Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-11-17
The New Masonic Hall.


The subject of building and owning haIl &
elrSively for their own use by the Masonic "a
teTnity of this city long occupied the atteni a
- the craft here. \ number of efforts to -,
ComplSh this object were made during the lass
thirty years, but proved failures after languisll
ing for a time, and Invariably involved more or
les loss to the several Masonic bodies and to indi
Tiduals too sanguine as to the success of these
efforts. We could give an interesting chapter
on the history of these disastrous failures did
our space permit Our present purpose, how
ever, - to notice briefly the new hall now under
course OF completion at the corner OF Ninth and
Il streets, which 10 really object OF pride to
all our Citizens, as il is TO every Mason. In 81
congress vas applied to and gave charter to
about twenty curporators. one from each Ma
sonic body, whose hrst duty il was to fix upon
the amount of capital stock. Repeated meet
iDgs were held, but IL was soon found that amonp
80 large a number little could be accomplish !
because Of diversity OF opinion ON most of tas
questions arising as to conduct, management &c
AT last IL was decided 20 elect rom their num-
Der i've directors, including the secretary and
treasurer, who were to be the exe cutive officers
OF the association. These were chosen, and we
believe they have not been changed since. ex-
cept in the case of the death of Geo. G.. Whiting
Esq, when another was elected to hill his place
They are az follows BENZ b. French. John
Purdy, Nicholas Acker, Peter Hoce and " ID.
Larner. The terms of the charter were that
nothing could be done until the stock fixed upon
had all been subscribed. This was a difficult
problem TO solve, rs the amount of capital stock
necessary for the accomplishment of the work
in hand was pretty large, (S15O 900, y and the
order was in poor circumstances. Finally at
the suggestion OF n. ID. Larner, ESQ.,, the nom
inal amount OF So, 600 was fixed upon which
Was at once subscribed, and after the directors
had been elected and the organization complete,
the nTst act was TO increase the amount to
SlJ0,eGO. The Hudson Taylor property, where
now stands the Christian Association building
was offered TO the directors at $4,000, which
was rejected after considerable time had been
spent in negotiating, and the corner lot at 9Th
and streets was selected at SO 900
The size OF the building now erected is 81 by
13l feet, with an l. OF "a feet on the west side
ami four stories high above ground. Four stores
are ON the first story, with basement rooms cor
RESPONDING in every case to the size of the stores
Two stores on 9Th street are "A by "a feet with
large French plate glass fronts. The first store
On street Is - by is feet, and the second one
20 by "a feet, the fun length OF the l.. The en-
trance TO the main hall and rooms above is from
r street. At the head of the ample stairway on
the second floor Is a suite of rooms fitted up for
the janitOr to live in, where he will ALWAYS he
ready for duty. On the second floor is the main
public hall, As by % feet, with ceiling q feet
high, and handsome gallery for orchestra on
the west end- Contiguous to this hall is ladies'
retiring room, with cloak room, washstands ard
closets, all conveniently arranged. The gentle
mems cloak and hat room adiOins these rooms
hstsd up with 80 boxes for cloaks and hats: also
WIN NaShstanC:s, closets, &c. The supper room
on the same floor, in the J. is oS by 80 feet cell
ing . feet, with heavy mOuldngs. ard three
hne center pieces in plaster, IRON which HANG
Chandeliers a dumb waiter in the north end
communicates with the kitchen in the basement
which has been fitted up with every convenience
Ia the ceiling of the main hall are seven Large
panels with glrders separating them, the panels
are OF a light blue. The walls of this hall are of
a lilac color, mixed with the plaster before
u Is put on The hail is lighted with side
brackets back stairway to the second f,oc =
communicates with the alley in the rear n q
landing being the same as from the front en-
trance The width Of the F street entrance Is
pine feet with ticket Office at the outer DOOR
The stairway leading to stories above
Is conveniently arranged, easy Of ascent
lilo Wit rtpflst <Ia
eide of the hall. a half story is thrown over
The dressing rooms, from which Is the
entrance to the orchestra in the main hall.
Lumber rooms, and two bedrooms, belonging
10 the Janitor's quarters, are near the entrance
to the third story and Immediately over his
rooms below. In the l. of this story is Lodge
loom, 2S by 81 feet, with ceilings 16 feet In
height. Contiguous to this Lodge room are al
the necessary ante-rooms. The passages on
Lodge room is on this floor and over
the main hall; its size is 81 by 81 feet and
lighted from the ceiling by circular refiectors,
20 S me- are tubes 5nnning to the walls
impure AIR engendered by lover crowded rooms
Nentilators are also fixed in the walls around the
rooms throughout the entire building.
The Grand Secretary's ONCE is directly at the
head Of the stairway, on the third floor. Its
size IS y feet square This room communicates
with the library room, which is on the north
side OF the Lodge room, Is by 20 feet From
this story to the stories above is circular flight
Of steps, also lighted by windows on the west
stairway Its size is % feet by 80 feet with rs
feet height of walls. This is a fine room, and
lighted by one large reflector in the CENTRE with
tubes attached to convey the foul air to the
top, as before described. A large closet, for
clothing, and all the necessary ante-rooms are
attached to this han. The COmmandery room
over the principal Lodge room. The Size OF
this hall Is 81 by u feet. In the ceiling are
arranged three large circular refectors for
lighting the hall, with ventilation tubes at
tached, as before described. An armory
% feet square communicates with this
fine hall, and banqueting frall Of the same
size, and corresponding to the library room he
low, runs parallel to the asylum. washstands
wafer-elesets, store-rOcms, &c, are Conveniently
arranged ON this hoor, suited to the requirements
and dn sh1 seRag + placed second
san be attached in moment, and the building
hooded with water in case fire should occur
nr me Whole s building Is heated by Woods inn
the Masonic Hail in Baltimore, and i'm some Of
our Departments Of the Government.
HE appearance of the building il much adj
miTed. The material used in the construction
OF the first story is granite and the stories above
are Of Connecticut brown stone and Nova Sco-
TIA sand stone, with window caps ornamented
The centre OF the + street front are the words
q" Masonic Temple in large raised letters. emf
in the stone in the wall.
Tie design Of this building is by A. Cluss,
.-ehIteet, the intern nrrnnoemenrx, a., ,,,,us \
1e:c., Be-. being suggested By =. p. Lsraer, |
Grand Secretary to the Grand Lodge, Grand ]
Chapter, and also Secretary to the Masonic vi ,
Association. This gentleman has been most
untirng In his efforts from the beginning to carry
On this work TO a successful Completion ana
every Mason in this District must acknowiedce
that 10 his energy, and devotion to this Object
"a que, in large degree, the success Of the un,
dertakiDg; :
lows:-NichOlas Acker, stone work; Jones s.
Collins, bricklayers; the carpenters work has
been done principally by days work under the
superintendence of Mr.. Charles +. Wood, one Of
cur oldest and most reliable bulders-Messrs.
Morsell & Dearing, and Messrs. Downing s. Bro.
have aided Mr.. Wood in his part Of the work;
tinuing work by w. D.wyvill; plumbing and gas
fitting by Messrs. Shepherd & Bros; plastering
by Messrs. Fenwick & Stewart; the painting has
been done by days work under Mr.. Wood, ex-
eept the cornice, which has been done By Mr..
II. A. Brow N; the iron work by Gray & Noyes,
and zinc castings by Messrs. SOmerville s.
Leitch.
The hall VA pe ready to occupy by the Isl OF
.s1remter when Professor Sheldon will give
ball in il. The lodge rooms will soon be ready
Tor use when dedication viii take place which
Will no doubt be grand and imposing anan.
A MEETING OF THE WASHINGTON ScHUxrZEy
VERIES was held at Wills Hall last night, John
Sogt in the chair, X. SpTingsyuth Secretary
TIE committee appointed to revise TIE. hooks
IL fafin hat