The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-01-19
THE NEW PLYMOUTH CHURCH.
A Brief Description of Most Convenient |
and CommOdious Building.

The new building for the Plymouth Church
congregation, corner of New York and Meridian
streets, is now nearing completion, and on the
morning of the 9th inst, q week from to-mor-
row, the first services Will be held. 1t is not the
intention of the pastor. Rev 0. c. McCulloch, to
have any formal dedcatory exercises. The serv-
ices will be of the usual character, but large
audience is expected as a general invitation will
be issued. The main audience-room, which is
not only to be used for relig worship, but for
lectures, concerts, and for other entertainments
contains $50 opera-chairs. $50 of which are the
main floor, and $40 in the balcony. The seats
are incline like those in the Grand Opera
house,, and there is not seat in the room from
which an unobstructed view of the platform can
not DO obtained The room is beautiful in its
proportions, and its acoustic belongings are
unexceptionable. The aisles are wide, and in case
of need three hundred seats can be added to the
ordinary accommodations. The room is 66X15
feet. and the ceiling thirty three feet high The
most noticeable feature of this room is the finish
of the walls and ceiling. They are not plastered,
but eeiled in poplar. II discovered, said Mr..
McCuoch, in explaining to the reporter lin a
scientific article the resonant value of various
woods, and that poplar stood at the head of the
list. The Cincinnati Music Hall is ceiled, and
experiment in Plymouth Church. 1t was taking
a risk, but the result has been satisfactory We
have room without an echo, and a. loud whisper
can be heard over the whole room. But that,
perhaps would be better told by some other per-
son than myself"
In regard to the seats-they are opera chairs
without any upholstering, clean and comforta-
BILE. They are made of three sheets of maple
veneer cemented together and are as strong and
as easy as rocking-chair. Indeed, these chairs
may be said to possess all the modern improve
ments. There is foot rest, head rest, cloak
and shawl rack. and an umbrella holder. They
are made in Racine, Wis. The steam heating
apparatus works like charm. When the Their
mometer Owed down to 20' below zero it kept
the temperature in the entire building at 70S
without the least difficulty. The ventilation of
the rooms is pronounced to be perfect.
In the front part of the building is large YES
tibule, eighteen by forty-five feet. The rooms to
the south of the entrance will be occupied by the
charity society; the north rooms will be retained
for the use Of the church. The upper story
front will be occupied by the Indianapolis Liter
airy Club, the Wonans Club and the Sunday
school and social rooms of the church. In the
opinion of the pastor the stthing in all this is
that the necessary finances were easily raised
and in such way that the church will not be
impeded in its work by a burden of debt.
Exteraorly the ediice is unique, being of the
architectural type called Romanesque, style
peculiar to England between the twelfth and
fourteenth centuries. Ruskin calls this one of
the most beautiful types of architecture The
brick work is set in a dark red mortar which
imparts soft tone of color. The walls are
eighteen inches thick and the structure is in
every respect solidly built. The first sketch of
the building was made by architect in Boston,
but the working drawings and superintendent
sisted by L. H. Gibson, of the building commit
tee