The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-11-19
OGDEN
~ DEpHRTMENT
A HISTORIC STRUCTURE.
The Old Tabernacle to BE Remod-
eJed
Ogden, Nov. 10.

probable that no services can be held
there for several weeks.
The Improvements contemplated are
extensive, and while it is not expected
that the plan of building the new
tabernacle viii be given up. still the
new building as planned will make
comfortable and convenient place of
worship while the work Of building the
new stake house is in progress. The
new plans were discussed last Sunday
ct the tabernacle and have been fin
ally adopted. William w. Fife is the
architect and of him Herald reporter
gained a clear idea of the scope OF the
new plans.
The ends of the present structure
will be torn down, and entirely new
ones put in. 4 rev front of brick, iron
and stone work will be put up, and
from the plans it will apparently be
line bit Of architectural decoration. The
entrances will be at the sides instead
OF at the front, as heretofore, nd each
of the two side doors will be represen-
tations on a smaller scale of the front.
There will be doors in the front, but
it is expected that they viii De used
only occasionally, as the seating will
in the main be arranged so as to con-
form to the plan of side entrances. The
building will be enlarged by extending
the back wall and building choir
stand over the added space. This choir
stand will seat about $50 members,
and leave room for a large organ at
the extreme west end, which will be
the highest part of the sloping floor
of the stand. The acoustic facilities
of the new building have been care
fully considered, and the Whole plan
is such as to make the structure rep
resent in shape a long bowl. Squire
Coop, the musical director, said regard
Ing this feature. that he was sure the
acoustic properties would be excellent,
as he had examined the plans. In front
of the choir stand will of course be the
speakers stand. A movable platform
will be provided for, so that in case it
is desired to hold concerts in the build
ing an orchestra can be seated on level
with the lowest tier of seats of the
choir stand. On this feature Mr.. Fife
further said that the building would be
so arranged that if it was desired this
platform can be extended the whole
length Of the building so as to give a
floor for dancing. The interior Of the
building will be quite ornamental The
outer walls will have a layer of ce-
ment covered over the unsightly adobes
of the structure as it now stands.
Underneath the choir stand will be
constructed a room about 90 by % feet.
This room can be used for meetings
and gatherings, such as choir practice,
when it is not desirable to use the large
assembly hall.
Regarding the success of the plan as
contemplated, Mr.. Fife, who is archi-
tect of over thirty of the principal
buildings. of Weber county, said: THE
old tabernacle when completed accord
ing to the plans and specifications
which have been accepted, will be one
Of the most commodiouS and imposing
halls in the west. Due regard has been
paid to lighting, ventilating and heat
ing facilities. The outside architecture
is to be in the style of French Renais-
sance. as will also the inside. The CELL
ing and walls will be laid off in panels
and appropriately decorated. The
building will be 501s feet by 1851 feet,
but will comfortably seat 1000 people,
while on special occasions 300 more can
be provided for
It is expected that the repairs will
cost about $4,000
While there was much qualification
yesterday in Ogden among the citizens
that structure almost new and SO
commodious was to be provided in
place of the old one, still there were
more people thinking about the old
weather-beaten structure than about
Tie one IOF winch II Is 10
form the groundwork 1t is truly a
historic structure. It is so intimately
connected with the life and history of
the people of this county that ie is
cherished fondly by old and young. No
cannon have battered its walls, no be-
sieging parties have been beaten back
from its doors, and yet in it's way the
structure is deserving a place in his
tory as is the famous Alamo. 1t was
~, D,-;o-
ed the site. Ogden was then but a
cluster of Door houses inhabited by
few hundred pioneers. Probably any
town today in the county is superior
to what it then was. Some wanted to
build it where Wright's store now
stands. NO" said Brigham Young
There will be business houses there
before long"
Business houses! How preposterous it
might have seemed; but it was built
there, or at least begun there in 1851
The people left it once at the time OF
the move south, when Johnson's army
was approaching from the north
They returned and went on with the
building. The logs were drawn from
the mountains by OK teams They
were felled, hewed and put in place by
such men as Lorrin Farr, Walter
Thompson, Chauncy w West. r. D.
seph Parry, James Taylor. James
Ward, of Salt Lake, was the architect.
w. N. Fife, father of the present ar
chitect. was one of the chief workers
The nails for shinglirg il cost not
less than 60 cents a pound. The small
window panes cost SIC per box-now
they cost a bout 81 per box. The frame
work was all put up and the roof put
on before ever there was an adobe
laid. People may think that there is
not much framework, but there are
heavy timbers resting on the founda-
tons and timbers forming complete
arches over the ceiling. No nails We're
used in the roofing or in the trusses.
They were Joined together by hard,
red pine pins eleven and one-haif
inches in diameter. After this frame
work was UP the adobe and mason
were put UP outside by Joseph Parry
at later day when just after a hard
wind it was feared the structure
would collapse.
Lorrin Farr was the stake president
at the time Of the building ard Chaun-
cy w. WerG was the bishop Of the
whole county.
At first seats were provided for
only about a third of the length of the
structure Of late years seats have
been put in every possible place and
the building is inadequate. When it
was built there was no money in the
country and very little store-pay. 1t
was remarked on the street yesterday
that one man who worked there from
beginning to end got less than S. in
store-pay and no nloney-the rest was
produce.
All tho fa,oo,1s ,,oe,, ,of iI,a ot,rroh