The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1880-11-06

credit to Mr.. Renebick, the architect,
who, l am proud to say, is an American.
1t is situated on the highest point on
Fifth Avenue, extending from Fiftieth
to FiftyFirst street and from Fifth
Avenue to Madison Avenue 1t is eruci-
form, the decorated Gothic style and
built of white marble, from New York
and Massachusetts, quarries. The main
front consists OF a central gable and two
towers and spires. The spires have not
been built yet. The extreme length Of
exterior is 332 feet and the breadth ia
| feet The interior is divided into nave,
two transepts and q choir Or sanctuary.
The columns dividing the aisles are 35
| feet high and 5 feet in diameter !; the
ceiling is II feet from the floor. There
are 405 pews and q seating capacity Of
$500. The altar and rerados are very
/ beautiful. The altar was made in Italy.
OF the finest white marble, inlaid with
alabaster and precious marbles-the
Teredos was made in France. The taber-
nacle, the gift Of Cardinal McCloskey, is
OF the costliest marble, its door of gilt
| bIonze, set with emeralds and garnet
There are seventy windows, some of
them rare specimens Of painting. The
large window in the south transept
gives, in series of eighteen scenes, tho
T., n..I
cathedral is named. The window in the
north transept gives the history of the
Virgin Mary. Opposite the cathedral is
VIM. II. Vanderbilt's brown stone palace,
in process Of erection. 1t is to absorb q
million OF two, to be very grand in all
its appointments and Of course far sur
pass his present elegant residence. 1t af-
forded me no pleasure to look upon such
an exhibition Of foolish vanity, so glad
" pursued my way to the park, where
there is SO much OF nature aud art to
contemplate Really, city is not com
plete without a park, where the poor
can get breath Of fresh air and where
the dear children may have daily romp
in the sunshine. Central Park is the
most beautiful, / think, in America.
Nature did much for it, bnt, everywhere
one sees evidences of large expenditure
of money and taste. We were diverted a
while in tho menagerie, looking with
hearts full of pity at the poor dum;
prisoners. / always feel most for the
lions, tigers and par,tllers-they seem so
chagriuel when constrained by the iron
bars.
The Art Musem is highly interesting.
IL 1t c1tr1usItFes from all parts OF the
world are displayed. There is Il fine col
lection CT everything except tie paint
iiigs, which [ consider ordinary.
Tie obelisk is to be placed on q small
elevation quito near the museum.
Through the influence Of a friends name,
the officer Of the day conducted us TO the
spot and we saw he base which was
partly laid. No one can go Ecari with
out special permit-it is guarded all
the time to prevent its demolition by
the i'll bred relic seekers. Tho needle
has not yet completed its journey from
the ship landing for the accomplish
lnent of which a pontoon Of considerable
length must be constructed. Thoughts
indescribable crowded the mind as
gazed on the immense stones which had
come from the far off land: and examined
the fine workmanship over which the
ages had rolled. thought of Napoleon's
words: DO your duty, solders--the
centuries look down on you from the
pyramids" | felt that tho centuries
looked at us and mag gined the picture
of the builders working so faithfully and
earnestly, little dreaming that at the
end of three thousand five hun.ired years
their beautiful monument, built to COM
n:emorate some great event peculiar to
| Egypt, would be taken down and trans
ported across the i,illowy seas to a land
then unknown All to me there is a
sadness and an unti!ness iii it ali better,
far better have left it on its own native
and far more appropriate heath l do
not like the spot selected for the obclisk
1T is not commanding enough and too
far from the main entrance Of the park
too far at least for the poor who must
walk.
One of the beautiful, bright mornings
which it has been our lot to enjoy here,
when was just putting on the finishing
touches of my toilette, John tapped at
my door and proposed that we shoultl go
to Garden City. The train would leave
Long Island City at ten O'Clock. Gould
we reach there in time? Not if We
waited for eakfast, so, off we went,
ignoring the weakness of hunger. We
reached the ferry jnst in time, rushed up
to the ticket Office and were colly in
formed that the schedule changed that
morning aud in ftture the train would
not leave until half past ten. What Wis
ions of steaming hot breaEfats lonmed
up III that longest cf half hours. VT
finally oktained a little lunch which
must say heightened the appreciation ol
the trip A run of twenty miles over
the Long Island South Shore road anG
we We're at Garden City. The town is
yet in embryo, bGt will in time be beau
tiful. 1t has been laid out with grea,
care-the avenues are wide, with rows