Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-08-02
CORNER STONE LAID.
ST. ALPHONSUS CHURCH AND SOCIETY
HANDSOMELY CELEBRATES THE EVENT.
A Large Number of Visitors in the CITY From
NeghbOring Towns and Ciis-The Services
Pass Of in q Successful Manner
TO-Dsy's Picnic. !.

much credit upon tne SentleHeu WIN hA
the arrangements in charge. The day
broke bright and clear, and at early morn
visitors began to arrive in the city IN
crowds and singly fromall the neighboring
towns. The weather could nOt have been
more propitious, and many people who had
previously no thought of attending the
ceremonies left their homes and came to
the city with their families.
Yesterday was Patrons Day with the St
Alphonsus Society and the Church, and at
7 O'Clock in the morning grand high mas
was celebrated in the large chapel of the
school building which adioins the church,
at which the members of the st. AlphOns'
us Society received communion. The
chapel was beautiful decorated with ever
green's and flowers and presented a pretty
appearance. At 10 o'clock the usual Sun
day morning mass was celebrated.
At IL o'clock the PittsbuTg delegation
arrived over the B.. & u. and were met a,
the depot by the Knights of st. John,
headed by Mayors brass band, who escorted
the visiting Societies to st. AlphOnSu'
Hall, where they were made com
Portable. The societies were Company
Knights of st. George, and the
Raphael and Fidelius Societies of st. Au'
pustinus Church of LawTenceville, South
Side, Pittsburg. Besides the members d
these organizations there were also many
other exc~ursiOnists, the whole number
being probably 1900, ,
MI. G. X. Behler, President of st. Al
phonsus Society, extended a cordial vel
come to the visitors in n neat address, al
the conclusion of which he invited them t.
partakc of an appetizing lunch which haC
been prepared fortheir editicatlon. by th'
time this enjoyable feature had been salts
factOrily discussed the hour OF : p. III. haC
about arrived, and the societies formed In
to line, headed by the Independent Corne,
Band of PittSburg, and marched up Mar
ket street to the Knights of st. George
Hall, where this organization Joined the
procession and then the line marched back
TO the church to participate i'll the exercises
of the corner stone laying.
The foundation walls Ofthe church, which
are already up some distance were prettliy
decorated with branchesOi trees, evergreen'
and flowers, and the societies occupied posi-
lions within the walls, whilethe largerpa
of the audience filled up Market stree
from house TO house. BY the time the ser
vices began fully 5000 people had assem-
bled in the vicinity of the church, while
all the available windows in the neighbor
hood were crowded with people, rs wer,
also those OF the three floors OF the schoo
building.
A stand had been erected just back o.
where the corner stone was located TO az
cOmmodatc the clergy who were to con
duct the exercises. Mayors brass banC
also occupied the stand, and the programme
was opened with one of the three song
composed expressly for and appropriate to
the occasion by Prot. Nolkenrath, formerly
leader of the choir and Il member OF tn
society. Rev. Father AntOnius, OF 81. Al
phonsus, then made the Introductory al
dress, in which he stated the object OF Thu
occasion, etc, after which Mgr. Sullivan
opened the dedicatOTy exercises, being us
sisted by Rev. Father Kratz, of st. DO
scph's Settlement, Marshall County; Rev
Father Park, of Mt. de Chamtal; Rev. FL
Their McMcnamin, of BcnwOOd; Rev. Ia
Their Mullen. of the Church OF the I'm
maculate Conception, Eighth Ward, city
and Rev. Fathers AntOnius, Angelus ant
: Marcus, of st. AIphonsuS Church, beside
two students of st. Joseph's. After tn
usual services Mgr. Sullivan PLACED
in the copper box, which ha(
been fitted into the corner stone
copies of the city daily papers, 4 history u
st. AlphOnsus church, three hymns com
posed for the occasion by Prof. Nalkcnrath
history of the st. AlphOnsuS society, 4 pa
per containing the names of the member
of the city Council and all the present city
officers, history and constitution of tin
Knights of st. George, the Peoria DemO
crat newspaper, copy Of Leo, q religion
paper publiShedi in Germany, the PittSburi
BeoJacLtnr newspaper, and 4 lot of toreigl
and American coin of different dcnOmlnn
tiOns, besides several relics.
After this had been finished Mr.. w. c
Stifel placed the lid in secure position
when the work was turned over +
Mr.. Philip Schuelc, who place.
over the Oritice marbl
cap and covered it with mortar. Ate
Mgr. Sullivan had formed a cross in tn
mortar on top of the cap, and ]sprinkled
with holy water, the cap stone proper wa
lowered and put into place by Mr.. Srhuele
assisted by u number of gentlemen, An
other song was then sung, with band nc
commandment. after which Rev. Fathe
EratZ delivered a short and pleasing al
dress in German. Then the singing o
the third hymn closed the exercises OF tn
day, which were highly successful in ever,
particular.
The old st. AlphOnsuS church wa
founded and built in 1886 and was quite
large and imposing ediiice, but the congre
cation grew so rapidly in number that TN
old building at last failed to accommodate
the attendance, and the directors OF tn
church decided to erect a new building
Rev. Father Antonius, who is an accom-
pliShcd gentleman, is thoroughly con
verSant with many of the arts, especial!
that of architecture, and it was he VIII
drew up the plans and specifications forth
new building. The work so far demon
stratcS that rs an architect he is a success
and that from his plans a building will b
erected that will be q credit TO his talent
as well as to the city. The new building
is to be very much larger than the old
there being in width alone a difference O
twenty-fOur feet.
The old corner stone was laid on tn
southeast corner and the new one is on tn
northwest corner. 1t is also much large
and there is no danger this time that SOM
rascal will lift the cap off and steal tn
contents of the box, as was the case whel
the first stone was laid.
Upon the side of the new stone flcinI
Market street is carved the following in
scriptiOn:
ECCLRsIA