The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-12-30
CITY INTELLIGENCE.
L4OR ADDITIONAI LocAL ITEA.s SEE OUrarDn FAsns

A PLAH-THR STRUCTURE DEsORIBED.-The Grand
Lodge Of Pennsylvania, A. Y. NJ. ON Friday last, St.
Johns Day, received and approved the report Of the
Building Committee on the proposed new temple, to
be erected at Broad and Flbert Streets and decided
upon plan for the building. The decision OF the
Lodge was made known on Saturday last, and oeea-
stoned much cOngratuation among the members Of the
Order. The present hall, Chesnut street, has be-
come too small for the OF the Order, and while
10th TO leave the beautiful structure they occupy
the Fraternity for long time has desired one more
spacious. The present building has been in use for
ber 1855 For nearly year past architects have been
submitting plans for the proposed new temple, con-
Hsng OF designs In all the various styles OF architeo-
ture, and many have been examined by the committee
of the Grand Lodge.
After careful scrutiny Of these plans the selection
of that prepared by Mr. J Windrln promises TO give
TO the Order in Philadelphia building exceeding in
eze and magnifcence any similar edhce in the world.
and Cuthbe Streets giving Of 100 by $50 feet
will be occupied by the new temple the cornerstone
of which is to be laid with imposing Masonic Ceremo
mics on the oath of June next (St Johns Day.
AS behts building Of its immense proportions the
new nail VIII be OF granite, and in the Norman style,
the massive character of this order of architecture
however, being well relieved by the arrangement OF
the towers, butresses, balconies, baustrades, and
graceful pinnaces which form part OF the design The
four sides Of the building will be OF granite the only
difference in the design being in the front on Broad
street. which will present one of the most magnificent
features Of this grand thOrOughfare. The building
will be three stories in height The front on Broad
street will present two towers one at each corner the
intervening space being composed OF handsome por-
ucO running to the second story, and above which
will be two inches for statutes zone of silence the
whole surmounted at the apex of the roof with small
tower, at the summit Of which will be statue of Char
iy On the face of the main 'front.' in addition to the
ornamental windows, will be in relief emblems Of the
Orderthe square and compass, sc. The tower at the
southwest corner of the building will be the great ea
tue 1t will be 300 feet from the ground to the top the
spre or 1O4 feet higher than Christ Church steepe The
four corners of this tower will be surmouned by pima
cles, while the buttresses extending up considerable
distance the balconies at the windows and the balus-
trades and general omamentatiOn of this portion Of
the structure will add greatly to the beauty Of the
whole design. The tower, although seemingly con-
nected with the main building, will be constructed
separate in order to insure greater security solid
foundation of fifteen feet will form the base upon
which it will rest The tower at the northwest corner
OF the front will be much less in height, but will con-
lain in is ornamentation the same general features
The remaining three sides of the building will be re-
lieved by buttresses between the windows, and the
whole effect of the exterior will be at once massive
and graceful The portcO at the front being 20 feet in
advance Of the line OF the building, will stll further
add to the beauty of the design.
On the first floor raised eight feet from the ground,
hail. twenty feet in width, will run the entire length
of the building from east to west and from this will
start two stairways, which, it is asserted, will exceed
IN magnihCenCe anything of the kind in the United
States Under the northwest tower will be the onice
of the Grand Master, and in the of this will be
the grand banqueng room, with kitchen, store rooms,
panries, &c, attached. The bandhetng room will be
105 feet by So feet, and will be fitted up in style to
correspond with the character of the building. On the
other side of the hall and in front Broad street,
w II be the Offices of the Grand Secretary and Grand
II easurer and in the Of these will be the Library
ard Committee Rooms. The second story, or princi-
pal floor, will contain the Grand Lodge Room, three
rooms for Blue Lodges, one Grand Chapter Room and
the retiring required for the transaction of the
business. The Grand Lodge Room Will be lO5 leet by
b3 feet inches, and in the decoration and furnishing
OF this apartment the prevailing color will be blue re-
eved by gold, and the intention is to make it one Of
the most magnificent rooms in the world. The rooms
for the Blue Lodges will each be 80 by 43 feet, and
handsomely decorated. The Grand Chapter Room
Will be 81 by 30 feet. PalOrs fronting on Broad street.
, for the Grand Lodge and Grand Chapter will adion
the rooms set apart for the meeting of these bodies
1he third story viii contain rooms for the Encamp-
ments and other purposes and all Will be lifted up in
J The building throughout will be ire-prooC iron
hpi ed e.
cautions being adopted to guard against the de-
structi0n of the edfce. Ventilation of the most COM
pete kind has been provided, the steam apparatus to
e used for heating the building being also designed
tSdtve fam to Keep up circulation OF fresh air in
all therooms. Provision has also been made for a
bountiful supply Of water at every story The entire
building will be devoted to Masonic purposes, and
the hall, as heretofore The work on the structure
will be under the superintendence OF the following
cOmmttee:-H NJ. Phillips, James Q. Adams, Henry
j. White. John U. Giller, Jacob Loudenslager, Daniel
Britain, Charles H. Kingston and the Grand Lodge
Instead of ''bY contract" the building will be
erected by days work. and it is estimated that il
viii require about five years and an expenditure o.
about S750,000 to complete the temple. Work upon
the excavation Will be commenced in a few weeks
DESTRUCTIVE CoNFLAGRATIoNs OF THE YEAR
In the following account are enumerated the
particulars of the most destructive fires which
have occurred in our city during the past year,
There were two destructive ores in February
both on the 27th-one at Fifth and Cal Whit
streets, where several buildings were burned
the loss being estimated at $4,000, probably
rather high; the other at Blondin's woollen mill
in West Philadelphia, at which the loss was Sc
down at $50 900. In April there we're severa
fires which did considerable damage. One or
the 1st at Johnson's ink factory, Tenth street
below Lombard, estimated loss, $4,000; one or
the 3D. when Schofeds large woollen mill, il
Manayunk was burned involving O loss o.
Sl75, 600; one on the 9th at R. N. Buckley's fur
niture factory, Chestnut street, near Twenty
third, loss about $s00O On the 7th stabhng an(
five horses were burned in the rear OF AlmonC
street, below Front. On the 10th, stable OF FrAnGl
Riley at Thirty-ifth street and Pennsylvania
railroad, where six horses were burned. Oh
the I'd of May the fire at j. Rush Ritter Co.
notion house, No. 223 Church street, involved
loss OF $lS0O0 The Ore on the 7th, at Askam'
chids carriage factory, No. $50 Dock street
destroyed property valued at $4,000. The mos
destructive fire OF the month of May was a
Lords mills in Darby, when the loss footed u
to $1,000 On the 18th the FIRE at Neal (
McBude's liquor store and F. Fuguet Som
cigar and tobacco store, No. 2l6 :. Front street
caused loss OF $4,000 in all. On tue 3Oth
fire at Schobert & Co.'s block factory, Twenty
fifth Ward, destroyed property to the value c
$4,000. On June 8 the stable and carriage
house Of George r. Tyler, on Vaughan street
below Locust, were destroyed by fire, and tn
loss, which included ten horses and SIX car
riages, was estimated at $4,000; the America
Theatre, on Walnut street, above Eighth, wa
destroyed by fire on the 10Th. In August theI
were three destructive fceS On the 10Th th
Good Intent MIL West Philadelphia was dan
aged to the extent of $4,000 on the 10th tn
spice mill OF Henry q Fisher, Ninth stree
above Girard avenue, was damaged with stocl
TO the extent OF $4,000; on the 18th Carrs dI
tillery, on Willow street, below Second, Wa
damaged, with stock and fixtures, TO the amour
of $4,000. On October 23d FIRE at Randolp
q Jenks' store, Letitia aud ChPsnut streets. d