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is likely that it will take the best part of next winter before the inte- rior will be completed. All those who visit the church agree in say- ing that, when finished and painted, the church of Palmer Road will be one of the most magnificent in the province.”

The work of individual people becomes more prominent dur— ing this period of finishing touches.

The co—ordinator of most of the finishing and furnishing was the Tignish native, Rev. Jean Chiasson, who had arrived in September, 1892. It was he who installed the three wood/coal burning floor furnaces either in the fall of 1892 or summer of 1893. We know that the furnaces were lit for Sunday, November 19, 1893 as reported in l'Impartial, November 22/93. Someone had left finish wood to dry over the furnace grate unknown to the care- taker who went in the cellarway and returned home. When he returned to check the heat level he found the boards burning and the floor starting to burn. The report concludes ironically:

”The arrival of the furnacelman was providential. A little bit later and we would have to tell about a fire."

This was a dangerous way to find out about the heating powers of the new furnaces!

OTHER ADDITIONS (1893-1902)

One unique feature of the church is the statue of Mary, the Immaculate Conception, in the northeast tower, for which a niche had been provided during construction. Long before the event, the July 13, 1893 edition of L’Impartial warns us that Father Chaisson was awaiting its arrival and that the ceremony of August 13 would be part of the celebrations for the Feast of the Assumption (Tuesday, August 15). Again, on August 10, the paper notes that there would be many visiting clergy and that mass time in Tignish would be earlier on Sunday to enable Father Dougald to attend.

An elaborate description of the installation is found in the August 17, edition of the same paper. The choir was joined by Father Dougald, Father S. Boudreault of Egmont Bay, and the pas— tor himself, Rev. Jean. Mass was sung by the Bishop who spoke

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