Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1880-10-26
The Memorial Church Erected by
PennsyIVania's Iron King.

lUu AdlAAAl III llO NNNNLa AANiAAg ~ |
ng the festival of St. Luke, was
chosen for the conservation of the
magnificent edihce, and it was dedi-
with all the ceremonies Of the
Episcopal church.
Several years ago Mr.. Robert Cole
man met a young lady Of very prepos-
appearance in a tour he made
Of New England. She was the
daughter OF a respectable family of
Connecticut in moderate circum-
A mutual attachment fol
and not long afterward the
were married. A short time
the marriage the young bride
was suddenly taken i'll, and a trip on
the continent was arranged by her
husband. Il was thought that the
climate of the south Of France, Italy
or Spain would be best for her. All
that love and boundless wealth could
give was furnished with a liberal
hand. The husband was compelled TO
remain at home by business engage
ments. 1t was confidently believed
that the bride would soon be restored
tie good health, and very soon after
her departure the husband set about
preparing a surprise for her. He
supposed that she would be abroad
about a year, AVID he determined to
erect ono ofthe most costlyresidences
she had ever seen and have it all
finished and furnished In time Tor her
arrival home. She was to know
nothing about it until the carriage
should drive her to the door from the
railway station. Mr.. Powell, a Phila-
dclphia architect, was instructed to
prepare the plans. The structure
was to be in the Scottish barOnial
style. and Mr.. Coleman cared very
little about the cost. A fine site was
chosen, broad and levei aud elevated
with a commanding view Of a long
stretch Of the beautiful Lebanon val
ley.
The Coleman estatecomprises ab0Ii.
5000 acres. In one part of it is a
brown stable, containing some thirty
thoroughbred horses. The most val
liable animals are quartered in rooms
having mirrors on the walls and Brus-
sells carpet on portions of the floor.
Five monstrous furnaces are smelling
ore night aud day on the estate, Three
hills contain an inexhaustible supply
of ore. These furnaces have made
millionaires Of a dozen families or
more. Robert Coleman is the young
est of the iron kings Of the present
line OF owners, Interested parties
and heirs are scattered in many chimes,
but Mr.. Coleman remains in complete
charge of the estate. Everything is
conducted in princely style. Every
employee lives on the place rent free.
The cottages are models Of neatness,
cleanliness and convenience. A store,
church, Sunday schools, and other
necessary wants T supplied. The
great farm supplies employees with
wheat, corn and vegetables at far be-
low market price. Splendid family
mansions occupy prominent places.
Tally-ho coaches, drawn by four in
hands. convey the members of the
family and their visitors 10 the neigh
boring towns and railway stations
Hence the new mansion that was to
be erected oy Mr.. Robert Coleman as
a surprise to his bride, it can readily
be imagined, was 10 be something ex-
ceedinglys grand. The foundation
we're massive, and built Of granite
and limestones. The underground
divisions. were eommodious, and
we're finished in the mos
modern style. A hard cemenI
floor was laid. The frames Of the
large bay windows for the first hool
weighed several tons each. The su
Derstrueture was to have been of mar
bic, iron and granite. The %interio.
was to be finished in hard wood. TIL,
work was pronounced splendid, ant
some Fifty men were steadily employed
Car load after car load Of material wa
arriving and being put in place AL
efforts were made to rapidly push Of
the completion Of the work. Ever,
detail Of furniture and upholstery hal
been decided upon. The gardene
had received his special instructions
In fact, ey~6tything had been fully ar
ranged looking to the rapid compile
ton of the mansion, when a TELEGRAM
came oyor the c that the your
bride was very i'll in Paris. Quick
. followed another that she was dead
] Every tool in the new house wa
{ dropped. The young husband, strick
} en- with gfiei, was Tor a time not 4
To consolcd. lie ordered the work
men on the new mansion to 20 TO tn
Office and draw thoir pay, ana then
/, remove their tools and other property
3 In a few days orders we're given
a tear down what had been put up; {
G throw In the excavations, aud ploug'
! the place over. All that remained Z
e what vas to have been a palao
was ordered 10 be Obliterated.
Tho construction Of the beautihi
G church concludes the story. The re
1 mains ofthe dead bride were embalme.
e and brought back to America. an
j. we're then placed in a vault until IN
construction Of the church walls ha
been sum GENTLY advanced to receiy
them. The new odifGe is cruciforn
/ 95 by75 feet. The floor Is Of SPANS
tile from Valencia. The woodwork
Of oiled oak, a massive tower "a fe,
b square rises 100 feet in the air. TIL
structure is Of gray stone, even to III
n window sills. A hydraulic engine !
e the basement supplies the air for III
organ. The style Of 6pish is old Ent
IS llsh, with massive granite column
It Tho leading Episcopal clergmen
the eastern section Of the state wei
a present At the conservation. The ne
d church has seating capacity 0! so