The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-02-08
LOSS OF THE CATHEDRAL.
VALUABLE INSTRUMENTS. VESSELS
AND PICTURES DESTROYED.

Cracked in Thousands OF Pieces-A
Committee to Meet TO Discuss Re
buiIding-The Congregation VIII
Use the Convent Chapel-BishOp
Becker and the Priests Entertain
ed at the Homes OF Friends.
The immensely of the loss by the burn
ing of the Cathedral of ST. John the Bap-
fist is just beginning TO dawn on those
who have given the matter some atten-
ton, and TO those who are realizing for
the first time what the destruction OF
such a church means
It is the contents and the decorations
that are often more valuable than the
church itself, and in these was much of
the heaviest loss in the confiagration OF
Sunday night. 1t was magnificent blaze
because it had magnificent fuel upon
which to feast
There seems to be a well founded theo-
ry now that the fire really started in the
basement OF the building, and not in the
organ loft as stated. Mr. L. Putzel, who
lives just across the street, first saw the
blaze in the basement when his attention
was attracted to it. Between the tiers
vi steps luttC are tWO sinai NiANONS oAiA
the flames were apparent through these.
From the basement, it would appear, the
fire wound its way around up into the
organ loft through a staircase which
acted as hue.
These facts lead 10 the belief now that
the fire was due to some defect in the
furnaces, which We're in the basement,
and that it found its way at once up to-
ward the organ loft as the easiest outlet
from that part of the building This
seems now 90 be the more frequently ac-
cepted theory of its origin, especially since
no lighted candle is ever kept in the or
gan loft. there being no need for It,
Its handsome stained gleass memorial
windows were one of the main beauties of
the Cathedral. The most magnificent of
these were the two In the transept, pre-
scented as memorials of Mr.. and Mrs. Villa
Tonga by their daughter, Miss Nilla Villa
Tonga. These were of the Crucifxion and
the Nativity. Next to these in beauty and
value were the magnificent windows in the
sanctuary, three in number Our Lady of
Perpetual Help, st. John the Baptist and
st. Patrick presented to the church by
Capt Mcmahon, Capt F1annery and DIR.
]. B. Read. There were also handsome
memorial windows to Father O'Neill the
pioneer priest, who was here just after the
war, and to Father Whelan Other vim
dows were presented by the Union end
Prayer Society, the Sunday school class of
1881, by the congregation as memorial to
Sacred Heart Sodality, by MIR. Thomas
Dempsey of Macon as a memorial to Mr..
Dermod Dempsey. by Mrs. Foley and
others. There were also several very al
liable plain stained glass windows, and al
together these constituted one of the most
valuable features of the property
There were five affairs of handsome Car
rara marble upon the sanctuary and in
the transept The value of these which
were largely destroyed, was somewhere
in the eighborhood of $15,000. The main
altar was designed by Mr.. E. f. Baldwin
of Baltimore, the architect of the Cathe-
oral, and was built in Baltimore at cost
of between 5000 and 5000 This sat en-
a brick foundation in the sanctuary, ind
faced the head of the main aisle. 1t was
damaged extensively by being broken, but
on account of its having been on solid
foundation, the damage is such, it Is be-
lieved, that il can be repaired and the
handsome ornament restored.
The sacramental altar. presented by
Capt. Henry Blum. and the altar TO the
Blessed Virgin, presented by Capt. l.. j.
Guilmartin, on the north and south sides
of the church, respectively, were badly
damaged, though it is believed the latter
can be restored. The former, however,
together with the Sacred Heart altar, in
the northern section of the transept, and
the altar to 81. Joseph, in the southern
part of the transept, were totally de-
siroyed, having been pretty well smashed
up in the ruins.
The pulpit was of course completely
destroyed. This was one of the most
magnificent pieces of wood-carving per-
haps in Savannah. Ii was presented
TO the Cathedral by Hon. ].
j. MeDonough. IL stood facing the
nave of the church. On the opposite side
of the sanctuary. from the pulpit, was
the Bishops throne with carved canopy
top. which was also a splendid piece OF
wood work, a present from one of the
societies.
In the Yestibule stood the statues of the
bleeding Christ and others, forming the
scene around the cross. In other parts OF
the church were magnificent statues of st,
Benedict and ST. Anthony. The only one
of these saved was the statue Of St An
thony.
The organ in use in the Cathedral
was there only temporarily 1t was not
owned by the congregation but was there
TO remain until such time as certain socie-
tleS should raise Suf1cient funds to put in
such an organ as is desired.
Another severe loss was that of the four
teen handsome oil paintings. the stations
of the Cross which Were hung on either
side of the church. These paintings were
an handsome carved frames, and We're rep
resentatve of the life of Christ from his
childhood to the time of the crucihxion.
They are said to have been copies of some
exceedingly fine works in Europe Thev
were presented to the church by lady of
the congregation, whose name was not
given, and to whom there is a memorial
tablet.
The handsome painting of the Immacu-
late Conception, by Murillo, which once
hung in the church, had been removed TO
the sacristy some time before, and was
therefore not destroyed. None of the Old
and valuable silver which was kept in the
sanctuary was lost, all of il having been
removed before the fire reached that por-
ton of the building.
Mayor Meldrim thought that some ac-
tion should be taken with reference to the
Cathedral towers, with a view 20 deter
mining their safety in their present con-
dition. Capt. John r. Dillon suggested
that the architect be sent to inspect Them.
Members of the congregation, and espe-
cially those on the building committee.