New-York tribune., 1905-01-08
MUST RAZE CHURCHES.
old Brooklyn Parishes Viii Yield
TO Bridge Approach.

pccause they stand in the line OF the BROOKLYN
,aggoach 20 the proposed Manhattan bridge. four
E-osklyn churches. some OF them among the Oldest
: the borough. must be torn down. They are ,he
-r-ch OF the Assumption at York ana la, s,
- SLOAN Presbyterian Church fcoloredl a, No
- Prince-sL: the Fleet Street Methodist Fn,soo,,,
rs.rch. in Fleet-st-. near Dekalb-ave ana -ha
-,.-ch o. our Lady OF Mercy Debevoisa F,.ca
~esr DeHalb-ave. The approach TO the bridge on
- Brookyn side. which will be lls feet uvtsa ,,,
,,.ad from the intersection Of Flatbush-ava ,.s
T~,,ton-st 70 the waterfront The land sna, -
ss new brldge VIII pass over one-half the site =.
ths Church % the Assumption at a height OF
sbouf one story.
mis- Is the third eldest Roman Catholic church
N he Brooklyn diocese. dating back 10 1882 Tba
-~asent property was bought IN Issl bv r3,sboo
gushes. The Rev. David Bacon. tie nrst rector
oid much 70 improve the property and TO promote
he general welfare OF the parish. The church
tulcng vas dedicated in June 1872 The Rev
wtgam Keegan. afterwRrd vicar general OF the sio.
,esa was Father Bacon's successor. He was suo
oee6ed by Father James McCusker and by tae Rev
Dr. william J. Donaldson. the present incuuhent
Il edition 10 the church. the property now in
elutss the rectory. hall and parochial school
ne psr!shioners now number over 5000. and the
valve Of al the church property is placed at $3.50
aa BY Dr. Donaldson. The church viii be rebu,l,
sanin The parish. but the exact location has no,
yet beer settled On
The pin OF the bridge approach includes the
w
las stood in me centre OF the so-called Johnston
A. negro colony for more than Atty years Just
what The church VIII do about rebuilding is now
betng delfberafed by committees Of It's on
eers Il is probable, however, that il will rebuild
IL tie same neighborhood. II has been an in
Kruulent of much good IN the locality The
church was organized IN Isss and has now a mem
ber1hip of close 10 two hundred. The valuation OF
he church properly is about s25.00o. II was In
the past0Ests OF the Rev. Amos y. Freeman that
a new church building was started, in 1880 AL
though incomplete for lack OF funds IL was occu-
ned IN 1888 The Rev. Mr.. Freeman was 10 preach
he dedicatory sermon. but he died a few days
besore the date fixed. Financial troubles arose
and the building was never finished The Rev
william A. Alexander is the pastor Of the church
The approach viii wipe out the Sunday school
building the pastors residence and so much OF
the Fleet Street Methodist Church to make ii
absolutely necessary 20 find a new site. Just where
this VII be has not yet been determined, but there
seems 10 be no doubt that the church viii rebuild
and carry on its work established SO many years
age r-,...., ,-.s e,,,..- os SO ,o,..... -. -.
snail triangle before the church would become a
q which must now give way. like the church, TO
h IIassS-s r. Fee, Stree rbnEc5 o9eS Tf S04 t
crpsncv services were held in brick building in
Prnce-st- .hen used oilcoth factory. So
6lspidated was the structure that II il rained at
he time OF service umbrellas became a positive
dedicated, the Rev. J. Kennedy preaching the dedi-
cztory sermon. a collection and subscription
amounting 10 s. 100 vas taken up.
In June 1888, the church was dedicated by
Bishop F. s. James. When the parsonage
built n 1853 and other alterations and additions
made the church was the largest Methodist church
u Brooklyn.
TIE varous pastors OF the Fleet Street Church IN
clude men who have played important parts in the
history Of the Methodist Church, Bishop c. D.
F0ss OF the number. The Rev. Daniel
Curry another Fleet Street pastor. Other former
psstOrs 0f the church have served IN the presiding
edership. and more than half the number have
teen hCnOred BY election the general conference.
The present pastor IS the Rev. Z @. Richardson.
TIE church has q membership OF four hun
ores and the ysluar on Of its property is placed
and Williams Avenue churches all owe their be-
g,snilE and Development 20 the energy OF the
Flesi Street Church. from which they sprang.
lhe Roman Catholic Church OF Our Lady OF
Esry. standing IN Debevoise Place directly in the
lns o. the proposed bridge approach. is the only
q the four churches disturbed by the
trlge approach for which new site has been
defIrely settled This is iT ScheTnnerhorT-st ST,
between Bond and NeTins SITS. and viii cost S47.-
GO The bridge approach viii cut the present prop
cry IN two, necessitafing 1he removal OF the
church ana the Sisters house beside il. The
parDchisl school VII not be disturbed.
The church organized .u 1851. the first
being said IN the old oil factory IN DeDevOise Place
Cnder Fathers Mckenna and Taaffe funds for the
present church were accumulated. and Father Nc
Eamsra row vicar general Of the diocese cleared
The church Of debt The present pastor Is the Rev.
Richard S Foley. The church now has six thou
sand parishioners. The value q the church prop
erty is estimated ct about $4,000.