The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1880-11-20
L he Memorial Church Erected by Penn
syIvania's Iron King.

mantle chapter of love and sorrow con-
nected with it. The new edifiee cost a
very large sum of money, and it is gen.
orally known that every dollar was paid
by Mr.. Robert Coleman, one of the lead
ing members of the {" house of Corn
wall, " founded upon three mountains of
iron ore here in Lebanon County, about
140 miles west of New York. The church
is in the borough proper. Cornwall, a
few miles distant, is the home of the
Colemans, the richest iron family in the
State. Monday, being the festival of
st. Luke, was chosen for the consecra-
ton of the magnificent edifice, and it
was dedicated with all the rites and cere-
monies of the Episcopal Church.
Several years ago Mr.. Robert Cole
man met a young lady of very prepos-
sessing appearance in a tour he made of
New England. She was the daughter
of respectable family of Connecticut,
in moderate circumstances. A mutual
attachment followed, and not long after
ward the couple were married. A short
time after the marriage the young bride
was suddenly taken i'll, and trip on
the Continent was arranged by her hus-
band 1t 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 most liberal hand. The
husband was compelled to remain at
home by business engagements. 1t was
confidently believed that the bride
would soon be restored to 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 year, and he determined
to erect one of the most costly resi-
dences she had ever seen, and have it
all finished and furnished in time for
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, Phla-
delphia architect, was instructed to pre-
pare 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 level and elevated, with a command
ing view of long stretch of the beauti-
full Lebanon Valley.
The Coleman estate comprises about
five thousand acres. In one part of it
is brown stable, containing some
thirty thoroughbred horses. The most
valuable animals are CHARTERED in rooms
having mirrors on the walls and Brus-
sells carpet on portions of the floor.
Five monstrous furnaces are smelling
ore night and day on the estate. Three
hills contain an inexhaustible supply of
ore. These furnaces have made million
aires of dozen families or more. Rob-
ert Coleman is the youngest of the iron
kings of the present line of owners. In
terested parties and heirs are scattered
in many chimes, but Mr.. Coleman re-
mains in complete charge of the vast es-
tate. Everything is conducted in prince
ly style. Every employee lives on the
place, rent free. The cottages are
models of neatness, cleanliness and con-
venience. A church, store, Sunday
school, and other necessary wants are
fully supplied. The great farm sup
plies employees with wheat, corn, pota-
toes and vegetables at far below market
price. Splendid family mansions occu-
ply prominent places. Tally-ho coaches,
drawn by four-in-hands, convey the
members of the Coleman family and
their many visitors to the neighboring
towns and railway stations. Hence the
new mansion that was to be erected by
Mr.. Robert Coleman as a surprise to
his bride, it can readily be mag
ined, was to be something ex-
ceedingly grand, The foundations
were massive, and built of
granite and limestone. The under
ground divisions were commodious, and
finished in the most modern style. A
hard cement floor was laid. The frames
of the large bay windows for the first
floor weighed several tons apiece. The
superstructure was to have been of mar
BILE, iron and granite. The interior was
to be finished in hard wood. The work
was proceeding spIendidly, and some
fifty men were steadily employed. Car
load after car load of material was ar
irving and being put in place. All eff
forts were made to rapidly push on the
completion of the work. Every detail
of furniture and upholstery had been
decided upon. The gardener had re-
ceived his special instructions. In fact,
every thing had been fully arranged
looking to the rapid completion of the
mansion, when telegram came over
the sea that the young bride was very
i'll in Paris. Quickly followed another
dispatch that she was dead. Every tool
in the new house was dropped. The
young husband, stricken with grief, was
for time not to be consoled. He Or
dered the workmen ON the new mansion
to go to the office and draw their pay,
and then to remove their tools and
other property. In few days orders
were given to tear down what had been
put up; to throw in the excavations, and
pillow the place over. All that re-
manned of what was to have been q
palace was ordered to be obliterated.
The construction of the beautiful
church dedicated here to-day concludes
the story. The remains of the dead
bride were embalmed and brought back
to America, and were then placed in
vault until the construction of the church
walls had been sufficiently advanced to
receive them. The new edifce is cruci-
form, sc by rs feet. The floor is of
Spanish tile from Valencia. The wood
work is of oiled oak. A massive tower
twenty-four feet square rises 100 feet in
the air. The structure is of gray stone,
even to the window stills. A hydraulic