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The rectory, as well as the church, is protected by lightning rods, a necessary precaution, as these buildings are located on the top of a hill, the altitude of which above meantide at Sandy Hook, N. Y., is 1,680 feet.
To provide an adequate supply of pure water, Father Farran some years ago procured the right to pipe water from a strong spring on land of Joseph Behe, about a quarter of a mile distant, the spring being located sufficiently high above the rectory to give the water considerable pressure in case of necessity to extinguish a fire. Electricity for the building is generated by an electric plant purchased by Father Farran. The wiring he did himself.
Works of Much Utility Compiled by Father Farran.
Two works, the value of which is almost incomprehensible to those who do not understand the trouble, vexation and often delay, incident to the searching of church records for dates of marriages, baptisms and deaths and places of interment, are "Index to Marriages, Baptisms, Deaths" and "Plan of Grave Lots."
The first of these works was compiled by Father Farran during the months of October, November and December, 1917 and January, February, March and April, 1918. The first paragraph quoted from the preface of this work is explanatory:
"During one of the coldest winters that we have experienced on the mountains for years, the compiler of these Records found it difficult to engage in a pastime that would be sufficiently interesting to make him forget that the storm was raging without, the telephone lines down, the mail delayed for days, and the roads drifted shut. Following the example of his illustrious confrere, Rev. Ferdinand Kittell, of Loretto, he hit upon compiling an index of the Baptism, Marriage and Death Records of the Church. The old records were fading and the leaves of the books coming loose."
Further on he says: "The Baptismal records are placed in family groups with a number for each record. These numbers correspond with the numbers on the old records.
"The Index covers a space of 70 years, i.e., from the year 1847 till the end of the year 1917. The Index contains 3,885 Baptisms, 679 Marriages, 734 Deaths. From the
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