The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-04-24
THE CALVARY BAPTIST CHURCH.
The Ground Broken For the
Foundation.
MT. Charles Lunsford, the Oldest Member
of the Church, Throws the First Shovel
Full OF Dirt-.Many Prominent Citizens
Present-The Building to be Completed
by the list of November.

The attention of people passing along
Campbell steet yesterday morning about
10 o'clock was attracted by a group of
well-known citizens of Roanoke dig
ging for dear life with picks and
shovels in the foundations for a new
building.
The first dirt was being shoveled for
the foun lation OF the new Calvary Bap-
tist church..
The location on the north side of
ampbell street, opposite Rorer Park
Hotel, is one of the NEST beautiful in
the city, and quite number of the
members of the Church and other prom
inent Roanokers were on hand to see
the first dirt broken.
Mr.. Charles Lunsford, tho oldest
member of the church, struck the first
lick and turned up the first shovel of
dirt. Judge S. w. Howerton followed
and then Messrs. A. G.. Chewing, Il.
II. Stewart, Is. A. Jones. L. w. Terrill,
w. e. Terrill Il. c. Bateman, r. j..
Ecklotf allsfollowed in turn, and made
quite start on the excavation.
The new Baptist Church has the best
wishes Of other denominations and
Messrs. l.. Blair and James Fishburne,
of the Methodist Church; C. w. Thomas,
of the Presbyterian Church; DR.. S. Il.
THOMPSON and Mr.. j. X. lIockaday, of
the real estate fraternity, were all on
hand. Rev. DR.. c. +. james, the pastor,
was present, and Mrs. Lunsford and
Mrs. Saunders took hand in the dirt
breaking.
A large force of hands was immcdiate-
nj n 7
who has charge of the construction, and
the work is to be pushed forward rapid
ly. The congregation hopes to worship
in the new church by the list of Novem-
Der.
The church is to be one Of the most
elegant and convenient in the CITY. 1t
will be 100 by 60 feet and two stories
high. The front and side walls will be
OF pressed brick and trimmed in terra
Gotta. The first floor will really he a
basement, but only small amount of
excavation will be necessary, as the lot
upon which the building is to be erected
is considerably lower than the street.
This floor will be used as Sunday
school room, the main department OF
| which will have seating capacity OF
about GOO. An infant class room will
be cut off in the rear of the floor, with
constructed that both rooms may be
thrown into one.
The second floor or main auditorium
will be about four feet above tho street
grade and will be entered by two stair
ways from the vestibule in the front. A
gallery will extend across the rear of
the main auditorium with seating ca
pacity of $50 and the main floor will seat
$50, giving the main auditorium a seat
ing capacity of 900.
The interior will be finely finished
with native hard woods, and the church
unfurnished will cost SO, 800. The lot
| upon which it is to be erected cost ST, 900.
AS soon as the house is completed i,
will be furnished with So, 900 pipe
organ. The choir platform will be in
the left Of the pulpit and on level with
it. Back of the pulpit will be two ele
gantly furnished reception rooms, with
toilet rooms adjoining, one for the ladie.
and the other for the gentlemen.