Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-07-15

Correspondence Of the Boston Herald.
Ever since the first spade entered the dirt of
the New York Roman Catholic cathedral in 1853,
rumor has stuck to it that the knoll Of ground
on which that regal pile now stands at 50th
street and 5th avenue was donated to the church
by the city, This has been said from Protestant
pulpit and political rostrums so often that prob
ably thousands of New Workers believe it, The
truth is different. and far more interesting
Long before 1850 and when New York was one
fifth its present size. a settlement extending but
part OF the way along Manhattan island and
surrounded everywhere by farms and woods,
Rome, through that perfect system that in
cludes a knowledge of the exact bent OF the
mind of each of her priests first observed at the
school bench and never lost sight of afterward
sent to the little town Jesuit, whose especial
forte was bis foresight and Judgment i'm buying
land. They knew in Rome that this was to be-
In short time, great city, and the Jesuit
father knew, when he traversed the island for
the first time, what were certain to be choice
and valued sections in the metropolis of the
future. Truck farms, country seats. rocky
ridges and squatters' settlements were where
Murray Hill and Central Park are now. The
island had a
BACKBONE OF ROCK
elevated far above the water line, and running
the middle of the island until it curved at the
northern end and formed Washington Heights,
on the western side. overlooking the Hudson
river. It's highest point was at what is now
5Oth street and 9Th avenue. and this was in the
Judgment of that shrewd man. to be the choicest
spot in the future city. Thus it was that, when
the church had money to eXpeldi in the purchase
OF land, it made the tract it owns there one of
Its first purchases. 1t was at first the property
M ire uSn aSit.
for the cathedral came about afterward. To-day
this elevated plateau, the geographical as we'll
as the religious center of the Catholic system,
bears upon one full block the Roman Catholic
male orphan asylum, upon another the female
orphan asylum, and upon q third the cathedral
and cardinals residence. Some OF the land of
the fourth block has been sold to private per-
sons The remainder the church retains. Society
stamped its seal OF approval on the selection Of
the church by rearing there the finest mansions
on the island. The three palaces of the Wander
DitS are across the street. and the lOrdly man
sions of miOnaires Kemp, Stevens, Flower and
GOelet are within few blocks one way and the
other. Commerce has shown its regard for the
Judgment OF the church in the erection there of
the Windsor and Buckingham notes.-the most
Select carayansaries in the city. The other
churches
HAVE FALLEN INTO LINE
and near at hand are DR.. John Halls and ST.
Thomas churches cathedrials, so to speak.
OF Calvinism and the Church of Holland The
Episcopal church has its hospital est. Luke's)
and its orphan asylum almost in the shadow OF
the mammoth ROmish temple. Finally the New
Workers, as body. show their appreciation of
the merits of the priests choice by constructing
nine blocks away their Central Park. But
while from the North and East rivers from New
Jersey and Long Island, the white marble church
stands like bright cube above the level of the
city roofs, nearly all these other structures are
swallowed up in the even lines of the city's
buildings And yet the cathedral has only the
1ntimatiOns of the steeples and the prominence of
the building is due to the especial elevation of
the land at that exact point. 1t is the fitting site
and monument of the faith of a city of 100000
lay Catholics. 400 priests 162 churches. AZ
chapes and schools. asylums and Orphanages
wherein $1,000 children are instructed in the
faith.
THE CATHEDRAL
IL crucifOrm. and is built OF white marble 1t is
SS2 feet long and ia feet wide, with height
Of 10. its central gable in front being a little
higher than the present altitude OF the incom-
pleted towers. Its style, in the technical Ian
guage OF architecture, is the decorated and
geOmetric gothic, of which the cathedrals i'm
Amlens, Rheims and Cologne are the best ex-
amples. To the ordinary observer its main
characteristic is its lavish decoration in carved
foliage, fringing and tracery. The portals of
three doors and the great rose window, 26 feet
In diameter. with their massive buttressess.
panelled pinnacies. and riches take Up and form
the entire facade, which is mass of carving.
the grapevine, morning glory and passion flower
being the most conspicuous designs Strangely
enough, over the north door opposite the papal
cOat-at-arms, is the escutcheon of the United
States.
The interior of the cathedral never fails to
AstOnish the visitor with its size yet few are
aware of its real extent. thrOnD of 600
nj ny.,fS,- fpl,lxx
there, and, on at least two occasions each wear.
Christmas and Easter, 10000 people gather
within its walls The interior is divided into a
nave. two transepts, and choir, or sanctuary
Seven rows OF richly-mOulded columns sub-di-
vide the great chamber. and great Gothic
windows. duplicated i'm number by the smaller
ones OF the clerestOry above. shed soft rich
light OF mellow rainbow hues upon the marble
and the little square of carved oak pews, the
giistening affairs and their metal crucifiXes and
lamps. the confessional boxes and the costly
paintings OF the stations of the cross All day
long the doors are opened, and wOrshpers
ana slsht-seers, moving on tip toe, come and 90,
kneeling at the affairs or before the chancel
rail- disappearing withinthe little confessionals,
that are like an avenue of tiny cottages. along
either wall. admiring the memorial windows
the gifts of the wealthy. or resting i'm the pews.
where only low undertOne of the racket of
the city can be heard.
There are two organs one a Jardine that
ranks high among the very large organs of the
world and the other by Ode The grand organ
Is Of the open style, displaying all the pipes
artistically grouped and 1Oridly decorated. 1t
Is in a gallery in the nave where there is room
beside it for the choir of one hundred voices
trained by the Organist. Mr.. Peeher The Odell
organ In the sanctuary Is played by FIR. Lammel
1T high mass and yeSpers, and here the seventy
chorister boys join with the regular choir in
singing the service. The main choir sings the
common parts, the mass, the "Gioria, Credo."
''Sanctus." 'Benedictus'' and .Agnus Dei.n
while FIR. Lammelfs chOristers sing the proper
parts, the ''Introit," Gradual" Commune"
and all the responses. The members of the
double quartets in Dir. Pechers choir are saar-
I'D. All the others give their services gratui-
ously. Both organists are cultivated musi-
aans, and lovers of fine choral music flock to
me cathedral on the feast DAYS Of the church.
The high altar is the gift OF the cardinal. II
was made in Italy, OF pure Italian marble ala
Daster and precious marbles, the door of the
tabernacle being Of gilt bronze set with emer-
Aids and garnets- The rersdos, a gift of the
clergy. Is 80 feet high and So feet wide. and was
carved In Portiers stone in France The center
tower bears a statue Of the Saviour and the two
side towers statues of ST. Peter and st. Paul
The archbishop's throne is close at hand-a
grand chair OF carved oak surmOunted by a
great gothic canopy and crowned nv an ornate