Saint Leo's Church, Tacony, Dedicated - Inquirer 6 Oct 1884

Inquirer 6 October 1884

St. Leo's

Laying of the Corner Stone of a New Roman Catholic Church.

Archbishop Ryan laid the corner stone of St. Leo's Roman Catholic Church, Keystone and Unruh streets, Tacony, yesterday afternoon at 3 o'clock in the presence of a crowd of some two thousand people. He was assisted by Revs. Cantwell, Filan, McLaughlin, Shannon, Ward, Wall, Quinn, Traynor, Burns, Brehony, Donovan, Fitzmaurice, McHale, Byrne and Hockspieler. The stone, inscribed with a cross and the date 1884, with a receptacle cut in it for a cedar box containing such articles as are usually preserved as memorials, was laid with the ceremonies appointed by the ritual of the Roman Catholic Church, and a procession, composed of the clergy present, a church society and the orphans from St. Vincent's Home, moved around the building, the foundations and walls being solemnly blessed during its progress. 

Rev. Dr. Barry, of the Church of the Visitation, preached the sermon. The church is being built of Stockton brown stone, and will be quite a spacious edifice when completed, having 66 feet front, with a depth of 140. The lot was presented by the Messrs. Disston, and the church is an offshoot from that of Holmesburg, of which Rev. L. Wall is pastor.

During the progress of the services a small platform erected for the masons while at work, and which was crowded with people, fell to the ground. They had been warned not to stand on it as it was not safe. No one was seriously hurt, but two or three ladies, whose names were not ascertained, were slightly injured. Great excitement prevailed for a time.