aises. and Is lO4 feet high to the caves. Tho but
tresses at the rear OF the cathedral will termi-
the caves. Most OF this work is yet to be done
so that the effect Of the pinnaces when finished
aisles and clerestory are slated. and the roof OF
the clerestory - terminated BY rich metal
crestlng feet inches high. with gilded leaves
aud nowers There Is central nnial az the
interrogation OF tho nave and transeps. Is feet
gn Iecof SS Win WIN d 9iase ana n0TGrs ana
IS feet high. gilt with flowers and foliage.
The windows are glazed with two thicknesses
OF sashcs and glass set two inches apart to
secure evenness Of temperature and prevent
draughls Of air THIS outer sash prevents tho
beauty OF the designs in tho windows from
being as well observed at night as they other
wise would be.
THE INTERIOR OF THE CATHEDRAL.
The interior OF the cathedral is in the form OF
cross. The ground plan Is divided into
nave. two TRANSCRIPTS, and choir or sanctuary
The nave consists Of the entire portion between
the TRANSCRIPTS or arms Of the cross. to Fifth ave-
nue.; II lG4 feet long. 90 feet wide between the
side aisle walls and 1924 feet broad from out 10
| out, including the side aisle chapels. II is di-
ylded IN It's length into seven bays. or divisions
defined by columns, zach bay being % feet in
length, except the first ono between the front
towers. which is 20 feet long. In its cross
section tho nave consists OF centre
aisle. As feet wide. and 1l2 feet in
height from tho floor " the apex OF tho gIOinod
ceiling The two side asles are each "a feet
in width and 81 feet high. The chapels. which
are undor the sllls OF the side nisles, Ia feet
in width and Is feet high. Tho transepts or
arms OF tho cross are l44 feet long. and divided
into a centre and two side aisles Of tho same
dimensions as those OF the nave. The choir or
sanctuary is 95 feet long. and has Il centre aisle
OF the same dimensions as that Of the nave and
four aisles. making n total width Of l2i feet
from wall TO wall. The choir has three bays,
and Is terminated at the east end by hve-sded
upside in the centre aisle.
The massive columns dividing the centre
aisles aro Of white marble. 80 feet in height
and clustered. having four main columns at the
angles II inches in diameter. and eight col
umns inches in diameter. attached 10 the CEN
trial shaft, giving a combined diameter of feet.
These columns have provoked a good deal Of
criticism. from the fact that the fOliated capitals
are made OF stucco, and not cut from the solid
marble. The original design contemplated
solid work. but the stucco was substituted be-