The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1907-05-17

workmanship, which had looked down
upon their great grand parents-all
these were now food for the sacrilig-
ious flames which disregarding the
sacred place were working speedy
ruin.
The fire started shortly after 9 last
night and all night long the flames
seethed and Kissed in fury as they
were dashed by n wind, now creep
ing through a crevise to find fresh
er food. then ~twining about a post
not yet devohred, or circling an an
cient sill to eat it up by pieces,
while surrounding it all stood with
uncovered heads and streaming yes
those who from infancy had bowed
before its sacred shri1es. Late until
today the fire burned, crowds of sor-
rowing people stood watching it, many
of whom la not for a moment left
the scene during the night, though
but little remained save the smould-
ering embers. The old CHURCH is a
complete wreck and the relics and
-reasures OF centuries have disap-
peared for ever.
There were many a rare n costly
article in the church, none of which
can ever be replaced. The images,
nearly a dozen in number were partic
ularly antique and they were greatly
priced. Among these were many of
special Importance; Nuestra Sonora
de los Dulores. Mother OF Sorrow;
FL Medero, Jesus on he Crosse
San lose y Maria (Josepn and Nary
San Antonio (Saint Anthony VINO is
the patron saint of the Pueblo Indians
of whom the Ysletas are a branch,
Nuestra Sonora del Garment, St. Isl
doro, and Jesus on the cross.
BY the strange fatality, today is the
day of Saint Isidoro, and had the fire
not occurred this image would have
been carried about the church amid
weird ceremonies and fontastic deco
rations, Hundreds of people are now
surrounding tne smoking ruins who
but for last nights conf1agration
would be participating in the rites Of
the religious rites. The old images
were brought to Ysleta by the Span
iards several hundred years ago., and
as far as is known there are 10 others
like them in existence.
The candle sticks of the church
were of solid gold, from three to four
feet high, Inc were made in the old
days by hand of the purest gold, The
draperies were rare and of costly tex
ture. and the organ had been only
recently purchased. the members of
the church contributing their dollars
AID dimes and pennies with pride
to secure it.
The tower of the church was under
going reconstruction and a consider
able expense had Just been incurred
in this.
The large beams which supported
the roof of the old church had never
been touched by saw or planer, but
had been hewed from logs in the
primitive manner of the days when
the building was erected. the logs
been f1oated down the river
from the GloriettA mountains.
The walls were of adobe, the only
material ~Obtainable when the church
built, n were about four and
L half feet thick.
The old church was built "a the
of the sixteenth century and
was one of a long chain of missions
established by F~ra nciscoR order, in
the historic churches still
standing around San Antonio. I'll
a mute witness to all that per-
aims to the development of the coun-
ry, and has been the scene of relig
worship. of christening of babies
If marriage ceremonies and of funer-
II for nearly 400 years. Be
heath its floors reposed the bodies of
he former priests and about it lie
buried the men and women and emil
lren who have been born and who
lave lived and died in the town of
lsleta during more than three cen
uries. 1t is said hat many of the
I'D people Of the town are today pros
rated with grief over the destruction
f the old building so ear to their
n n ICED sexton who left
he candles burn ing last night by
which means it Is believed fire was
to the sulphur IS incon-
alable, though this was a part OF the
ceremonies, candles being
'urned on each night during the
month of May.