The Washington herald., 1909-01-10

announcement IN the columns OF The
Washington Herald, and speculation IS
rife as 10 whom the purchasers may be
and the use TO which the property viii be
put IN the future
Mcneil < Mcneil, the attorneys, who
purchased the property for clients. said
yesterday that the plans OF the pur-
chasers- were not yet mstured to q point
where any announcement can be made.
but that matters are moving along in
satisfactory manner toward the fulfil
ment OF their hopes for the development
Of the property
Sketch of Old Church.
Helena Mccarthy has prepared a his
toricaI sketch Of the old church. and
its congregation. a part Of which follows:
The corner stone Of the building which
IS likely soon TO be demolished. was laid
September q. Is3S. by Archbishop EccIes-
ton. TWO years later. and again on St.
Matthews Gay, he dedicated the church.
The building committee. Thomas Car
berry. John Queen IgnatiUs Mudd, and
Joseph Harbaugh. received great praise
for the successful completion OF its task.
in which It had been aided by the zeal
Gus cooperation Of other attendants
Strangely enough. the church, with
whom the names Of many influential per
sons. notably diplomats. we're associated
throughout its history. had for its first
parishioners nearly all poor people.
principally Iaborers employed hereab0uts
in the construction Of the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad Mechanics who had 10
money 10 give gave freely Of their labor
in the construction Of the building
4 current description Il the Capital a.
that time was "a struggling village" and
It was a fairly honest one, since there
was little 10 break the view from II
street TO Pennsylvania avenue on either
Fourteenth or Fifteenth street There
were then but three Catholic churches in
the District. old St Patrick'S. St Peters.
on Capitol HILL and Holy Trinity in
Georgetown.
When Corner stone Was Laid.
on the day Of the cornerstone laying
the procession started from the mother
church-St. Patrick's. The city was bright
with flags. flowers. and banners. and the
Marine Band PLAYED al the head Of ths
line. The sermon was preached by Rev.
Or. Ryder. s. J. president Of Georgetown
College.
\ writer Of the time says that all three
Of these early events. the cornerstone
laying, dedication, and conservation, were
attended by the elite OF the city
Rev. John P D0nelsu was the founder
OF ST. Matthews Church he bought the
land from ". : Nichols, and according
10 q VeraCiCus ChrOnicler OF Washington =
early days, James CroggOa, he paid J
fps a foot for it-that is. IS cents.
Father Donelan's parish boundaries
were made VI Of magnificent distances.
a phrase IN frequent use then in describ-
ing the whole city They extended west
as far as Rock Creek and almost any
where north Thirteenth street was the
eastern limit. as IL IS Yet. and the river
made the southern one St Stephens
Church. on the west. and s. PauTs. on
the north. are direct 9fShOtS Of old St
Matthew'S
Father James Donelan succeeded his
brother as pastor In later years follow
ed Father Byrne, Rev. Charles J. White
D. D. Rev. Francis E Boyle an eIo-
Guent preacher and widely known among
public men, Rev p l. Chappelle, D D,
afterward made bishop and archbishop.
and who died Of yellow fever after his
miEiStratiO1s 10 other victims in the last
epidemic in New Orleans. and Father
Thomas :. Lee. the present pastor. last
year raised 20 the dignity Of monsiguCr
by Pope Plus Y
The golden jubilee Of old St Matthew
was celebrated SepteHlber p. 1880. WITH
great SplendOr and pomp Cardinal Glib
hons officiated at the pontifcaI high
mass. and Rev J. Ravens Richards. : J.
president Of Georeetovn College. preach
ed the sermon.
One Member Survives.
Two members Of the original congreZa-
ton We're present at the Jubilee services
William Keefe. since dead. who was an
altar boy at the dedication. and Mrs. Cal
Ian. who. as the widow Of Nicholas Cal
Ian. one % the best known citizens IN his
day. whose home was in ? street. near
Fifteenth street. stiIl survives. She crie-
brated last July her ninetieth birthday.
and is not only in possession OF ali her
faculties. but presents an ideal picture
Of serene and beautiful old age
She recounts with much Delighted
charm the events Of her Young life and
Of her visit 20 Rome about ten years ago.
when she was received by Pope Leo and
given many attentions by officials % the
Vatican. Mrs CaIian- whose home =
Nith her son, Dr. Callaa. at 1875 " street.
Is able to attend services occasionally at
81 Matthews. in the affairs Of which
she IS keenIy interested
Since the new church in Rhode Island
az. IN Il
practically abandoned as a place Of wOr-
ship. although mass was said there from
September 10 May every Sunday morn
ing.
Congregation Moves Northwest.
Those in attendance have rarely ex-
ceeded twenty. and more frequently not
half or a third Of this number As
most Of the congregation now attending
the new church live to the nerth or west
of its neighb0rhood. those interested in
the continuance Of worship in the old
edifice were only a few whose homes are
almost in its shadow, and who were hap
tized in its font. and whose earliest recol-
lectiOns are bound up in the memories
1t evokes, or else total strangers to the
place and city. and staying in the hotels
near by
The marble affairs. the pulpit. and pews
from the old church are in the new one,
and VIII continue in use there until its
construction and OTnameutation are COM
pleted The steeple was pulled down 4
few years ago because il was cOnsidered
unsafe IN the possible rotting away Of its
supports
A ''steeple jack" did the work and at
tracted much attention while he unfas-
tened and started downward the gold
cross which sUrmounted the top. The big