The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-12-28

hved In the early days of the municipality.
But the trustees were ready for plans
now, and to this new work they applied
themselves. with the utmost energy. Fresh
appeals for funds met with hearty re-
sponses, and a sum that would cover the
erection OF a portion of the proposed
structure was at last at hand.
1t took thirteen years to build St.
Patrick's cathedral on Fifth avenue and
as 1t was proposed to have the new build
ing several times as large. time was valu-
apie' ana event must follow quick upon
event IN the history that vas TO eliminate
in AMERICAS greatest church structure.
1t Is now believed that fifteen years will
siapse before the building Is completed.
1 MS means that thirty-seven years will
n ave elapsed between the conception and
the elimination, more than generation
OF Time In which many noted in the work
nave already passed away.
Inc architects from whom plans were
asks1 took up the task in a most COM
mendable spirit. The competition was
spirited. and at times exceedingly bitter.
charges and countercharges were made
and met. and finally when the smoke of
the battle had cleared away the COMPETE
ton had narrowed down to four firms.
Oi these the most notable plans were those
OF William Haisey Wood. of Newark;
Huss d Buck. of New York, and Helms e.
La Fargo, OF New York. The plans of the
last named were finally adopted and the
preliminary work of construction was
rapidly put under way. Four men figured
in the planning of the great cathedral.
They are Messrs. Helms and La Fargo,
w. W. Kent and Gen. w. Sooy Smith.
The structure which they evolved in
thought is of the round-arch Gothic order.
planned in many details after the early
Christian churches. following notably the
Santa Sophia church at Constantinople
and St. Marks at Venice. But Gothic
characteristics could not be laid aside with
lmpunitv. IS the church was to some ex-
tent welded to this style of architecture
So the central dome is surmounted by
Gothic spires, and the conspicuous feature
OF this design is in the manner in which
these spires seem to grow out Of the struc-
ture-seem to take root in the very foun-
dations. The Latin form is followed in
the plan, but striking departures are
made in the termination of the ,transepts,
which are simply the apses of the
chancel swung around. These accentuate
the Romanesque character of the design
The twelve great piers which support the
dome are TO be dedicated to the apostles,
the one of especial magnificence being
that designed for ST. John. The dome is
enriched by scenes from the Apocalypse,
and the symbolic decorations as they are
carried upward change from the particular
to the general.
The plans were accepted in July 1891,
and the board of trustees. in which few
changes have since been made, comprised
the following gentlemen: Bishop Potter,
George NJ. Miller, DR.. F. X. Cady, Morgan
Dix, E. W. Donald, George II. Houghton,
w. +. Huntington, E. A. Hoffman,.
David IT. Green. W. Bayard Culling, ".
W. Aston, r. T. Auchmuty, ]. Pierpont
Morgan, Hamilton Fish, Cornelius Van
derbilt. ]. r. Roosevelt, Samuel D. Bah
cock, s. P. Nash.
The ground has the following dimen-
slons:
Feet
Mornngside Park side. ..................7 1855
Tenth avenue side Observation-Disclosures us /
One Hundredth and Tenth street side 7S2
One Hundred and Thirteenth street side. $50
The completed building will have the
following dimensions:
Feet.
Total width through transepts. uncommon. 296
Width OF front Observation-Disclosures. I92
Height OF front gable. Observation-Disclosures. 16i
Height OF front towers. Observation-Disclosures. 24S
Height OF fanking towers. Observation-Disclosures. l5S
Height OF central towers NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 40
Height OF dome Qnterior) Observation-Disclosures. 253
Width of nave. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. %
span of central tower. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. S6
Length OF chain and amDulatory ............ 154
The contributions to the cathedral fund
have gone up to much over a million, one
frth <,f .lAn ~ hn