The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-05-10
A CATHEDRAL CITY.
The Magnificent Cathedral Built by Mrs.
Stewart in Garden City, Long Island.
New York Herald.

The cathedral is so far completed that all
its outlines may be seen, and it is already a
form of startling beauty and grace. Polished
after the similitude OF a palace, the rich
stones of its interior CLEAN with light and
are instinct with beauty. Csnningly craven
in every part it is symmetrical and elab
crate with what seems the last achievements
of art.
Its shell is of brown stone its foundations
of granite, Exteriorly it is so ornate and
intricate in outline as to somewhat confuse
the eye in searching for its true form, Over
sixty miniature spires or pinnacles rise from
its walls in true Gothic elaboration of detail,
while above all towers the stately spire 206
feet above the foundation stones.
1t is only when the beholder stands within
the building that the real design can be
grasped by an Impractical eye. The oathe-
dral is cruciform, the junction of nave and
transept being nearly in the center of the
building, and the lofty arches meeting there
III far-off height that seems almost beyond
the visions reach. No pews are yet placed;
and as the visitor treads the polished marble
floor his eye wanders from one attraction to
another Until the whole is a bewildering
maze of beauty. Scores of different marbles
form the floors and walls, and all are either
glittering with polish or carved into exquis-
lite or grotesque forms by the chisels OF skilled
artists.
The light falls through seventy stained
glass windows, each one of which is is study
in art and on each of which is an inscription
OF some quoted word or phrase from Scrip
ture. Around the chancel thirteen of these
windows are glowing colored pictures of the
Christ and his twelve disciples. These win
dows are all imported.
The organ!is quintuple, or rather there are
five organs in the cathedral, all of which are
parts OF one harmonious whole, and can be
played upon at single keyboard. 1t is built
by Hilborne L, Roosevelt, and is his master
piece 1t is claimed that this is the largest
organ in the world, and has more stops than
any other. From his keyboard at the right
of the nave, just above the transept the or
ganist may play on the mann organ, the
chapel organ in the room below, the tower
organ 200 feet away, the choir organ, at the
further end of the nave. or the echo organ,
at the very pinnacle of the center arch or
he may by electrical attachment, play upon
the chimes of thirteen bells-the famous eX-
position chimes-the largest of which is now
inscribed with the name of Alexander Tur-
ney Stewart, and the next largest with the
name of Cornelia NJ. Stewart. The wind is
supplied by bellows operated by a stcam en-
CINE in the basement under the tower, where
the electricity is also generated, the steam to
work the engine being supplied by the Holly
system from boilers mile away.
The mechanical wonders OF the great organ
are, however, the least interesting feature of
the building. The art treasures on every
hand are more attractive to most people.
Two statues of Hope" and Religion" are
to be placed in inches on either side of the
chancel. They are from r. H. Parks studio,
and have just arrived at Garden City. They
are of heroic size, each figure being a trihe
over six feet in height The face of each is
oil rl,fl roiaa Il. ,x,;4
her right hand upon her typical anchor, Re-
ligion rests her left upon a base that also
supports book-the Book-and model of
the cathedral itself in white marble. Both
are fully robed in medieval gowns of bro
cade, the figures of which are elaborately
chiseled in the pure white stone.
The doors are some twenty feet in height
and at least six inches thick, but so perfectly
balanced and hung that child could swing
Them They are of carved oak, in intricate
designs, but as massive as BELTS the portals
OF such house.
The church is yet unfinished, the altar
not yet being made. Below the chancel
shut off from the chapel by carved lattice
or framework of solid white marble, is the
crypt which is to hold the urn or casket con-
tanning the remains of the originator. This
crypt is now hollow glory of white MARBLE
fretted into the most marvellous traceries by
the cunning gravers' tools. Beyond every
thing else in this most ornate temple is the
tomb of its founder adorned. White is the
color and yet around the room the thirteen
small pillars that stand in the architectural
design are each three-fold and of differ
ent colored marbles from all parts of the
world. In each group of three the center
pillar is of the beautiful black clouded mar
BILE found only in Ireland
The nearest house to the cathedral is the
one designed for the Bishops palace 1t is a
spacious mansion, containing some thirty