The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1903-05-07

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UNITARIAN PARISH HOUSE, FAIRHAvEN.
| notable additions to Mr. Rogers gifts
to the town, which include Il brick
schoOlEouse, a library and 4 town hail.
The parish house is built Of stone cut
from Il ledge at Fort Phenix. within
200 yards of the Rogers mansion. The
trimmings are Of blue limestone. and
the scheme of exterior embellishments
includes carved heads and gargoyles
similar to those found on Ely cathe-
| dral, in England. ornamental tracery
windows of white limestone, turrets.
pinnacles and chimney pots of terra
| Gotta
| The interior has some striking fea-
| tures-carved decorations. a profusion
| OF paneling. fat arches and shallow
| holdings. In the entertainment hall.
or Sunday school room, are to be found
four full length figures of angels
carved in oak. Throughout the build
ing oak is the only wood used except
in the flooring of the kitchen and soul
lery. The buildings will be enjoyed by
a parish of not more than sixty fami-
Sunday services not exceeding fifty
No one knows exactly how much they
will cost, as the work is being done by
the day. Half a dozen stone carvers
have been busy for more than year
on this part of the church alone. and it
may be set. down as a conservative es-
innate that when the buildings are
completed they will represent am ex-
penditure of close upon 100000.
Mr.. Rogers spends all the time he
can spare at Fairhaven. His home in
the south part Of the town is Georgian
in architecture and is one of the show
places of Falrhaven 1t is bigger than
most summer hotels, and from it an
excellent view of BuZZards bay may
be obtained. For the last seven years
Mr.. Rogers has held the office-of super
intendent of streets, and, thanks to his
generosity, the town possesses more
macadam roads than any Massachu-
sets settlement four times it's size
The money to build them was not ap-
ings, so one may guess whence it came
This is not all that Mr.. Rogers has
done for Fairhaven. He built water
works system that is now owned by
the library and is one Of the sources of
its income. Last summer half q mile of
granolithic sidewalk was laid on the
street that ends at Mr.. Rogers gate
He will provide any householder with
curbing in front of his house, the own
er's only expense being to pay for the
setting of the stone. Trees have been
planted along new streets, the old Uni
tartan church has become q school
house. unsightly buildings that disfig-
ured the wharfs have disappeared. In
every case Mr.. Rogers has paid the
bills, and he is prepared to do even
more for the town. AS soon as the leg |
islature gives authority the mill pond |
long Disagreement. will be trans |
formed into park. If the cost of all |
these improvements could be estimated |
with any degree of accuracy. it would
total far beyond 100000 and might /
easily reach $3,O0OOOO.
Another OF the interesting buildings /
of Fairhaven which owe their existence |
to Mr.. Rogers muniicence Is the Ma |
sonic hall at the -Four Corners" fine |
business block. 1t contains a lodge |
room finished in quartered oak, and !
when Mr.. Rogers gave it to the Ma
sons he stipulated that the name of
their lodge should be changed from
Concordia to the George H Taber
lodges This was signal tribute to
"Uncle'' Taber, who was then still
alive and one of the most picturesque /
figures of the town. In his boyhood
days Mr.. Rogers and the old man. who
went on one voyage for whales and
then sailed in many merchant vessels
as captain, were great comrades.
In the last years of his life Captain
Taber was frequent visitor to the
hall that bore his name, and these Wis
its helped to make happy his declining
days. At the dedicatory exercises in
the lodge room Mr.. Rogers made an
impressive speech, in the course of
which he said, captain Taber is the
finest old fellow l ever knew, with a
heart as big as an OK and love enough
for the whole world" The worthy cap
tain died last year, aged ninety-four,
and none more sincerely mourned his
demise than did the Standard Oil mag.
nate. HENRY il. BRUCE.