The Calumet news., 1911-04-19
Two Chapels, Choir and Crossing
of Beautiful New York EdifiCe
Completed After Eight
cen Years. Work
is MAGNIFICENT STRUCTURE
Program Prepared for Opening Service
In Keeping With Magnificenee
of Structure-Will Cost
$1o,ooO,0o0.

New York, April 19.-Many distin-
guished public men and eminent repre-
sentatives of nearly all religious de-
nominations Joined today with the
clergy and laity of the Episcopal
church i'm dedicating the two COM
pleted chapels of the Cathedral of st
John the Divine, the great granite pile
rising on Morningside Heights that has
long attracted the attention of all Wis
itors To New York. The ecclesiastical
procession which was a feature of the
dedication was the most imposing ever
seen in the metropolis.
One of the finished chapels dedicated
and opened to the public is a gift OF
August Belmont i'm memory of his first
wife. The other is in memory of Miss
Mary King, a gift from her father
Today's exercises also included the
dedication of the choir loft and the
organ, which is the largest i'm America
The cathedral itself has been building
for nearly nineteen years, and on ii
between $3,000.000 and $4,000, 600 have
been spent thus far. 1t is estimated
that about thirty years will be re-
quired to complete it and the addi-
tional expenditure will probably ex-
ceed $10,O00,OOO It is to be the larg-
est and costliest church edifice in the
western world.
When the doors were thrown open
this morning, those who held
cards of invitation were admitted to
the crossing, an open square of 90
feet, in which chairs to accommodate
1,400 persons were placed Bish-
.op Greer preached the conservation
sermon. The music that had been ar
ranged for the occasion was in
keeping with the memorable character
of the event.
oreat Chair and Organ.
The choir consisted Of thirty boys
and twenty-five men, all picked voices
and thoroughly trained by Mr.. Miles
Farrow, the organist and choir mas
ter. The magnificent organ, the larg-
est and most complete i'm this country
and one of the largest in the world was
played for the first time on this
occasion. 1t has four manuals and 109
stops and is capable producing
some seven thousand tones. The or
gan is divided into two parts. oper-
ated by electricity, and placed high up
in the galleries, over the two choir
stalls. 1t is played from a gallery ov-
er the sough stalls.
According to the program arranged
the invited guests assembled in
the synod Hall and proceeded to the
south door of the cathedral, at the
western end of the choir The order
of the procession had been carefully
prepared and every effort was made
to prevent confusion. Special seats in
the crossing had been reserved for
every one of the invited guests.
Work Started in 1892.
The location of the Cathedral, upon
the highest point of the crest over
looking Morningside Heights. 12O feet
above the level of the sea. is ideal.
II affords a magnificent view of the
city and the Sound on one side Of the
Hudson and the Jersey Hills on the
other.
About the year 1890 it was decided
to build the Cathedral and architects
were invited to submit plans in COM
petition. The plans submitted by Mr.
Grant la Fargo were accepted and
the cornerstone of the edifice was laid
on st. John the Evangelist's day, De-
cember 27, 1892. Even since that time
the monumental work has progressed
slowly. il is true, but steadily and, up
to the present time about $3,500,006
have been expended in the construc-
tion. The first part of the cathedral
to be finished was the crypt in which
for several years daily and Sunday
services have been held. The striking
feature of the crypt is the beautiful
mosaic altar. containing more than a
million pieces OF glass and costing
more than $4,000
To Cost $4,000 900.
At present only the choir and cross
ing. 240 feet long, 100 feet wide, with
an interior height of 12O feet in the
choir and 100 feet in the crossing, and
the two chapels St. Savior, the gift
of August Belmont and st. Columbia
erected in memory of Miss Mary Kinl
by her father, are completed. TIL,
Cathedral, when completed. will be 9
cruciform structure. 500 feet long. 16I
feet wide across nave and aisles. 2SS
feet wide across the transepts. It's ar
en- will be about 100000 square feet
At present three of the sides of the
crossing are closed by temporary
walls, which will be removed when tn,
other parts of the structure are com
pleted. II is impossible to say just how
long IL will take TO complete the struc.