New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-11-21
Temple Sfnai-Laying Of the Corner stone


The ceremony of laying the corner stone
of the new Hebrew temple took place on
Sunday.
The building is being erected on Caron
delet street, between Triton walk and Cal
liOpe street. There were about four thou
sand persons present to witness the solemn
and imposing ceremonies.
! The dimensions of the temple are vast,
and when completed the structure will pre-
sent an imposing appearance. 1t has front
of "A feet inches by 1873 feet inches in
depth. The walls are 4 feet 2la inches thick
through the buttresses, and feet 7la inches
where the walls are plain. The entrance
will be granite staircase of q feet inches
wide, consisting of twenty steps and land
ing feet wide above the eleventh step.
leading into portico supported by fourteen
ornamental iron pillars II feet high, sur
mounted by scroll work and metallic roof.
Above the portico will be two small and
one large arched window, around which
will be engraved the scriptual motto of the
builders in Hebrew and English. Still
higher in the crown of the wall will be two
marble slabs representing the Mosaic tables,
on which will be inscribed in Hebrew the
ten commandments.
On each side of the portico will be tower,
resting on a foundation sunk 10 feet in the
ground and measuring % feet inches
square. The towers will be IA feet square
at the base and ia feet inches high. with
arrangements for illumination at night.
The vestibule is 81 feet wide by j feet
deep, and opening upon the main floor by
three doors. From these doors back to the
sanctuary is distance of SO feet four inches.
by width of 20 feet 10 inches. The sane
tuary is 291s feet wide by 2l " feet deep. A
gallery extends around three sides Of the
main room, with seats raised in three sue
cessive tiers.
The organ and choir will be in the gallery,
opposite to the sanctuary. The gallery will
have one commendable feature, its floor on
the outer edge being separated from the
tilation, with the protection of an iron
railing. The main room will be 43la feet
high from floor to roof, and will, with its
gallery, comfortably seat more than thirteen
hundred people. 1t is intended that the
seats will be occupied, as in churches, by
tne male anu female wOrshppers without
division.
At twelve o'clock fine orchestra, led by |
Professor Louis Meyer played the overture. !
The orator Of the day was the Rev. J. X. |
Gutheim, who delivered an eloquent ad- |
dress.
The chorus Of Creation" was next given
by the choir Of the Rampant street syna-
gOgue. The Rev. J. L. Leucht next made
q brief address as he delivered the corner
stone into the hands of S. w. Todd, Grand
Master Of the Grand Lodge of Louisiana.
The grand master accepted the charge in
The name Of the masonic order in few
words of acknowledgment, and the grand
odge proceeded to the exterior of the build
ng, bearing the corner stone, which was a
block OF white marble, with the inscription,
Temple Sinai, 1871
The details Of the ceremonies were accord
ng to the rites that have prevailed for many
hundreds Of years, and were closed with a
by the orchestra, when the
arge assemblage retired, much gratified by
he sOlempities of the memorable occasion.