The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1900-07-20
Big Jasper Church Where the Indiana
State Council Will Meet.

State Council Will Meet.
From thcC G. X. A. journal OF America.
The little city of Jasper, the cap
ital of Dubois county, Ind, has al
church structure which is so large
that almost any one Of the Indianap-
oils churches could be placed inside
-steeple and all, says the st. Louis
Post. This immense structure, ded-
icated as St. Joseph's, has enough
stone in its structure to build around
a city OF $1,000 or 10000 inhab-
itants a wall four feet high and two
feet thick, and the amount of lum-
ber used in the roof alone would be
sufficient to build many homes.
Though this great edifice cost one
tenth as much a. the statehouse, il
was built by the Catholics OF one Of
the smaller counties of the state,
and to-day it stands without single
cent of indebtedness against it.
Three years after the Civil war
closed Father Fidelis Maute began
the erection Of st. Joseph's. On
Sept. IA, 1868, Bishop st. Palais
laid the corner stone. After the
death Of Father Maute the work was
taken up by Father Basil Heusler,
who expects to complete the struc-
ture in 1905, when thirty-seven
years of continuous work will have
been occupied in its erection.
Except for the ornamentation the
materials used in the construction
of st. Joseph's were prepared and
put in place by the congregation,
which for three decades have been
making sacrifices of all kinds to re-
alize the ambition Of their lives.
Besides the vast amount Of labor
contributed, $4,000 in cash has
been raised and between $25 900
and $50, 900 more will be necessary
to complete the work.
When Father Maute conceived
the idea of the great structure he
was anxious that it be built in a
most substantial manner and GER
tainly his wishes have been fol-
lowed. The roo. is supported by
huge trees, the largest in Southern
Indiana, that serve as imposing 80
foot columns. The roof structure is
Icomposed OF forest trees, used as
rafters and braces. Between the
outer roof and the ceiling there is
over 100000 feet of the finest
hardwood in the state. There is
besides an immense amount of stone
in the structure. The story is that
after the farmers had hauled stone
for months and had all the sur
rounding fields covered they thought
there was enough for the entire
structure. Instead, there was only
half enough for the foundation.
The foundation and walls of the
church went up under the direction
OF Father Maute, who after preach
ling the sermon Sunday morning
ANNOUNCED who had been selected
70 work the coming week. By this
means about one-seventh Of the en-
tire congregation labored each week.
Father Maute net only assigned the
men to work, brt be, the busiest.
directed it all. Year after year this
contiaued until gradually the struc-
Iture took shape.
The dimensions Of st. Joseph
are 1856 by 80 feet. From the foun.
dation to the caves it is 81 feet, and
from the floor on the interior to the
ceiling it is 80 feet. The walls are
-four and six feet thick. The steeple
when completed will be 200 fee,
high. In it is a bell, which, with
Its hangings, weighs eight tons. 1t:
Isonorous aud grand voice can be
heard, with a favorable breeze, a,
ICelestine, ten miles east Of Jasper
land at Ferdinand, twelve miles
lsouth.
The church, though the seating
arrangements have not been com
lpleted, can seat 2 1000 people, and
another thousand can stand on the
lower floor OF the structure.
\ Father Basil Heusler, now ir
charge Of the pastorate, is doing all
he can to beautify the great struc
.ture left unfinished by old Father
Maute. Besides putting in splen'
ibid heating system, there has been
'|added fine art windows. Over the
|entrance is an art window showing
Christ feeding the multitude. II
cost 5000. Near the altar is an
other OF the Good Shepherd that
cost $475, while on the other side i:
1.-THE Nativity Of our Lord, that cos,
Tl$45O. Over the center altar is q
small window, the glass in which
cost $500. The other smaller win
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