The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-05-21
LAYING THE CORNERSTONE
Beginning Of a PalatiaI Edifce That Is
to Be Dedicated to Charity.
Great Work in Building q New st. Vincent
Hospital-Impressive Speeches BY Rep
resentatives of Church and State.

NO less than 5000 people witnessed the i'm
posing ceremonies attending the laying Of the
cornerstone Of the new St vincents Hospital,
at the corner Of Delaware and South streets, at
= O'Clock yesterday afternoon. When the struct-
ure Is completed the hope cherished by the Sis
tsrs OF Charity Of Indianapolis, for many years,
to become the possessors of one Of the fness hos
pitfalls In the West, viii have been realized. The
rapid growth Of the city ans the corresponding
widening OF the field of charity made the
erection OF . building more commodious than the
old ST Vincent, necessary, and about . year ago
the Sisters determined TO carry out their idea OF
. hospital on . grand scale. In accordance with
the rules OF the Catholic Church. they had to Sc
cure the coussut of Father Mentins. of Baln-
more. Who has general supervision Of all the
eharlt.ole Institutions Of the church in America.
De favored the erection Of the building, but as
ns was going away on . long tour in Europe
be placed the general supervision Of the con-
st.nction Ia the hands of j. A. Reaume, Of this
city. When the building was undertaken the
Sisters had bat little money on hands, but rely
ing upon the income OF the hospital and the
charity Of people Of all religious ereeds they
borrowed 800. 600 from Eastern capitalists, and
immediately went to work.
It will b when completed the largest hospital
in the State except the State institutions, and
one Of the largest and best equipped in the
West 1t will have . frontage Of 185 feet on
South street and 40 feet on Delaware street.
There will be two wings. one on the east and
one on the west side, Of 142 feet each. The
main building will be Ava stories high,
including the basement and the mansard.
The operating-room viii be located in the mid
die wing, and will open of a wide corridor that
viii run through the building from the east to the
west The foundation walls ct the bottom are
four feet thick. and the top of the foundation
measures twsnty-nine inches. Besides the rooms
Tor patients there will be o chapel, reception
room' laboratory and all other essential ap art
mentS There will be an elevator, and the most
improved sanitary arrangements are to be pro-
vlded. 1t 10 the intention Of the Sisters to re-
ceivs patients either for or without pay, accord
Ing to their ability. The estimated cost of the
building, when il is ready for occu-
pancy, u $l15.000. Contracts have already
s ess0 non let for an expenditure Of
70 Jungclaus q Schumacher. with D. p. Bohlen
q Son as architects. The contracts already
awarded do not include sewerage. plumbing aud
steam-heatinR. The building Is to be ready for
occupancy by Dec. Is.
All the Catholic churches Of this city and
their various societies we're represented at the
exercises yesterday. A platform twenty feet
square was raised by the side Of the stone to be
placed In position, and around it the people
gathered, blocking the sidewalks and streets for
a square away. The Emmett Guards Band fur
nished the music for the occasion. Seated upon
the stage Were the Right Reverend Bishop
Francis Silas Chatard, Governor Gray. ex-Gov-
ernor Porter, Fathers Bessonies, Alerding,
Francis, Curren. Gavisk. Scheideler and O'Don-
aghue, Judge Livingston Rowland and others.
Ihe exercises were IN charge of the Bishop. who
was assisted by Father Bessonies. The latter
introduced TO the sssemblsge, az the first
speaker, Governor Gray.
The Governor said 1t was q very great pleas
ure for him to be present, and witness the cere-
monies OF the laying Of the cornerstone of the
foundation OF an edlfce which, whom completed
and equipped, would be devoted to the cause of
charity. 'It will continued he, ''be a emple
Of charity. whose portals will be open to all
alike. without reference to religious creeds. race
or condition in life. Here may como the hum
oiest or the humble. the poorest of the poor.
and they will receive. without compensation and
without price, the same kind care and treatment
as will be accorded TO those who come bearing
gold in their hands. The charitable ministra-
lions given the poor and unfortunate here prove
ots IA Abioo 81 I
tan love, benevolence and charity. It is more
than that-it is mercy. the noblest attribute
OF the Almighty. It is an exhibition of
that mercy. the quality OF which Is not strained,
that droppeth a. the gentle dew of heaven upon
the place beneath. Such Institutions az thisiwill
be are peculiar to Christianity. Mother religion,
except the Christian religion, has ever instituted
or established them. II we examine the par ss
OF the history OF the countries that have gone
by, 1t will be found that oil such charities are
the work of Christian hands. We
read that whom the foundations
of the earth were laid the morning stars sang
together. and that all the sons aud daughters of
God shouted with joy. May we not, as . Chris
together on this beautiful Sabbath afternoon,
sing songs OF glsdness and give expression OF
JOY over the laying of the foundations Of an In
s~titution dedicated to such noble work. / hope
this structure may progress to an early compile
ton, and be in every way a success; that it
may coms within its walls and that Ii may be a
monument of glory"
At the conclusion Of Governor Gray's speech.
Ex-Governor Porter was introduced. He said
IL was not . part Of the programme that he
should say anything on the occasion. The be-
loved and venerable Bishop had done him an
unexpected honor by calling on him to say some
thing. and he felt embarrassed ''The institu-
ton Of the. Sisters of Charity" he continued.
was founded $50 years ago. Its blessed
once has been TO administer to the poor. to heal
the sick. to alleviate the suffering, to heal the
wounds. not merely of body, but the wounds OF
the broken heart From the earliest period of
the organization the Sisters have been called the
servants of the poor. The hospitals of the
church are peculiarly under their direction and
supervision. Kingdoms have risen and persisted
and their memory has been nearly forgotten
since the Sisters Of Charity began
their work. What they have done
is permanent, and will be pcrpetually
remembered. The Divine Master has said that
in his Kingdom he that is greatest shall be your
master, and he that is chiefest among you shall
be your servant. Those who do most TO allevi-
ate sorrow and suffering, though not esteemed
the greatest now. in the better state of things
that 10 to come shall be esteemed the greatest.
Through the hospital, whose cornerstone is to
be laid to-day. the sick, and the suffering shall
for many and many years be relieved and con-
soled, and after these gentle and spious ladies.
who shall have IL in charge. shall have passed
away others will rise to perform the blessed
work which they have dropped"
The Right Rev. Bishop Francis Silas Chatard
spoke after Governor Porter. The hospital, he
said, was to be erected for the benefit of al people
Irrespective of religious belief. Its aim was to
alleviate suffering mankind. 1t was to be I
noble work of charity. The completion OF the
building would be the accomplishment of q hope
the Sisters had long cherished. The noble
women had become famous for what they had
done in the past. On the field of battle they
had given mp their lives for the love of labor.
There were now no fields OF battle on which