Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1904-03-03
ST. PATRICK'S
CATHEDRAL

On Thursday, March 18th, or St. |
Patrick s day, on West State street, |
Harrisburg. ground will be broken for
the new Catholic church to be known
as st. Patrick's Cathedral, stately
and imposing structure which Will
surpass in magniicence anything ever
attempted by the church in this sec
tion Of the State.
St Patrick : parish is in the diocese
of which DanvilIe forms part, while
Rev NJ l. O'Reilly of this city along
with Bishop Shanahan and others is
on the committee which has charge of
the erection of the imposing new
! church, both Of which are circumst-
ances that invest the undertaking with
strong local interest.
While st. Patrick ; parish will bear
a large portion of the burden of build
| ing the Cathedral every church in the
diocese will contribute pro rata
! share. for the edifice will stand for
! the diocese as we'll as the parish. OW-
! ing to the uncertainty of prices in
! the near future it is hard to form an
| estimate of the cost in round figures.
1t is the general impression, however,
that the Cathedral will not cost less
than $3.50, 600.
/ The building will be modelled on
classic lines George |. Loyatt of Phil
adelphia is the architect, who states
that the church structure will be one
of the haudsomest in the State of
PENNSYLVANIA The main facade will
have two towers, one on each end sup
porting elaborate open lanterns built
either of stone or terra Gotta. The
main entrance to the center of the
church will be covered with a decorat
ed stone canopy or hood supported on
independent stone columns while the
side entrance will be hanked with
pilasters of the same design. The
church will be built entirely Of light
colored granite with limestone or ter
ra Gotta trimmings. 1t will be ninety
two feet at it's greatest width and COW
er the entire depth Of the present old
church, making 1t one hundred and
seventy feet over all.
According to the design the interior
of the church will be the grandest
part of it. The plan being cruciform
in shape allows the construction OF a
nave and transepts together with broad
side aisles and a deep semi i-circular
apse The ceiling over the sanctuary
and likewise over the choir will be
hemispherical and those over the side
aisles will be vaulted so as to work
harmoniously with the main ceiling
over the nave. Supporting a clerestory
and IN turn an elaborate yaulted cell
ing are large columns two feet in di-
ameter and eighteen feet in height.
The entrance from State street will
be through a magnificent vestibule
running the full width of the build
ing about fourteen feet in width. This
vestibule will have ceiling groined
and vaulted which in turn will be car
ried on independent columns Of the
Ionic order, giving a ga 1 vita
from Que side to the other.
In addition to Rt Rev. j " Shan
ahan and Rev NJ. |. Orc ". y ry
Rev. J. j. Koch. Rev. A. IA !. Rev
a. Christ, Rev. j. j. HC'"n ard
Rev. +. J. Welsh are on tie co unit
teo in charge of the erection of the
grand Cathedral The intention was
to have commenced building last
March, but owing to labor troubles it
was necessary to postpone the work.
The breaking of ground on s.. Pat
: rick day will be unattended with
ceremony.
The diocese of Harrisburg has 81
churches with resident priests and Il
missions. There are 78 priests in al
and a total Catholic population OF
so, 759.
The Wears General are Very Rev.
J. J. Koch. D. D.. Very Rev. G.. l..
Benton; Chancellor, Rev NJ. |.
O'Reilly; Secretary, Rev. w. F.
Boyle Rev. NJ. l. O'Reilly Of t';is
city is one of the permanent r ctors OF
the diocese.