The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1900-09-15
A GREAT STRUCTURE
THE BIG CHURCH OF THE ,Irr,E
CITY OF JASPER.

AuihS That Has
Been For Thirty-eiSht Ye,rs =,
Course of Erection by Enerpe4tc
Catholics of Dubois County, Ind
The little city Of Jasper, capital of On.
bois county, Ind, has a church structure
which IS SO large that almost any ono
Of the indianapolis churches could no
placed inside, steeple and all. This
immense structure, dedicated rs ST
Joseph's, has enough stone in its struc-
lure to build around a city of 10000 or
10000 inhabitants a wall four feet birb
and two feet thick, and the amount Of
lumber used in the roof alone woujd ba
sufficient to build many homes. Tbourb
this great edifice cost one-tentb nc
much aS.the statehouse, it was built nv
the Catholics Of one of the smallest
counties of the state of Indiana. and
today it stands without single cent of
Indebtedness against it
Three years after the civil war closed
Father FideliS Maute began the erec-
ZION Of St Josephs. On Sept. IA. 1865.
Bishop St Palais laid the cornerstone.
After the death of Father Maute the
work was taken up by Father Basil
Heusler, who expects to complete the
structure in 1905, when 81 years of
continuous work have been occupied in
its erection. Except for the ornamental
ton. the materials used in the con-
sruction Of st. Joseph's We're prepared
and put in place by members Of the
congregation, who for three decades
have been making sacrifices Of all
kinds to realize the ambition of their
lives. Besides the vast amount of la
Dor contributed $4,000 in cash has
been raised. Between $4,000 and $50
600 more will be necessary to complete
the work.
When Father Maute conceived the
idea Of the great structure, he was anx-
ious that it be built in a most substan-
tial manner and certainly his wishes
have been followed. The roof is sup
ported by huge trees, the largest in
southern Indiana, that serve as i'm
posing 80 foot columns. The roof
structure is composed of forest trees
used as rafters and braces. Between
the outer roof and the ceiling there is
over 100000 feet Of the finest hard
wood in the state. There is besides an
immense amount of stone in the struc-
ture The story is that after the farm
ers had hauled stone for months and
had all the surrounding fields covered
they thought there was enough for the
entire structure. Instead there was on
ly half enough for the foundation.
The foundation and walls Of the
church went up under the direction of
Father Maute, who after preaching the
sermon Sunday morning announced
who had been selected to work during
the coming week. By this means about
one-seventh Of the entire congregation
labored each week. Father Maute not
only assigned the men to work, but he,
the busiest. directed it all. Year after
year this continued until gradually the
structure took shape.
The dimensions of St Joseph's are
1876 by 90 feet. From the foundation
to the caves it is 81 feet, and from the
floor on the interior to the ceiling it is
90 feet. The walls are 4 and feet
thick. The steeple when completed
viii be 200 feet high. In it is bell
which. with it's hangings, weighs eight
tons. Its sonorous and grand voice can
be heard with a favorable breeze at
Celestine, 10 miles east Of Jasper, and
G+ Ferdinand 10 miles south
The church, though the seating ar
have not been completed,
can seat 1000 people, and another 1000
can stand on the lower floor of the
structure.
Father Basil Heusler, now in charge
Of the pastorate, is doing all he can to
beautify the great structure left unfin-
ished by old Father Maute. Besides
putting in a splendid heating system
there have been added fine art Win
dows. Over the entrance is an art
window showing Christ feeding the
multitude. 1t cost 5000. Near the altar
is another of the Good Shepherd that
cost S475. On the other side is the Ma
tvity Of the Lord that cost $3.50. over !
the center altar is a small window the
glass in which cost $500. The other
smaller windows cost S175 and side
$500.
But the windows are not the most /
expensive part of the ornamentatlon'
The three affairs are especially line, De-
ng constructed entirely of Italian mar
BE. The high altar, with the TWO !
,roups. each seven feet high, cost SD
300. The side affairs, one crowned WIN /
he Blessed Virgin, the other with 81 /
Joseph, the patron saint of the chorch
,ost $4,000. The high altar has oeIore
I six great candlesticks, each OF when
,ost $50 The railing separating lhe (
sanctuary from the church auditorium
{ of ONYX and brass that cost Sl,OoO.
The other decorations are proportion
lte in expense and beauty.
When Father Maute died, he had TalI-
d TO make any provision for heating
md lighting the vast structure AT
present candles are used for lllulnlla-
ion. but soon the building VIII Ue
.uuipped with electricity.
The congregation VI 81 - -.
ludes 800 families, or about 3,ooO coiil-
nunicants. In the city of Jasper W per
eDt of the inhabitants are Cathohcs'
nd Dubois county is in the strongesl
catholic district in the state 4hes
ave made many sacrifices to consTuc'
his edifce. The monastery at st. Mem
ad has received considerable ana from