Omaha daily bee., 1884-06-12
COUNCIL BLUFFS.
ADDITIONAL LOCAL NEWS.
BREAKING GROUND.
A Start Made Toward The New BpiS.
COpal Church,
The Ceremonies Yesterday.

Yesterday afternoon about 3 o'clock
the ceremony of breaking ground for the
new Episcopal church took place. The
site selected is OH Sixth street, on the
lot adjoining that on which the rectory
stands and in the rear Of the present
church.
The architect, S. E. Maxon, spread
the plans of the new structure before
those present, and after consultation
with some of the leading members of the
parish the lines were laid out, so as to
fix approximately the center of the tow
or to be built on the southwest corner.
1t was at this spot that the ground was
first broken.
There were q goodly number present,
and a brief service was conducted by the
rector, Rev. Mr.. Mackay, who read selec.
tions from the scriptures concerning the
building of the tabernacle, the passages
selected being appropriate to this occa-
sion. Prayer was then offered, and the
rector then made a short address, setting
forth the requisites for the successful
completion of the structure, and earnestly
urging his parishioners to show patience,
endurance, zeal, and liberality.
ID. G. Bloomer, the senior member was
then called upon. He said that, as he
had been going about with Mr.. Maxon
laying off the lines, the thought that
come To him WAS, "What a big church.
Can we build 80 large a one2" Then
came to him the thought of what had
been done in the past. About eight
years ago some of the ladies conceived
the idea that a lot should be purchased
and a rectory built. They decided to do
30. They had no money
and little faith, but soon
by ea%rnestness and liberality the means
were provided and the rectory paid for.
Then 1000 was raised for the purchase
of this lot, on which the new church
was to stand, and already the ladies have
raised 81 1000 for the new building. All
that was needed was more faith, and an
accompanying liberality. The success of
the enterprise depended IN each doing
his or her share, as God had blessed
them.
praise God from whom all blessings
aow," was then sung while Mr.. Bloomer
took out the first shovelful Of dirt, the
ceremonies concluding with Rev. Mr..
Mackay and others, each taking out a
shovelful, even to the ~rector's little child
rem who innocently grappled with what
was then almost a grea tiff as it will be
for the parish to raise the means for COM
plenting the church in all its proposed
beauty.
Mr.. S. E. Maxon has prepared the
plans for the new church. 1t is to have
a frontage of 60 feet and an extreme
width of rs feet, while the extreme
depth will be ITO feet. The front is an
ornamented one, and the exterior is to
be finished in stone ashley work. The
intention is to put in the stone founda'
ton at a cost of $4,000 before November
lat, and then if means can be secured tt
go right ahead with the superstructure,
which it is to be hoped will also be OF
stone, but may be of brick, some in the
parish favoring brick. The contract
for the stone work of the foundation hat
been let to Mr.. Drexel, of Omaha; that
for the brick work to George Fauble,
and the wood work to Mr.. Murphy.
If the plans are followed out, the sup.
%erstructure put up of stone also, st. Paul
Episcopal church, of Council Bluffs, will
be one of the most handsome churches il
the west.