New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-09-16
A PRELATE'S PALACE.
NEW HOME OF THE BISHOP OF BROOKLYN.
SPLENDID EDIFICE ERECTED BESIDE The
SITE OF THE NEW CATHEDRAL.

NEW HOME OF THE BISHOP OF BROOKLYN.
A SPLENDID EpIFIcE ERECTED BESIDE THE
SITE OF THE NEW CATHEDRAL
One of the finest Episcopal residences III
this country is Just being completed In BROOKLYN
and will be occupied by Bishop Loughlin In shor.
time Brooklyn has not become poSsesseu
OF q remarkable number Of fine pubic oulioiDss,
although every year additions TO the archco'a
ornaments of the city. The most notaoie Oh 'nese
in the past years has been this solid ana suosah
ria, granite edifce erected at Greene and CIermoht
AYES for the accommodation of the Bishop ana MS
sa of priests I'm enc the largest dioceScs IN inc
country 1t has cost about 100000, and in the Sc
vero simplicity OF the design and finish no doiIar
has been squandered for moro show, but everything
in the building contributes TO the use which Is suoor
d,nated 10 beauty But this does not detract rom
the fine effect produced by the massive edihce Which
surpasses in size any in this city. The massive gram
ue walls extend sixty feet in Cermont ave,
where the main entrance is situated. and for ABOUT
ninety feet in Grccneave. the building being III 'he
form Of an l., and they are seventy feet hiSh
d GROWTH OF THE DIOCESE
The Roman Catholic diocese of BlOoklyD, incluu-
ing that city and of Long Island, is one Oh
the strongest in the country. and Bistop L"uShHh
has been at its head it organized I'D loo"'
There were then fourteen churches and like number
Of priests and Que paruc hal scnooL The now ven
cradle prela,e has It grow untl 1t contains li'
churches, 1e2 priests, ninety-hvo parsh so"ooi'i
thirty chapels seventeen academies ana seiooe
schools nine asylums, four hospitals, TWO coHceoS'
two industrial schools, two homes for the aged POOR
one home for invsids and one home for he"SUoSs
several millions OF dollars annually cOntrDu'eu
for the enormous work of all these Institutions over
Them ALL Bishop Loughlin exercises supervisory care
and he is siin hale and hearty despite his more 'Sn
three years and ten, and he scouts inc uea Vi
having an assistant 10 aid him in his work I'D aoui
ton TO his other work, he breaches frequently ana
he has charge individually OF ct. Jamess PARISH u0
church of which is the temporary cathedral I'D
a modest double house on the opposite side OF Jay
st. from this church the Bishop has lived since ne
assumed spiritual and temporal direction OF the oio
cese lie clings his longtime home ana Is ui-
willing 10 remove 10 the new palace, "hlch IDS '00"
practically complete for some time
The scheme for its construction originated with
ytcarGeneral Keesan, although 1t forms part Oh INC
general plan for the new Cathedral 10 occupy 'no
block bounded by Greene, Clemont, Lafayette and
Vanderbilt, ayes The only part OF the design !et
carried out is the construction of a chapel ana OF
the episcopal residence The main cathedral, 10
cost upward of million and half OF dollars, re-
mains as it d dozen years ago, when inc walls
stopped at a height of about twenty ieet Inc
Bishops home like the other cathedral structures
but Of New-nampshre gray granite. trimmed Win
white granite and is three stories in height, with
save for the The main one Is III the ma
die of the Clermont.ave front This consists OF
portico twenty five feet high the approach 10 when
Is up eleven broad steps Oh gran
tie, with three landings The pcnco Is
eighteen feet wild. IN its outer portion, with fourteen
feet as its width within. The roof is supported oy
massive polished granite pillars, and on It's 'front.' IS
elaborate racery work cut IN the stone The ceiling
IS of polished granite and the side walls Of the porco
IRA H..
variegacd granite. The massive doors are of solid
oak twelve feet in height aud richly carved The
hinges are of antique bronze of medieval design ana
bronze studs adorn the doors. On the GTeneaVe'
side is a second entrance Of simple design, for the
use of The priests attached to the cathedral stall
The Clermont-avc. front has rounded Gothic arches
for the windows but in the rest of the building there
are only straight lines.
SIMPLE TASTE SHOWN IN THE INTERIOR
The same simple and severe taste shown in the /
exterior is maintained in the interior. The walls |
of the first story are eighteen feet in height The
main ball runs back about forty feet II is finished
in polished oak, and psnelled with forty different
varieties of marble ranging through many shades OF
color An inlaid mosaic floor and frescoed
ceiling complete this part of the building. |
The apartments opening out of the main |
hall are TO be used as recepuon-rooms |
and back of them VIII be the Bishops study prl-
vate chapel and an Office for business. A corridor /
from the Greene entrance runs into the hail. ana
from It second hall extends through the Greene ave.
wing, from which open the receptionrooms OF the !
various priests on the staff of the Bishop These |
rooms are finished in mahogany. In the basement
is spacious dining room 60 by 90 feet in size. fur
n,shed with oaken chairs and tables, and adjoining
are the kitchen and other necessary rooms. The
second floor is devoted TO sleeping apartments, and
two fine suites OF in the front of the cdi-
fee, one for the resident Bishop and the other for
l. in front hC
main hail. There rooms for five priests besides
the Bishop and vicar-Gcneral on this foor each hav
ing a parlOr and a bedroom.
ROOM FOR A LARGE LIBRARY
The chief feature of the upper part Of the building
however is the immense nbrary-room on the third
floor. 1t is So feet long by % feet wide, and It viii
have shelving capacity for several thousands OF vol
umes The walls and shelves are Of oak and the
rcng is of variety Of hard woods. inlaid in hand
ome designs The room Is Lighted by FIVE Windows on
arc also five chamber suites this floor ON the
floor under the nansard roof is large The
who being instructed in their work The ser
wants rooms. six in number are on this floor The
boiler in the cellar, and there is an open gra'e in
nearly every room for ventilation. The plumbing
lipes are In The Greene ave extension OF the edce
The building contains nearly two score rooms. and IS
raj and dozen priests together with staff Of
rained servants While TIE cathedral work will rot
eQulrc so uuiipci VI ttl-N Oi it present,
is made for all the demands Of any near
uturc. When the Bishop removes 10 his
esdence ST. Johns Chapel, which forms
art of the new cathedral. Will be designated
The pro-cathcdral in place of St. James's Church,
nd q pastor will be put in charge of the latter Other
langes will have to DC made when Bishop Loughlin
axes possession Of his new home.
Among the choice adOTments Of the library there
Ill be a set of steel engravngs Of the
imous cartoons OF Raphael They were struck OF
V order Of William " Of England for distribution
inong royal houses In Europe. and the plates wcre
esroyed after the copies were made. This is said
be one Of very few sets I'm this country. and was
occurred by the Rev. Henry O'LOughln. and
ter hts death 1t was purchased and presented TO
e Bishop.
The cost OF this prelates palace IS over 100000.
large sum for dwelling. considering the pa.nness
the finish and the furnishing. Tn" money for It
contributed in individual gifts by wealthy Catholics
Brooklyn. The Bishop himself did not think that
~ ocese should divert money needed for churches
for he Of i'm vi /