The current-day interior of the Cathedral-Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in downtown Mobile. Courtesy Library of Congress
The cathedral has survived a number of catastrophes over the years. The original wooden windows on the north side were blown out by the magazine explosion in 1865. And, in 1946, a naval pilot clipped one of the crosses atop the south tower before he crashed to his death.
Hurricane Frederick in 1979 damaged the steeples, and the wooden crosses were replaced by aluminum substitutes. Then, in 1991, a portion of an interior capitol crashed to the floor. Within the 58-foot-tall column was a hollow center where the original core of virgin pine should have been. Concrete was used to fill the void created by ravenous termites.
But, in all its many years it has only suffered one fire. At 2:55 a.m. on May 2, 1954, a pair of passing patrolmen spotted smoke. Ironically, the church had just completed a $40,000 renovation started in 1952 to celebrate its silver jubilee. It would later be termed “the most difficult blaze to control in Mobile’s history.”
A Drunk and His Matches
The fire department was called, and by the time of their arrival, the dark interior was filled with choking clouds of smoke. Also discovered was a man passed out under a bush at the northwest corner of the property. He was described as being in “an intoxicated condition” and “hazy” about what had occurred. When he sobered up, he later admitted to having been striking matches beneath the building where the fire was believed to have started.
Twelve fire companies ultimately fought what was described as the “creosote-fed flames.” Between the heat and firemen attempting to fight the blaze, eight of the towering stained-glass windows were smashed. Their combined value was estimated to be $120,000, or over $1.4 million today.
With zero visibility, a fireman fell through a collapsed 30-foot section of flooring at the front of the sanctuary and landed in seven feet of water. It was estimated that 6,000 gallons of water a minute was being sprayed on the fire from 27 lines. His rescue in that dark and smoky confusion was remarkable in an era when firefighters lacked the communication technology that is in use today.
A Timely Rescue
Two former cathedral altar boys were among the crews battling the fire and they raced through the smoke and flames to rescue sacred vessels from the altar. Minutes later, the floor in front of that altar caved in after the metal supports beneath it melted. The altar, now in flames, was destroyed.
The fire companies continued to fight the blaze as morning dawned and revealed much of the damage. Commuters headed to their Downtown offices had to be re-routed and crowds formed outside as a steady rain began to fall.
Once the fire had been put out and the smoke cleared, Bishop Thomas Toolen stated in an interview that “the loss was well covered by insurance.” He later revealed that insurance would not fully cover the estimated $250,000 needed to restore the structure. He announced that collections would be taken up at all Catholic churches in the area for its completion. The glass from the damaged windows was shipped back to the German firm which had created them more than 50 years earlier for restoration.
Worship Resumes
Church services were conducted in the auditorium of the Cathedral School which stood at the corner of Conti and Franklin streets. Those services eventually moved into the cathedral as construction progressed with a screen placed between worshipers and the worksite. One of the most welcome additions was air-conditioning.
In 1962, the crypt was rebuilt with the tombs of four bishops. The excavation revealed the graves of several priests whose remains were moved and re-interred out in Catholic Cemetery. The new space included the Requiem Chapel.
Archbishop Oscar Lipscomb oversaw an extensive renovation of the cathedral from 2017 to 2020. The interior was repainted and re-gilt. New lighting as well as a new sound system were installed and the windows were cleaned. The cast-iron fence outside was repainted, and the grounds were landscaped.
In touring this stunning landmark today, there is certainly no evidence of that horrific fire which was brought under control without a single casualty — surely a miracle in itself.
