Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1903-12-12
Fire of an Unknown Origin
Wrought Wreck and
Ruin.
Father O'COnnell and His PeO-
pie Feel the Loss Very
Keenly.
HISTORY OF THE HANDSOME CHURCH

Flames of an unknown origin de-
stroyed St. Augustine's church in Jeffer-
sonville on Wednesday night. The loss
is estimated at $4,000, with $4,000 in
surance. The fire when first discovered
was in the tower and more than twenty
feet above the pavement. The fire de-
partment was Immediately summoned,
but when it arrived the flames had gained
such Roadway that the 6remen were
powerless to prevent the destruction of
the stately church edifce. and confined
their efforts to preventing the spread of
the flames to adjoining buildings.
Within an hour after the fire was dis
covered the roof fell in. Nothing now
stands but the ruined walls.
Aside from the monetary loss, the de-
struction of this church works an meal
culable damage to the Rev. Father John
O'Connell and his parishioners. Pastor
and people were justly proud of their
church and we're continually working to
beautify it. They had just expended
81, 900 in having its interior frescoed.
The scaffiolding was to have been re-
moved Oh Wednesday. The work of
painting and decorating had been hurried
through in order that the church would
present beautiful spectacle on Christ
mas. Now the bright expectations of
Father O'Connell and his people have
been blotted out. The fire means years
sc ,no-1x ond ;,oouvao;aooa To ,Doe
more than home for the majority of
the humble parishioners. Many who
saw the fire and were unable to save the
church from destruction had been bap-
tized within its sacred walls; had made
their first holy communion there; prob
ably they had been married there, or had
taken their parents there en- route to the
grave. With such hallowed memories
many stood and wept.
Chief Fillmore Tyson, of the Louisville
fire department, was appealed to for as
sistance and hurried to Jacksonville
with an engine, reel and hook and ladder
company, and although the trip was
made in thirty minutes. the fire had
gained such Roadway that the work of
the additional fremen was fruitless. The
rectory and school house adjoining the
church were scorched and will have to be
reprinted.
St. Augustine's congregation was an
offshoot from st. Anthony's. The latter
was made up largely of Germans origin
ally. and about the year 1860 the Eng
disappearing contingent had grown so
large that it became necessary to erect
another church. The people set to work
with a will and for three years collected
and saved funds, so that when the corner
stone was blessed on October s, 1868, the
new congregation thought they saw their
way clear to completing and paying for
their church. The right Rev. Martin
John Spalding, of Louisville, preached
the sermon on that occasion. Hard times
kept back the work and the church was not
completed and dedicated until 1868. In
December of that year the Rev. Father
Ernest Audran, young priest from
Vincennes, was sent to take charge of
the new church. For more than thirty
years he labored among the people. He
found the church $4,000 in debt. After
years of work he succeeded in liquidating
this debt, and he also built a handsome
parochial school and later the rectory.
On the death of Father Audran, three
years ago, father O'Connell succeeded to
the pastorate. Like his predecessor,
Father O'Connell has been faithful
servant of his people and his every effort
has been strained to beautify the church.
And now the work of years has been laid
low and only broken walls stand in place
of St. Augustine's church.