Evening star., 1914-04-12
CATHEDRA['S COST
TO Be $5,OOO,0OO
Architecture of IS. Peter and
Paul Will BE "Most Beau
tifuI in World"
DESIGN FOR PORTALS
HAS BEEN ACCEPTED
Henry Vaughan, Architect, Discuss
es Plans for Great Edifice
at Mount St. Alban.

BY the anonymous gift the other day
of $780, said to be from New
Yorker. it will be at once possible to pro-
ceed with laying the foundations COM
plete of the Washington Cathedral. In
line with this determination the drawing
Of Architect Henry Vaughan of Boston
of the proposed portals has just been
accepted.
Among the four chief great oppor-
tunities for cathedral building in Angli-
can dioceses are Liverpool. England; New
York, Baltimore and Washington: and
Boston architects are intrusted with the
building of two of them-Ralph Adams
Cram supervising that Of ST. John the
Divine in New York and Mr.. Vaughan
that of SIS. Peter and Paul. Associated
with Mr.. Vaughan In the designing was
George Bodley of London. No limitations
were placed upon them. Therefore no
effort has been made to precisely esti-
mate what the Washington Cathedral
will cost Roughly, it Is thought possible
to erect the fabric for $5,OOO,OOO. Ono
portion. Bethlehem Chapel. is already up.
and also the bishops house.
Beautiful Architecture.
The architecture accepted is decorated
Gothic of the fourteenth century, type
which Mr.. Vaughan holds to be the
most beautiful that the world has ever
seem" While it will be. on the whole,
English Gothic, in proportion Of parts,
central tower, in the dark line of its tri-
forum beneath the clerestory windows
and its geometric tracery, nevertheless
elements from the French Gothic. Such
are the great doorways OF the west
front, the apsidal chancel, the shape of
the flying buttresses and the enrichment
and carving of several parts Bethlehem
Chapel will form the innermost sanctu-
ary; consequently ornamentation has been
used more lavishly in that than 1t will
be elsewhere. The idea of the architects
"A small building may be rich all over.
one, for large building IL well de-
signed has an inherent dignity and gran
deur that may well dispense with exu-
berant ornament. There should be con-
centration of richness. and not a spread
ing of it over all the building. Inter
nally the screen, reredoses and stalls
could be as rich as any donor likes to
have them. We have suggested a good
many statues, which will give interest to
the structure. They could be added by
degrees"
Size of Cathedral.
The cathedral is to be about the size OF
Salisbury, and larger than the cathedrals
of Gloucester, Durham or Litchfield in
England. Standing on the highest point
of Mount ST. Alban, nearly 400 feet
above the Potomac, covering. an acre and
a half of ground, which slopes away on
every side. its roof will appear to the eye
on a level with the top of the Washing-
ton Monument. Towers instead of spires
were decided upon because. being In the
latitude of southern Italy, the bright
golden atmosphere of Washington would
probably in effect attenuate spires. render
them indistinct. Italy always mas useu
campaniles: and while spires lend beauty
to churches in valley. towers appear
more congruous to those on a hill
Beside the boys school and the girls
school already associated with 1T. this
Cathedral will be modern in that its de-
tendencies will include an athletic field.
stadium or open-air amphitheater. tennis