St. Thomas' Church

The heavy rain of Snuday morniug was considerable of a dampener on the feelings of everybody, acd particularly to those who were directly interested in the ceremony of laying the corner stone of the new St. Thomas' Catholio church. The rain continuad until íuidday and hundreds of people who would bave been present had it been fair were forced to stay at home. Still, spite of it all, a very large assemblage of people had gathered before the ceremonies beüan, from all the surrounding country within a radius of 50 miles. Daring ;he morningthree excursión trains carne in from the north and south over the Ann Arbor road and at 2 p. m. another carne ia over the Michigan Central from Detroit, whioh brought a good sized delegation, together with Bishop Rademacher and a number of priests. The bishop's escort consisted of 40 ed Knights of St. John, chosen from the several commanderies of the order in Detroit. Special rednced rates brought quite a nnmber from Kalaraazoo and other points eaat and west. Immediately after the arrival of the Detroit contingent, the parade was formed and headed by Becker's Military Band it marched through the principal streets. In the parade were 25 nniformed Catholic Kuights of Amerioa, from Toledo, the 40 nniformed Knights of St. John from Detroit, and marcbing members of the Catholic Mutua! Benefit Associations from Toledo, Ypsilanti, Owosso, Detroit, Jackson, Monroe, Anu Arbor and other places, followed by the visiting chnrch dignitaries in carriages. Capt. Patrick Irwin was marshal of the procession, and Thomas Slater and Orville Moe were bis assistauts. Returniug to the residence of Rev. E. D. Kelly the parade disbanded and the clergy having assumed their priestly robes the procession of priests, surronnding the bishop, made its way to the south entrance of the new ediflce where a iaised platform had been erected, which was profusely decorated with American flags surronndiog an immense Irish flag. The laying of the cnrner stone by Rt. Rev. Bishop Joseph Rademaoher, of Fort Wayne, Ind., followed. He was assisted in the ceremony by tbe Rev. Fathers M. Sullivan and D. Coyle, of Detroit, both of whom are children of St. Thomas parish. Tbe singing of the Miserere and Veni Creator was by a qnartet consisting of Rev. L. P. Goldrick. soprano, Brnno St. James, tenor, Henry Menth and Joseph Kelly, bassos. Tbe mortar was spread by John Koch, one of the contraotors, and the stone was lifted into its place at the corner of the building. The corner stone contains a short sketch of the life of Fr. Cullen, the first priest of St. Thomas' churcb, and the names of the present pastor, the oontractors, arohitects.ohuroh committees, sodalities, etc. FollowI ing the formal laying of the stone the Very Rev. D. A. Morrissey, president of tbe university of Nctre Dame, preachad an eloquent sermón taking as his text the words of St. John, "For God so loved the world that He gave H:s only begotteu Son, that whosoever believed in Him shonld not perish but have everlasting life. " After the sermon an opportunity wasgiven the great crowd to inspect the portion of the building so far completed. ïbe building will be oruciform Romanesque, 90x150 feet, built in field stone worked in three different styles with sandstone trimmings and traoeries iu tbe Windows and is looated on the brow of the hill overlookiug the Michigan Central depot and the entire Huron valley. The columns at the entrauees will be of polished marble the roofs of tbe tówers of stone and of the church proper of Spanish tile. The interior of the church will be treated in pure Romanesque style. The niain entrance will be 40 feet high, with groupsof clerestory Windows, receiving light frorn the roof dormers. The side naves will ba 18 feet high and will serve practically for aisles only, being but eight feet wide. The ceiling of the entire building will be vaulted. The altars will be of marble and the floor of marble mosaic. The heating of the church will be done by indirect radiation, thus secuirng reliable ventilation. A separate boiler house will be built on N. State st. from which the ohorob, school hall and rectory will be supplied with steam. The plans for the building were prepared by Spiers & Rohns,the arohiteots, of Detroit; Koch Bros., of Ann Arbor, have the contract for the stone work; Nelson J. Rogers, of Detroit, has the contract for the carpenter work, and the well known firm, the Eberbaoh Hardware Co., will put on the Spanish tile roof. The visiting churchmen from out of townwere: Rt. Rev. Joseph Rademaober, of Port Wayne, Indiana; Very Eev. Dr Morrisey, of Notre Dame; Very Eev. F. A. O'Brien, of Kalamazoo; Eev. Dr. O'Connell, of Toledo; Very Eev. F. Baumgardner, of Detroit ; Very Eev. D. Cushing, president of Assnmption College, Sandwich, Ontario; and the Eevs. Coyle,. Sullivan, Van Antwerp, Cote and Herr, of Detroit; Hally, of Wyandotte, editor of the Catholio Witness; O'Eorke, of Monroe; Sadlin, of Battle Creek, Baart, of Marshall ; Schenkelberg, of Jaokson ; Fleming, of Dexter ; Goldrick, of Northfleld ; Kennedy, of Ypsilanti ; and Collins, of Canada. St. Thomas' congregation is one of the oldest and largest in the city and it is fitting that suoh a beautifnl place of worship as the one now in oonrse of erection should be their religious home. Some idea of the magnitude of the work may be gathered from the fact that it will take 2,000 loads of stone to complete its construction. Washtenaw county has been sconred for stone for this churoh and the beantiful artistic blending of colors in the stonework is something to be admired. One Detroit contractor said that it is theflnest piece of stonework he has ever seen. The happy consurumatiou of this important ceremony and erection of this beautifnl church is doe to tne indomitable energy and hard work of its pastor Rev. E. D. Kelly, ably seconded by the liberal and self-denying contributions of the members of the congregation and when it shall be oompleted they will look back with pride and joy on these labora and feel a sense of deep satisfaction in the knowledge that Ann Arbor will have the handsomest church in Michigan outEide of Detroit. Mr. and Mrs George Weissinger of Detroit st., gave a birthday party to theii little daughter June, on Tnesday afternoon, which was attended by 13 little ones. Supper was served ou the lawn and the little ones had a jolly time. Several pretty gifts were given to June by her little fiiends.