The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-06-16
Seek Presence
 Of Cornerstone
Some Doubt if There is One at Foundation of Poli's Bijou
 Dream Building
USED LONG BY CHURCHES
Held by COngregationaIists Before St. Mary's Parish Occupied It as
 Home.

New. Haven. June 16-The wide spread local speculation caused by the raging of the Bijou Dream theatre, owned by $. z. Poh, on Church street, as to whether cornerstone with val uable depository relics will be discov-
 cred was encountered on all sides yes- terday. It will be recalled by many
 persons that previous to it's use-for theatrical purposes the Bijou Dream
 building was occupied by the congre- gation of St. Mary's R. c. church,
 but not so many are aware of the fact that previous to it's long occupancy by
 St. Mary's it was a Congregational
 house of worship.
 TO those who are aware of this the
 probability is very strong that no
 cornerstone will be found such as
 most church edifices erected in the
 past half century possess.
 It was sin December, 1S4S, that the
 Catholics of New Haven bought from
 Sidney M. Stone. the building on
 Church street which had been occu-
 pied by the Congregationalists. Their
 church which was known as Christ church and was on the site now occu-
 pied by St. Johns R. c. church at
 Davenport avenue and South street had been destroyed by fire on Sunday
 night, June Il, 1s4S, and during the intervening months until the purchase of the Church street property services were held in a tent erected above the ruins. The Church street building was dedicated for Catholic worship. December IS, 1S4S, nearly sixty-three years ago.
 In describing the dedication cere- monies, the Journal and Courier of the following date said "The Catholic society assembled for the first time at their place of worship which they purchased some months since. Rev. Bishop Tyler officiated. At the close of the ritual Bishop Tyler addressed the assembly, congratulating them on the suspicious circumstances upon which they were again permitted to meet after having been scattered by the disastrous fire which reduced to dust the beloved temple of their faith. The cost of the edifice was $13- 900 of which sum there remains to be raised s700.''
 Rev. Philip O'Reilly, who was pastor of the new church at the time. was succeeded in 1851 by Rev. E. J. O'Brien, who was pastor for many years until succeeded by Rev. P. A. Murphy, un- der whose administration the new St. Mary's R. c. church on Hillhouse ave- nue was completed and dedicated. For number of years following it's opening on September 19. 1s4s, Patrick Morrissey, many of whose pupils are still living in New Haven, conducted a school in the basement of St. Mary's, where the stores of Notkin Shanley, Modern and s. Fry were conducted when the Bijou Dream burned.
 Several persons whose memory of New Haven matters dates back over sixty years were asked yesterday con- corning the matter of a cornerstone, and all were of the opinion that none will be found. It was their belief that the building was not originally constructed for church purposes, but came into the possession of the Con- gregationalists after it had been erect ed for store and business purposes. ln that case of course no cornerstone was probably laid, and it is thought by those who discussed the matter that such will be found to be the case
 S.. z. Poli, who is the present owner of the property and who is soon to start the erection of handsome the ater on the site, has expressed much interest in the discussion that has been started It is his view that some of the older citizens might have some knowledge on the subject that would be of value in settling the point in He has given strict orders to those in charge of raging the walls to keep a sharp lookout for anything that looked like a cornerstone with relics or deposits, and to turn the l same over to him at once should any thing of the kind be found In case a cornerstone or box be unearthed MT. | Poli will make such disposition of the | same as will be appropriate for pur- poses of historical perpetuity in the | local community. In the meantime | he will be highly pleased to hear from anyone having any information on the | early history of the old building or the probability of there being a cor nerstone of the kind usually found in | church edifices