The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-02-09
TO REBUILD THE CATHEDRAL.
AN APPEAL TO THE PEOPLE FOR
HELP TO RESTORE 1T.

The First Contribution Made by
Master FitzhuEh Lee White-Many
Offers of Assistance Received by
Bishop Becker-The Finance Com
mittee of the Congregation De-
cides TO Proceed at Once With the
RebuiIding-The New Cathedral to
BE Practically "a Restoration of the
Burned Edifice.
While smoke from the ruins Of the Ca
thedral swept against the windows of
Bishop Becker's residence last night, the
finance committee was inside discussing
the loss, and before adjourning. decided
TO rebuild the once beautiful edifce. The
committees action viii be received with
profound satisfaction by all members of
the church.
Those present at the meeting beside
Bishop Becker were Rev. Father Kelley,
Capt Henry Blum, Capt. John Flannery,
Mr.. James E. Grady, Mr.. William Kehoe
MIR. Daniel Hogan, Mr.. John Lyons, Mr.
NJ. A. OByrne, Mr.. p. f. Gleason, Mr.. p.
Brennan and Mr.. John w. Golden. The
object was to discuss the rebuilding of the
Cathedral. The insurance on the building
IS $50, 900, and the cost of the structure was
between $175OOO and 100000. There is a
debt of something like $4,000. The ques-
ton of finances was fully discussed, and
the committee made an effort to get at the
real status of affairs.
After deciding to rebuild, the committee
determined that the best course was to
issue a general statement of the affairs
of the parish. This course was settled on
On view of the many proffers of assistance
from different people in Savannah, many
of whom are not even members of the Ro-
man Catholic Church. The statement will
include the facts in connection with the
present debt of $4,000, the amount to be
obtained from the insurance companies,
and the probable cost of the new building.
Ii will conclude with an appeal for assist
ance In the great undertaking the church
has taken up. There was no handsomer
church edifce in the South and the whole
city felt a just pride in it. With ele
present Indebtedness. the committee will
only have about S42 900 at it's disposal an
amount totally Inadequate for even com
mencing the reconstruction. 1t is ex-
pected that there will be a hearty response,
not only from the members of the Catho-
feel interested in seeing the magnificent
building restored. The statement and APP
peal will be prepared within the next ten
days.
During the meeting Bishop Becker stat
ed that he had received the tender of St
Johns Episcopal Church from Rev.
Charles H. Strong, until the Cathedral con-
gregation could make arrangements for
holding services. The Bishop also stated
he had received similar offers from the
Young Mems Hebrew Association, the
Catholic Library Association, the Young
Mems Christian Association, and the Sa-
vannah Volunteer Guards For these gen
erous offers he said the congregation felt
profoundly grateful. The thanks of the
church and the committee will be ex-
pressed, but in view of the fact that other
arrangements will at once be made for the
Cathedral congregation, it will not be ne
cessary to accept any of the offers The
Bishop called attention to letters of sym
pathy he had received from the session of
the Independent Presbyterian Church
the Rector of Sc. Stephens
Church, and a dispatch from Bishop c. X.
Nelson, expressing his regrets and extend
ing sympathy to the congregatl ton. To all
of these. he stated, appropriate replies had
been made.
The chapel of st. Vincent de Paul Acad-
envy, which is just over the school room,
will be used by the congregation until the
Cathedral is rebuilt. A committee con-
sisting of Messrs. Gleason Brennan and
Golden, was appointed to place it in read
mess. The school room is just east of
the sisters home and faces on Liberty
street There is a large door on the sec
ond floor, facing Liberty street, and the
Intention is to arrange two stairways, one
from the east, and west and which will
lead to a common landing at this door
This will be done to avoid the necessity
of passing through the school room in or
der to get to the chapel. Additional seats
Will be placed in the room and with It's
seating capacity of 500. it is thought it
will be quite sufficient for the present
There will be two others means of egress
beside the Liberty street entrance, so their
will be no danger from sudden breaking
out of fire. With the action the commit
tee intends to take I'm the duties assigned
it, 1t is expected the chapel will be in read
mess by Sunday week
Probably the first contribution to the
new Cathedral was made by Master Fitz-
hugh Lee White. the.Ilttle 6-year-old son
of Rev. Robb White, rector of Christ
Church. The little fellow has been frugal
with his money, and had accumulated S.
which he converted into gold piece. In
his manly eagerness to do the most good
with his fund and place it where it would
be encouraging as well as valuable he
went TO Mr.. Luke Carson, a member of
the Cathedral congregation, and gave him
the money as starter for the rebuilding
fund. The little fellow found Mr.. Carson
at his livery stables on the corner of
Broughtop and Abercorn streets. So inn
pressed was Mr.. Carson with the incident
that he said:
Thank you, my little man. I'll add
$500 to your S., and that will even give us
a better start"
1t is safe to assert that before long the
Cathedral congregation will again pass
beneath the high spires and into an edi-
fee of worship fully as grand and impos-
ing as the one now in ashes. The pluck
shown indicates that work is to be COM
menced without delay. and pushed to a
rapid conclusion While the calamity is
great, and will be hard to outlive, yet
the manner in which 1t reparation is be-
ing taken up gives a double assurance of
Success