The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-06-10

I
radiators in this service. In the engine
room are also the FIRE pumps, capable OF
throwing 200 gallons per minute into the
water-tsnks Immediately beneath the root
THESE tanks, blythe way, hold 5000 gallons,
and attachments on every floor render this
huge volume of water Instantly available
anywhere tor the checking of an incipient
conflsgration. In the basement are also ex-
tensive vaults for the use OF the storekeepers
who occupy the first floor of TIE temple.
One OF these has been made burglar and fire
proof by a safe deposit company at an ex-
pense OF over one hundred thousand dollars
The grand stairway at the main entrance is
oil White marble, with a silver hand-rail on
each side, the walls being wainscoted with
paneled parti-colOred marbles. The stair
well is guarded from the corridor above by a
bronze baiustrade, capped with
RAIL OF BLACK BELGIAN MARBLE.
The corridor, 66 feet long. 20 feet wide and
% feet high, is of the Ionic style of architec-
ture. The plinth course is of polished mar
BILE, but the walls are dead white. The
ceiling is to be decorated in polychrome.
Panelled and coffered arches, springipg
from broken entablsture over coupled
pilasters at the side, divide the ceiling into
compartments. The flooring of the corri-
der is Minton tile, laid in alternate squares
OF black and white This floor il Constructed
| with iron beams, brick arches and cement
deadeniDg, so as to completely cut off all
| danger of fire from the stores beneath On
each sloe OF the corridor, a. its remote end
are great panels OF dark marble, bearing
the names, numbers and times of meeting
| of all the numerous Masonic bodies assam
bling In the building. On the eastern wall.
over the main entrance to the Grand LODGE
room, appears in high relief the coat-of-
arms OF the Grand Lodge of the state OF
New York. The former rests upon an ash
lar of semi-calcined stone taken from the
foundation of the temple at Jerusalem The
Grand Lodge room is a handsome ball, 50
feet by 81 feet, capable of seating comforta-
| bly, 1000 persons. Festooned Roman Ionic
/ Is the style of architecture prevailing here.
A double row of columns supports the
weighty walls above. Theseats, upholstered
with blue plush, are arranged in curved
lines, and all command good view OF the
stage. The Grand Masters throne is sta
| toned in an apsldal recess in the east IL is
In the Pompeiian style, and is Is feet high
by six in width, of black walnut, carved to
represent winged lions at the base, behind
and above which rise Ionic pillars support
Ing canopy. The Grand Masters chair is
upholstered with dsrk-blue velvet. Four
other chairs for officers of the Grand Lodge
designed in harmony with the throne,
FLANK THE SEAT OF THE GRAND MASTER,
two on each side. To the right of the stage
are retiring, toilet and committee rooms,
elegantly and comfortably furnished. To
the left is great vacant space designed for a
powerful organ which is now building ior
the Grand Lodge. On dedication day this
space will be occupied by an orchestra and
choir. The parlors and offices of the grand
master, grand secretary and grand treasurer
are all en- suite, on the western side of the
corridor, and are deliberately finished and
| furnished in the most liberal and exquisite
taste, especially that assigned to the grand
| master, on the southwest corner. Beyond
| light grille gate, az the northern end of the
corridor, rises the main staircase leading to
the floors above. The entrance to the pas
senger elevator is also here. This elevator
IS one ofthe finest in the city. It's passen-
ger car will accommodate sixteen persons
and it runs noiselessly and smoothly from
basement TO dome withiR fifty seconds. An
automatic stop, powerful brake on the
safety drum, sensitive governor attach
ment, safety raehets and lock pawls SEEM
TO secure the car from even the possibility
of accident. Half story up from the level
of the main corridor is the mezzonine floor
covering the western end of the building
above the officers of the Grand Lodge. It is
20 feet in width by IS in length. The north
ern portion of it is the safe room, contain
ing 81 safes for the use of the several Ma
sonic bodies meeting in the temple. There
Is in addition small fire proof chamber for
the deposit of valuable documents aud
other property not in cor slant use. Be-
yond this is the Grand Lodge library,
where, in Is handsome black walnut book
cases, are about 5000 volumes, a rare, valua-
bic and exceedingly interesting collection of
literature
CONCERNING EVERY DEPARTMENT OF MA
soNRY.
When the arrangements are completed there
will be kept here regularly all the Masonic
papers and magazines published both in this
country and Europe. The library is under
the charge of r. w. Isaac B. Conover. The
board of relief room is also on this floor
Upon the walls of this apartment is an ex-
c6lient portrait of r. w. James Herring, |
founder of the hall and asylum Iund, a. also |
a fine picture of the Grand Masonic Union |
at Tripler Hall in 1850. In the Diche upon |
the first lant;ng = to be placed marble |
statue of Silence" which is now being eX-
ecuted in Rome, and will be presented TO the |
Grand Lodge by one of its ex-otficers. Open
ing from the spacious corridor, tiled in mosaic
with an Etruscsn border, is a magnificent
parlor on the western side, Intended for re-
captions, refsctions, and other general pur-
poses of the several bodies meeting on this
floor, in the Tuscan, Doric, Ionic, and Liv-
ingston rooms. 1t is 60 by % feet, and 81
feet inches in height. A similar parlor
occupies the same space on the floor above.
admirable in their details of arrangement.
The most superb is the Egyptian room. de-
voted to chapter Masonry, on tie fourth
floor, and the commandery hall, occupying
the entire space of the fifth The Egyptian
room and commsndery hall is symbolic in
all its details. -Four curtains, blue, purple,
scarlet, and white, representing the wells of
the tabernacle reared by Moses in the
wilderness-msy be used at pleasure to di-
vide it. In its entirety this room is 81 feet
inR fact n uh 1 =
and represents an interior court of Theban
temple. Twenty-slx II
MAssIvE EGYPTIAN COLUMNS,
with the lotus capital and scrolled and reeded
are on the west, north and
south walls. In the east is the entrance to
an inner temple, made after that of Isis at
Tentyra. Isis-hesded capitals surmount the
columns at the portico of this inner temple.