Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-09-06
THE MASONIC TEMPLE.
n viii be Ready for oocu Sancy pecembs
-YAescrintion Of tho nuildiug.

isth-Dsscription Of the Bulldog.
Excepting the new City Hall. the Masonic
Temple IL probably the most striking
building on Broad street. With the same
execution IL n also the largest. This struc.
ture. which Is TO cost $4,000, Is nearing
completion, and win DO ready for occupa-
ton Throughout by the middle OF December:
The ground-1oor and basement. which will
be used by Messrs,. Woodruff Il Lathrop g.;
o store. Is now ready 50 far as tho general
contractor, Mr.. W. o. Burton. 10 concerned:
lie got through before September LIST, and
by 40 doing won bonus OF $500 for him.
self aud tho same amount for the Masonic
Home from the Arm In question. The
shelving Is now nearly oil in and number
Of Messrs. Savage & Hol mss employees
we're engaged yesterday IN putting on tho
finishing touches.
LIGHT, HEAT, AND COLD.
An immense lO0-horse boiler runs two
55- horse dynamos which furnish light for
the entire" buiiding-in oil l,lO0 mean
descents.
There are woimmense fans worked re-
spectively by i've and six.horse dynamos,
which force hot air through immense nues
in winter and cooling draughts IN summer;
A passenper.elsystor runs to the right Of
the main hall Just after entering. In adj
dition to this there are two dumb-waiters
running through all seven floors aud q
freight-elevator.
xroBr FLOORS IN ALL
Counting the basement. there are IN all
eight floors TO describe the building
adequately would be an impossible task.
| The only way TO acquire Oh idea OF its in-
rpons,tv would be to do as the writer did
yesterday--that IL, 60 to the Temple ana
have Mr.. Burton (who Is one Of the most
accommodating Of men) show you Over IL:
10 begin with, there Is the basomsnt
proper. At first this wns. simple art
door. Seeing in this wasted space avail:
Able and desirable room tho lessees had
Mr.. Burton floor it over and put in street
lights, Tho ceiling and side walls are
| finished In wood. The result is splendid
room T7xl2s feet, lighted by 1876 fncaudos-
cent lamps.
ArBErTY sToRA
Coming to Tho street floor there is q
store of the same dimensions as the base
ment. In the rear is an immense elevated
platform. On the top of this will be
Messrs. Woodruff h Lsthrop's, ofices,
CASHIERS stand, and terminus Of the cash
RAILWAYS. Underneath will be tho packing
department. The store will have sliding
plato glass doors--the only ones OF the
kind In the city, the opening and closing
of which will take one mans entire time.
On the front of the second floor will be
tho Offices of the Grand Master and Grand
Secretary, with o parlor between Thorn.
| There will also be an iron vault for the use
| of tho Grand Secretary. Next comes the
grand lobby, In which are two lovely col
nmns of Virginia granite. In the rear IL
the Grsnd-Lodee room 10ox5O feet, with
pitch of so feet. There are circular win
dows 2sxl2 feet, the largest tn the city. In
| the east Of the loom is o stage. fanked on
| either side by O ladies' parlor. This plat
| form will be the Grand Masters scat when
lodge is In session. II IS also Intended 10
rent this hall out, and ticket-room ad-
Joins. A splendidly.constructed gallery 10
provided, and in ell 1000 people can be
seated in the hall.
WHERE THEY WILL EAT.
The grand banquet hall is on the third
floor. On the north side this will be an
immense stained glass emblematlcal vim
dow 1e feet q inches by 8 feet. Three par
| lors adjoin the banquet hall On the lett
of 10 ia tho kitchen, which is connected
with every noor By two large dumb:
walters big enough TO hold couple OF
The story above (the fourth contains
two blue lodge and a chapter-rooin, with
anto-rooms adjoining. A. second and
smaller banquet hall y also located here:
QUIZ duObuct 4~iAt 1Ay sst~ 1850 >c~f
Commsndery. and ArmWy rooms are on
the ffth floor. These last two apartments
will DO the handsomest In the building.
They will have concave ceilings, with o
second curve into the clear story.
The sixth floor has..as yet not been appor.
toned, but it has been suggested that 1t
be used rs kitchen.
The seventh floor. to use bull, Is not q
floor at all, but the roof. This is access.
BILE by good, easy steps, tho same as are in
use all over the building. This point is
ll5 feet above tho street, and affords a
magnificent view Of the country for miles
around. More of the city can be seen from
here than from any other elevation in
Richmond. Manchester and Barton
Heights appeared close at hand, and by
the aid of little imagination Dutch Gap
could be discerned.
AS the scribe used glasses Of no kind he
did not attempt to catch @ glimpse OF Pc
tersburg.
The tedious task Of descending to terra
frTnd was in course of time completed.
The reporter could not help thinking how
hard Job 1t would be TO get good,
lively. healthy goat up all the stairs. This
| will account for the late hours that will
presumably be kept by all good Masons
when they GO into quarters in the Temple.