Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1890-01-31
\ GREAT MASONIC ENTERPRISE.
The Fraternity Has Decided Ia Erect
Immense Building in Chicago.

Immense building in Chicago.
For several years there has been consid-
cradle agitation in Chicago regarding the
erection of more cOmmOdiOus quarters
than are now occupied by the Masonic
fraternity III that city, but until recently
the project had never assumed IA tangible
form 1t is now a fact almCst beyond
doubt that the fondest aspirations of the
MasOns i'll this respect will be realized, and
that very soon. At meeting Of the Ma
sonic fraternity in November the advisa-
biity of taking immediate action was
discussed and Il committee. consisting of
Messrs. Norman 7. Gassette, Amos Gran
mis-, Thomas f.. Miller, +. r. Bliss. n. II.
GTeenhaum, John Glaze, {. +. tuntheT,
Daniel r. Crilly, George NJ. Moulton, and
John b. McFatrich, was appointed to take
initial steps. The functions of this COM
mittee were to secure a location. suggest
ways and means, and report at subse-
quent meeting of the craft The ideas
formulated by these men relative to Local
tion, size and kind of building coulrm-
plated together with its probable cost,
were approved 10y the Masous without a
dissenting voice, and still further adj
vance IN the enterprise was effected 10y the
appointment Of Me-srs. Norman Y, Gas
sette, Amos Grannls, and +. Il. Bis to
proceed with definite action.
Until this stage of the fraternity de
Iiberations the scheme had only taken the
form of discussion, 5ur a few colossal
strides on the part of Mr. Gassette and
his fellow committee member, reveals an
enterprise as great and praiseworthy rs
that so succes fully performed by Mr.. Fred
Peck. Upon an area Of ground 10 by 30
t,.r,s In CT ltaf nd
hanked by Randolph street directly north
of Central Music Hall building of
twelve or fourteen stories is TO be erect
ed. In every respect the structure is 10
embrace the latest improvements, conform
ing alike to the ingenuity Of the architect
and the skill Of the decorator. 1t Is estI-
mated that the approximate cost Of such
building as they contemplate will bc at
least 81 OOO.O 900. This amount. with the
amount paid for the land, makes a deal
aggregatIng over 81 100000.
As the contingencies Of the Masonic
brotherhood will demand but a compare
lively small portion of the building, the
remainder is TO be disposed Of in this
manner: The State street frontage will
be resigned to stores ard mercantile pur~
poses. and hotel Of $50 rooms established
on that part Of the next six floors not de-
voted TO lodge uses. On the tOpuost ioors
offices for business or professional purposes
will be arranged.
That such an immense building, and Of
such multiform capacities, will not be des-
tined to financial failure, the committee
have ascertained by analogous calculation,
| that the expenses incident 10 = structure of
that character can be sustained by current
rentals. The capital stock Is fixed at
| g. .000, 900, divided into 10000 shares Of
| 800 each Individual Masons or Masonic
| bodies can subscribe for shares, and 1t IS
expected that several hundred wealthy
MasOns will Immediately subscribe for fifty
shares each. When completed this will be
the third largest building in Chicago.
La Grippe in Ancient Times.
Away back in the fifth century there was
an epidemic of malignant influenza in
Europe. extending into Asia and Africa,
which assumed the form Of a plague,
carrying off many thousands Of people.
1t is to this calamity to which Haydn
Dictionary Of Date" refers when ex-
planning the origin Of the salutatlon,
God bless you, thus I'VE are told
that in the time Of Pope Pelagius II.
plague ragged in Rome of 50 fatal a nature
that persons seized with ii died sneezing
and gaping. whence came the custom Of
saying God bless you when person
sneezes. and of Roman Catholics making
the sign Of the cross upon the mouth
when one gapes. The terrible grippe"
affiction Of that period began In the year
558 and continued with varying degrees of
Yirulence for many years, the Pope Pc
lagiu8 dying Of IT in 57o.
OF course there is much incompleteness
in the descriptions Of old plaques and epi-
denies given in the histories Of the times.
Medical science was then a mere supersti-
ton or worse, and every fantastic account
was given of diseases that had wide
spread effect on mankind The people Of
this age know better, and the . grip has
no especial terrors for those who suffer
from its attack nor for the general public.