The New York herald., 1870-05-09
TIE NEW MASONIC HALL.
A Full Description Of the Building - Its
Dimensions, Cost, Architecture and
Ornamentatiou.

The projected new Masonic Temple In this
city will be erected on the northeast corner OF
street and Sixth avenue, q most
eligible and central location. The size OF the lot IL
III feet on the street and ninety eight feet nine
inches on the avenue, the whole area OF which viii
be covered by the building. A Photographic printof
the D. respective view will DO issued and sold
for the benefit OF the Han and Asylum Fund and will
show TO advantage the majestic. harm 1nious and
massive appearance OF the tout ensemble. The ma
terlal selected viii be dark and hight granite, and
the main divisions, details aud crnamentations are
SO disposed as to gracefully bring out it's true char
acter Of sodity and strength The style OF architec
ture Is pure Renaissance well proporttoned ana
chaste.
The building will be divided into five stories, each
OF which viii be distinctly marked in the exterior.
The main feature Twenty street viii be the
central pavilion ornamcnted by puasters ana
columns and surmounted by quadrangular dome
fifty feet square the base and rising l55 feet above
the pavement to the top OF its cresng. This centre
compartment is connected by ''curtansn to be en-
bellsned by alegorcai statuary, with heavily rusti
Gated corner pavilons, ea IA twenty-sx feet square
at the base the whole rising nets hve feet tO tho
top Of the nam cornice and capped by a NJ Ansard
roof. The Sixth avenue front CONSISTS Cf corner pa
vlIions and the recessed cur ain between them s
enrlched al each story by piasers in har nony with
the central portion OF the Twentyhrd street 'front.'
The first story Will DC almost entirely devotedto
stoTes--three large ones on the street and four
the avenue. This portion OF the building Is to DO
constructed OF Quincy granite and WIN be massveiy
rustica,ea throughout. Tue man entrance will be
lOcaled In the southwest curtain o. the building,
and Will be Ornamented and made prominent by y
ID RI porco. In ftont OF ths poftico viii be placed
two Masonic columns, twenty Ieet high the signif-
canoe III which viii be duly Appreciated by Masons,
ana the arms OF the Grand Lodge on the ifth story
viii form extertoriy the o0y nuications Of the pur.
pose OF the edacc rms entrance leads directly By
wide flight of steps to large corridor or hall on
the second story twenty leet de by sxtysiY feet
long and thirty feet high, from which immediate ac
Is 0Dtane d the east side to tne Grand Lodge
room, elghtyfour ieet by ninety ana the other to
the parlor o the Grand Mas er, he parior and orces
OF the Grand Secretary, the nreprool archive room,
SC. The GSani Lodge room is calculated to seat
over 1000 Persons comfortably, IN addition TO which
gallery across the west end of he room will accom-
modate I5o persons more. and be 50 useful IN case
the room s let out for concerts or lectures Tor the
accommodation Of the orchestra. The throne Of the
Grand Master Will be In recess ut the east end,
win retiring and Accommodation rooms convent.
emily located Oh each side.
At the north end or the entrance corridor IL the
main stairway, leading to ali The upper sores The
landing the third story. TWEEN y-0nefee six inches
high gives direct acces. to receptlon hal twenty
conveniently arranged .snterooms with three Blue
side VI this hail IL placed large baaqucting room.
with Stewards rooms &c, ADO nng. The stairway
leads the fourth story, twentyone feet high
in which the arrangements distribution and size OF
rooms are precisely similar 10 those below In TINS
story there viii be two Blue Lodse rooms and one
arranged with conveniences not heretofore thought
Of, anu Will be complete In everY possible respect
The who OF the 1fth story Will he devoted to the
use OF the knights Tempars, and 10 Is believed this
Commandery hall Will be the most complete and
best arranged ever constructed and greatly increase
the effect OF the imposing ceremonies VI the order
Throughout the arrangement OF the whole building
II Is evident the archtec NJ LIE Brun has very care
fully studied his plans, there IL not loot vi space
wasted, and tile greatest simplicity ana convenience
are attained In the distribution or the rooms, STAIR
ways, Corridors &c, which will be all appropriately
decorated, Ia accordance with The various purposes
to which they win he applied.
The iirst story, and all the halls, Corridors ana
stairways throughout VIII be OF the most approved
freproof construction The whole building WIN be
heated by steam, and Thoroughly ventilated In the
most approved and scientific manner. Each moor
viii be supplied with all The modern conyenlences
70 md IL Hrst class private houses and large ele-
yator Will traverse the building from TIE first To the
fith stories This elevator Is placed conveniently 10
the main stairway and the private stairway giving
all egress on Sixth avenue In case OF accident or
alarm, the entire building can be empued In Ave
miaues ~
Tie ground has cost $40 900, and the estimated
cost or the Duidng viii be a httie over hall u mil
lion, An idea o It's imposing exterior may be formed
from the fact that 10 VIII tower forty five feet above
booths theatre, which Il situated directly opposite
Vast preparations are being made by the craft 10
lay the foundation stone Oh the 9Th of June next,
with all possible ceremony. There vii be grand
tJrdout on tho OCCASION, and efforts are being
made TO have the and Master remove some re-
strctions he has placed against displaying banners
and ornamental rcgala, or having music Ia The pro-