The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1883-12-06
THE MASONIC BLOCK.

LIS new maSOnc DuAOlnk IL no"
completed with the exception Of paint
ing the lower room and putting the
cornice on the front, and we deem this
the proper time to give detailed de-
scrirtion Of the building.
The excavation for the cellar was bs.
gun about the first of June. The stone
wall, all Of Kasota stone, was begun
late in June and finished the 18th of
July, and is six feet deep, 80 inches 1T
base aud 20 inches at top. The brick
work was begun about August 9Th,
and completed about the first of Sep
TENDER. The first story wall is sixteen
inches finished Is feet and inches be-
twern joists. The second story wall is
IL inches and IA feet at front between
joists and IL feet at rear. About 1O5-
600 brick were used.
The size Of the new building is % It.
and inches fronting on feminist. and
running back 80 feet. The height of
the trent Is 80 feet above the pave
ment to top of cornice.
The lower story is in ono room de-
signed for store room, and is 29x8O it.,
with plate glass trent. The main
lights are 7x10 IT,, the transom 3sx5s
inches, and lights in the double doors
are 22x66 inches, all Of plate glass. The
rear end Of the room has two large
eight light windows, the glass being
l6x2O inches, and double doors in CELL
ter, with trans0tns. The plate glass
for the front cost $267. The room is
plastered, with hard finish on sides and
ends and ceiled overhead.
The upper room, as heretofore pub
lished. is u public hall, the hall proper
being % #. in. by 20 it,. having Ca
pacity for 800 chairs which are now in.
At the front is u stage l4x29, with II
feet opening for curtain, and has side
doors. At the rear is 4 landing 10x29,
with ticket room 1Ox1:. The entrance
t. this hall is on 81 avenue, in the ex-
tension of the old block. and is by
stairway 81 feet in the clear. The
| doors leading into the hall are hung
with the Gem double-hinge. swinging
both ways, and are ST feet in the clear.
At the east side Of this public hall are
double doors leading into the masonic
hall or lodge room. heretofore describ-
ed as one of the finest in Southwestern
Minnesota.
The new building joins the corner
brick built in 1873 by W. r. Bennett
and purchased by the Alasons in April.
1882. The cornices are made uniform
with the original building, 50 that in
appearance it is one block. The old
brick was extended 20 feet in the rear,
making it of uniform length with tie
new block. In this extension is the
stairway or entrance to the public hal,
and also one room on the lower floor
for an Office.
The cost of the new block is about
$500.
The block was built by Living Arch
Chapter, l. P. Durfee, e. II. Smith and
D. Shell. trustees. The work has been
superintendent by Mr.. Durfee. The
contract for tho mason and brick work
WAS let to P. Wyssrg, of Mankato, who
also veneered the ADVANCE black
The contract for wood or carpenter
work was let to H. G.. Free. The lum-
bei, etc. was furnished by H.. G. Shep-
ard s. Go. The contract for plastering
was also let to p. Wysong, and sublet
to NJ. 5. Twitchell'
The roof is of tin, the contract for
which was let to e. p. Hewitt and
John Humiston.
This IS altogether tho largest and
finest brick block in Worthington.-
Taking the two buildings together,
which are now virtually one, they pre-.
sent block with front So It. and 8
in. Oh feminist. and 80 feet on Second
avenue, with two large store rooms
below and two halls above, enc being
public hall and the other a 6nely.fur-
nished lodge room with parlor and an
ts-rOoms attached.