New-York tribune., 1902-12-14
CATHEDRAL OF ST. JOHN.
Continued from second page.

work out the details of a minor character that
depend wholly upon tentative drawings. There
will be enough to keep us busy as long
fit for work, and plenty for those who come
after us. and perhaps for a third genera
ton"
When it is remembered that the architects
had no precedents in kind in modern architect
ure upon which TO base their ideas the difficulty
of their task may be family comprehended- No
edifice Of this class and magnitude has been
erected for many centuries, and the undermining
of cathedral building and its adaptation 10 the
knowledge of the present. and the improved ma
terials and appliances available. is a life work
The dimensions of the cathedral are interest
ing The depth of the building from exterior
= exterior according to the present plans, IS
go feet The length inside the walls is exactly
800 feet. The width at the front is 1872 feet; at
the transcpt 296 feet. and in the choir. 94 feet
The total interior depth is divided as follows:
The nave, Isl feet: the transept. 80 feet; the
choir. 120 feet: the pOrtico 80 feet the ambula-
tory IL feet and the Belmont Chapel, 30 feet,
total of jOD feet interior measurement. The
central aisle of the nave is to be 81 feet wide.
and the side aisIes each 10 feet in width. The
height OF the main tower is TO be 40 feet; OF
The TWO smaller towers. 24S feet or only SO feet
less than that Of the principal tower Of Trinity
Church The height Of the nave is to be 100
feet. that of the dome. % feet with a diameter
at the base OF 1o6 feet.
Comparison OF these dimensions with those
If some OF the cathedrals of Europe discloses
that the tower is lower than that Of Ulrn. 0S"
feet: Cologne. 80 feet. and Strasburgr 46S feet
The length is less than that of ST. Peters, at
Rome. 6SJ feet; Canterbury. $50 feet, and West
minister Abbey so feet 1t is the same in in
terror length as the exterior length Of the cathe-
draI at Milan.
When the cathedral is finished, some time
about the close Of the twentieth century or in
the earlier part OF the twenty first, It will prob
ably contain much that is admirable and more
that is novel to be found nowhere else In church
architecture. The choir probably VIII be used
for public worship long before the nave Is n
closed and also long before It's own decoration
is completed Like all the famous cathedrals OF
Europe II is being erected for the enjoyment OF
the unborn Of the day of its inception. and as a
destination for the pilgrims OF centuries to come
It's site is as commanding, perhaps. as that OF
any edifice OF its kind. and its environments
are superior, in all probability, to those Of any
other cathedral in the world As far as can be
Judged at this great but unknown distance from
the completion OF the structure. its surround
ngs will surpass in character. and at least eQuu
in beauty those OF any other famous place OF
worship not directly associated with royalty
The materials for the interior and exterior
finish are unique in cathedral architecture. and
were found accidentally Mr.. Helms stumbled
upon the golden mottled granite used in the ex-
terror walls near his home in Westchester COun-
IT, The cathedral owns the quarry from which
il is obtained Mr.. La Fargo found. while duck
shooting on the upper Mississippi stone much
like limestone, which resisted some of the lime
stone tests Careful examination disclosed a
peculiar hardness combined with adaptability
to carving \ long lease OF lands containing
all the stone required for the interior of the
has been secured. and the material
has been named FrOntenac limestone BY MI
La Fargo