The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-05-25
ST. PATRICK'S CATHEDRAL.
TIE Marble SANCTUARY THAT rs TO
BE DEDICATED TO-DAY.

.f a.. STAINED s.I... Window A work
chat has OceupIed Twent-Nine Years.
The now st. Patrick's Cat hedra fronts on
Fifth avenue from Fftieth to Fifty-lrst street
and extends back almost to Madison avenue.
when the Chapel OF Our Lady which Ia en-
bracod in tho design. Is added. tho building
will occupy tho entire block. II Is one OF clus-
ter OF Catholic institutions in that locality. The
block above on Fifth avenue. extending back TO
Madison avenue. is occupied by the Catholic
Orphan Asylum Tor boys The block on Madi-
son avenue. from Firieth TO Fifty-nrst street.
across tho way from tho cathedral Is appropri
ntcd for old ST. Johns Church. and tho block
above. between Fifty-nrst and Fifty-socond
streets. for tho Cathjic Orphan Asylum for
girls. Thus four contiguous blocks are occu-
pied by Catholic institutions
An erroneous impression has obtained wide
circulation that tho valuable land on which the
cathedral Is built was in some way obtained
from the Government of tho city OF New York
as a gift or grant without full consideration.
But the fact is that the property was regularly
bought and paid for long before the great
cathedral was thought Of.
1t Is true that the city OF New York was once
the owner. but that was in tho year 1893. On
tho 1st Of May Of that year the city sold 1t to
Robert Sylburn for fiO5. and n reservation OF
an annual rent OF four bushels Of wheat. This
rental OF wheat was subsequently commuted by
the payment Of ss3.32 tho interest on which
sum. 1t was then calculated. would buy the
wheat annually. Al that time the property con-
sisted Of plot bounded by Fifth avenue Fiji
tieth street. Fourth avenue and Fifty first
street. When Madison avenue was cut through
the plot made just two blocks. on one Of which
tho cathedral stands.
Robert Sylburn held the property little over
ten years and then sold it 20 Francis Thomp-
son by decd; and within ten days. on March
1910 ii was resold to Andrew Morris and Cor
nolius Heeney. They mortgaged II to the Eagle
Fire Insurance Company Of New York and
conveyed their right. title. and interest TO Dem
mis- Doyle. on May n. 1921. The fire insurance
company forecosed their mortgage. and the
property was sold by order OF tho Vice Chan
cellor. dated Sept. 10. 1923. after considerable
litigation. Francis Cooper became tho pur-
chaser. and got deed dated Nov. ~. 1859.
Cooper held the property only four months,
and conveyed II TO the trustees OF the St. Patrick
Cathedral and ST. Peters Church OF this city.
Obtaining the price he gave for II and interest
added. Tho trustees OF ST. Peters Church got
into debt and made an assignment for the ben
eft Of their creditors on Sept. 10. 1874. and in
1851 by order OF the Supreme Court. the share
OF st. Peter's was conveyed TO II. j. Bailey and
J. b. Nicholson. Then followed long partl-
Alul sui " htltIullub lut ItlhilNb lulcTtSl OF
the two churches. 1t was finally determined
that one-hali belonged to St. Peters and one
half to the cathedral. so the half belonging to
st. Peters was sold at public auction. and was
bought by the trustees OF st. Patrick's Cathedral
for s59. 500.
Ono incident gave rise. probably. to the ru-
NOR that the city had conveyed the land as
gift. 1t was an exchange OF cores OF land that
was Effected about 1852 to square the property.
The cutting through Of tho streets left the
cathedral with a gore on the north side OF Fifty
first street. beginning at narrow point on
Fifth avenue and running to four feet eight
inches on Fourth avenue. The city owned a
similar gore on tho Fiiteth street side Of the
cathedral property. 1t was merely an exchange
OF similar CORES OF land beneficial To both
properties. by getting the land Of each together.
Another circumstance has also been assigned
as the possible origin OF the rumor that tho
cathedral property was bought from the city for
dollar" The fact is. that the city did rent to
tho Catholics for charitable uses the adjoining
blocks on Fifth avenue and Madison avenue.
between Fifty-nrst and Fifty second streets. on
which the Catholic Orphan Asyums stand. But
the cathedral property was fairly bought In the
open market.
WHO BUILT THE CATHEDRAL.
The idea Of building the finest cathedral on
this continent Tor Roman Catholics in New York
originated with the late Archbishop Hughes Of
New York and was the pet project Of his life.
1t began to take form about the year 1850. and
the plans were drawn about 1853 by Mr.. James
Renwick the architect then known as James
Renwick. Jr One of the earliest buildings
erected by Mr.. Renwick was the New York Col
iege. He drew the plans OF Grace Church at
the age Of 80 and built that edilce. He design
tho Smithsonian Institution and Corcoran Art
Gallery in Washington. and ST. Stephens Ro-
man Catholic Church. in Twenty eighth street.
The firm OF Renwick & Sands Of which he is
the senior member constructed the Young
Mems Christian Association building of New
York. Booths Theatre. 81. Bartholomew's
Church. Appieton's stores on Broadway, and
tho stores adjoining on tho north side Nassar
College. Poughkeepsie ST. AIMS Church.
Brooklyn Corcoran's business building. in
Washington; the private residence Of ID. Willis
James. ut Park avenue and Thirty ninth street:
and many other we-known buildings. Mr..
Henwick has given grauitously his services as
architect Of tho new cathedral.
Tho original idea was to build much larger
edince. but. in order 10 make suro OF securing
II within a reasonable time this was modified.
and. TO save expense. many proposed ornamen-
tations and extensions were abandoned. All
the plans were submitted TO Archbishop
cathedral in its present form was made by him.
The corner stone was laid on Aug. Is, 1858 in
the presence Of a vast multitude. at that time.
instead Of the palatial mansions now seen in
the vicinity. there was no house from Fifth 10
Sixth avenue.
HOW THE LAND LOOKED THEN.
Tho rapid progress Of the city Of New York is
well illustrated by the growth Of 1t since the
cathedral was projected. At that time old Pot
ter's Fold was at Forty-seventh and Forty
ninth streets. the centre being about Lexington
avenue. The only large institution in the
vicinity was tho Deaf and Dumb Institution.
since sold to Columbia College and much
altered. Fifth avenue was not paved anywhere
near Fiftieth street. but was a macadamzed
road. There was no house OF any importance
from the Forty-second street reservoir up.
except an old Dutch mansion There was a
chaos OF rocks and unopened streets in the
neighborhood. an old bridge over Fourth ave-
nue. at Fitioth street. and high hill at Third
avenue. Later, the ground on which the cathe-
dral stands was occupied by old 81. John the
EvanRelist's Church which was moved to Fourth