Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-07-01
FHE NEW MASONIC TEMPLE IN
PARLIAMENTARY


The ceremonies which took place 10 lay
ing the corner stone Of the new Masonic
Temple at PhiIsdelphia on the 24.h ult.
were Of peculiarly grand and imposing
character. Over ten thousand Masons were
in the line of the procession. Ga resch-
ing The ground wherein the temple is to be
built the ceremonies were opened with
prayer, and continued by the singing of
anthems, the delivery Of addresses, the in
vocation of the Grand Master and the de
post Of various articles in the corner stone,
with appropriate rites The affair wound
up with a grand banquet. together sith a
fine orchestral concert at the Academy of
Music. The following is description Of
the new Masonic Temple; 49,
The new hall with of granite, and the
general characteristic Of the architecture
will be Of Norman Gothic. The front,
however, will be a combination of the
Egyptian, Greek and Gothic styles of az
chitecture, to symbolic the three orders
of Masonry aud the. three orders of civili-
cation under which the ancient fraternity
has existed, The structure viii be three
stories in height. The front on Broad
street will present two towers, one on each
corner, the intervening space being occu-
pied BY the handsome Egyptian portico,
above which will be various architectural
features in The Grecian and Gothic styles. /
The tower on the southwest corner will
be an important feature. II viii be two
hundred feet in height. The four corners
Of this tower will be surmounted by pima
Giles, with buttresses extending up con
siderable distance; the balconies at the /
windows, and the balustrades and orna-
mentation introduced, add to the imposing
character of the design. The tower at the
northwest corner of the front will not be 30
high, but it will present the same architsc-
tural features. The remaining three sides
Of the building will be relieved by but
tressee between the windows, and the gen.
eral effect Of the exterior will be massive
On the FIRST floor, raised eight feet from
The ground, will be a hall twenty feet 10
width which viii run the entire length of
the building from east to west. From this
will start two stairways, which will be one
Of the most magnificent affairs of the kind
in the United States. Under the northwest
tower will be the office Of the Grand Mas
ter; and in the rear of this will be the |
grand banqueting rooms, with kitchen,
store rooms, pantries, ETC., attached. The
banqueting will be one hundred and
fifty feet by fifty-fve feet, and will be fitted |
up in the most costly sad elaborate style. |
On the other side Of the hall, fronting on
Broad street, viii be the offices ofthe Grand
Secretary and the Grand Treasurer, and
the rear of these will be the library and
committee rooms. The second story, or
principal floor, will contain the Grand |
Lodge room, three rooms for Blue Lodges,
one Grand Chapter room, and the retiring |
rooms required for the transaction of busi' |
ness. ..-..r III. 49,. a. .-..r.-
The Grand Lodge room will be one hun
dred and fifty feet by fifty-three feet six |
inches. In the decoration and furniture of |
this apartment the prevailing color will be
blue relieved by gold, and the intention is
to make it one of the most magnificent |
sooms in the world. The rooms for the /
Blue Lodges will each be fifty-nine by |
forty-three feet, and will be handsomely /
decorated. The Grand Chapter room viii |
be eighty-one by fifty-three feet. Parlors,
fronting on Broad street, for the Grand
Lodge and Chapter, will adioin the rooms
set apart for those bodieN. The third story /
will contain rooms for various purposes,
and will be fitted up in handsome style.
The building throughout will be used
solely for Masonic purposes. II will be
iron gir6ers being used at all the
stories. The most complete provisions for
ventilation will be made; the steam APP
paratus to be used for heating the building
will also drive large fan to keep up a
circulation Of fresh air in all of the rooms,
Provision will also be made for a plenti-
ful supply Of water in every portion of the
huiIding