Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1901-07-11
A. T. STEWARDS TOMB
Magnificent Monument Of the Mer-
chant Prince.
The Cathedral Of the Incarnation At
Garden City, l.. LA Grand
EdiAee and Its Fea-
lures.

With the recent death of former
Judge Henry Hilton that portion of So
ciety which is interested in church
work has recently had its attention re-
called to a very picturesque stretch of
land on Hampstead Plains, l.. l.. made
picturesque through the erection of the
grand edifice to the memory of Alex
ander Turner Stewart and his wife. Cor
nelia NJ. Stewart, at Garden City. and
by the building of the schools III his
desire expressed throughout the latter
part of his life.
1t had been dream early in A. I.
Stewards life to erect "a model city
where he could do good among poor
people, and when he commenced to ac-
cumulate his vast fortune he began to
put his dreams into some tangible shape.
At the time of his death he had pur-
chased more than 5000 acres of land
from the township of Hampstead at n
value estimated at from $5,0G0.00O to
$s,000,0o0 had planned and started to
build the first cathedral in the l5rotes-
tant Episcopal church in the United
States; had begun the erection of Il
handsome military school and girls
seminary, and negotiations were pend
ing for the putting up Of several fac
tories TO supply II means of support to
the residents of his ideal city.
Shortly after the death of Mr.. Stew
art. in 1876, some of these plans were
changed. and instead of making this a
busy industrial city, as he had wished.
no factories or manufacturing places of
any description were allowed on the
estate. property was restricted and Gar
den City became residential town for
society.
st. Pauls church school was COM
pleted September IA, 1880, and opened
with large scholarship. Great sue
cess was achieved. and a lieutenant was
ment to teach military science and tao
tics.
The cathedral is probably one of the
grandest monuments that has been
erected to the memory of man in
private life for centuries. 1t cost,more
than S., 10000 The style of the build
ing is gothic; the plan is cruciform. with
single tower over the front entrance.
The spire is 1877 feet high, surmounted
by a cross ten feet high. This cross
is of glass and fitted with gas burners
to be lighted, although it is never used
One of the features of the cathedral
| is the set of centennial chimes which oc.
cupcd the top of Machinery hall at the
| Philadelphia exposition in 1876. There
are 10 bells, weighing about 2O,Oot
pounds, in the belfry.
Another grand piece of work is the
organ. At the time it was built it was
in several respects one of the most re
markable in the world, and at the pres
ent has but two or three rivals.
| In small octagonal-shaped room of
the chancel stands the baptismal font
which is without doubt one of thu
richest in the world. The base ant
carved rosewood. Surrounding this il
crown, said to be of virgin gold, am
it is claimed that every precious ston'
mentioned in the Bible is represented il
the settings of this crown.
| Directly beneath the altar is tn
crypt, in which rest the bodies of Mr.
and Mrs. Stewart. The crypt is of oc
tagonal shape, four sides being takeI
up with stained glass windows and tn
other four being "a marble fence will
brass gates. In the center of the cryp
stands II large marble urn, bearing tn
memorial of Alexander II. Stewart an,
Cornelia NJ. Stewart.
i There has always been great dea
of doubt expressed as to whether tn
body of Alexander II. Stewart reall,
rests in the crypt, but one who was nea
by in an official capacity one night earl.
in the SOS gives assurance that tn
body was transferred to Garden Cit,
after its recovery and now rests in tn
place built for it.-Chicago Times-Hcr
aid