The Phoenix herald. (Phoenix, Maricopa County, A.T. [Ariz.]) 1879-1882, 1880-11-05
CATHOLIC CHURCH.
Erection of an Elegant Ec-
clesiasticaI Edifice.
An I'm urpassed Church to be
Erected.

since a meeting was held in the
Court House to adopt measures for
the erection of a Catholic Church in
Phoenix, and now the raising of the
structure has already begun. The
meeting was not as largely attended
as ha1 been hoped, but that this was
not owing to any Indifference on the
part of our citizens towards the IN
dertaking, is sufficiently proved By
the liberal response given, when the
appoinled committee called on the
residents of our town, for contri bu-
tion in aid of the work. The mem
bers of The Catholic Church, who are
able to contribute to this object, are
not numerous, and although these
subscribed to their full ability-the
committee in charge of the matter
I fouzd it necessary to ask the aid of
our citizens in general, in order to
assure the success of the good work.
The kindness of their reception, and
the cheerful and liberal manner in
which the subscriptions were given,
is spoken Of very warmly by the
committee, and Is appreciated very
gratefully. Thanks to this generous
cooperation of our citizens, the COM
miltee have felt themselves warrant
ed in beginning the work and hope
to witness its speedy conclusion. In
a quiet and transformations manner in
the preliminaries have all been ar
ranged and our thriving town is
about to witness the erection of at
least part of a structure which, when
completed, will form one of the most
imposing architectural features of
Ariz 0na.
The new church will be of the Cru
ciform Gothic order, massive tower
and spire ornamenting the front ele-
walton. Its extreme leagth will be
about 125 feet, with an extreme width
of 20 feet in the transepts. The nave
and transepts, which are each 40 feet
wide will furnish the sittings for the
congregation, while the upper por-
ton of the cross-shaped building
will form the sanctuary Front and
side walls have graceful buttresses,
which, while they serve to strengthen
the heavy walls, also add very much
TO the beauty of the exterior, by
breaking the otherwise monotonous
straight lines of the extended walls.
The front of the building is 40 feet
wide, and the four gable walls rise to
the same height of forty feet, thus
giving the roof a full square pitch.
Six Gothic lancet windows will give
light and ventilation to the nave of
the building, and the gable walls at
each end of the transepts will be
pierced by immense Gothic windows
with appropriate mullions and ira
Gerry. A Gothic doorway, six feet
wide and thirteen feet high, forms
the main entrance, and smaller door
ways will open into the transepts on
either side of the nave. The heavy
roof will be supported on columns
2G feet high, dividing the interior
into a central aisle and two side
aisles. From the caps of these pill
lars, equilatcral Gothic arches will
spring,and similar arches will crown
all the frames of the doors and win
dows, thus giving an unmistakable
religious character to the entire edi-
fee.
Every attention has been given to
the details of construction, so that
the building, when completed, will
be assured Of the necessary strength.
Ample foundation walls have been
built after making the necessary OK
cavations, and the walls themselves
are 81 inches thick, SO that there is
every assurance that the noble struct-
urc will stand for ages, and will
speak 20 generations yet unborn and
to the generous exertiors of our peo-
pie in these pioneer days of our Ter
ritory.
The plans Of the building were
furnished by the Right Reverend
DR. Salpointc, Bishop of Arizona,a and
now residing in Tucson, who has
shown the deepest interest in the
success of the work. 1t has been de-
termined not to erect the entire
building at once, as the funds now
obtainablc would not warrant so Sc
rious an expense. The nave of the
building is now in course of cree
tion, and its interior dimensions will
be about G9x35 feet, it will probably
furnish ample accommodation for
the present. But all the details of its
construction are in perfect harmony
with the plan of the proposed entire
building. and with its Gothic door
ways and windows, its pillars divid
ing the interior into appropriate sec
tions, and the carefulness and solid
idity of its constructions, it will re-
quire no changes when the further
building Of the transepts and sanctu-
airy will be undertaken.
We are glad to witness the erection
of this buildin G in our midst, for,
aside from any other considerations,
it will prove an ornament and sub
tantial improvement TO our city, and
it will exercise an influence that can
not but be good and salutary. Bishop
Salpointe has expressed his willing
ness, as soon as the success of the en-
terprisc is assured, 10 send clergy
man for permanent residence in
Phoenix. With the building erected,
a clergyman permanently residing
here, the congregation will flourish,
and very short time will witness
the completion of the entire building