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CHURCHES.
55
tion which reduced it to ashes, destroyed nearly nine hundred houses, residences and publie buildings, almost the entire city of New Orleans.
For many months mass was celebrated in a temporary building erected for the purpose, and, as during this time no steps were taken toward the reconstruction of the church, we infer that the unfortunate circumstances of the fire, must have reduced the priests and the majority of the people, to the very verge of extreme poverty.
To Don Andres Almonester y Eoxas, a Spanish noble and colonel of the provincial troops, New Orleans is indebted for the resurrection of its favorit6 church, as at tlie personal expense of that gentlemen, the present massive structure was erected in 1794, as were also, a little later, the two buildings which stand one 011 either side of the Cathedral, now occupied by the courts, but originally intended for the use of the priests of this Church of St. Louis.