The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-05-21
NEW 10. @. F. BUILDING
GRAND LODGE COMMITTEE RECON-
MENDs ONE OF SEVEN STORIES.
1t Would Increase the Net Income OF
$1O,OOO-RepOrts of Various
Officers Heard. 49,.


The semi-annual meeting of the Grand
Lodge. l. o. o. F.. began yesterday morn
ing in the Grand Lodge Hail. at the corner
of Pennsylvania and Washington streets.
There are about six hundred delegates pres
ent. The meeting will probably close at
noon to-day with short afternoon ses-
sion. Yesterday morning was devoted to the
reports of officers. Grand Master Cicero F.
Northern made his report. The report Of the
grand secretary. B. f. Foster, who is i'll,
was read by his son, Charles Foster. 1t
showed that 2,77S members and 1913 widowed
families had received relief. The sum OF
s5c.66S.90 had been paid for the relief OF
brothers; $2,05s67 for the relief Of widowed
families; $2s5.32 for the education of orphans:
s14.S46.s9 for burying the dead. and $i7S7.1s
for other charitable purposes. making q total
amount of relief for the term of s7S.714.47.
The total expense was $685. 10f74, and the
balance in the treasury is $S,017.17. The pres
ent active membership in the State Is 42.SJ.
There are 22,9S4 members of the Rebekab
lodges. The report of the grand treasurer.
above.
The important subject for the considera-
ton of the Grand Lodge came up In the
gason. John F. wailick. George Shirts,
James A. Wildman and B. F. Foster. It
ihf Lodge hail. At the as Of
the Grand Lodge the subject came up and
there was some question as to the method
This doubt grew out Of the fact that the
present building of the Grand Lodge was
erected by supposed Grand Lodge. Hall
ana nI The
meeting referred the matter to the trustees
and instructed them to investigate the title
visibility in financial way of erecting a
new building at this time. The trustees re-
ported in full yesterday morning. The meth
cd by which the Grand Lodge became pos
sessed of the building site and erected the
present building was discussed in report
made TO the trustees by George Shirts, act
ing as attorney. for the trustees. Owing to
the fact that the Grand Lodge Hall Assoc
citation was never incorporated. it was found
that it now had no legal existence and that
Grand Lodge. 1t would. therefore. the trus-
tees thought be advisable tat, for the erec-
ton of new hall. all the stock be owned
by the subordinate lodges, but they all
agreed to sell their stock or to invest the
trustees with power to act for them In what
ever rights they would have as stockholders.
The report of the trustees then concludes
as follows
A sEvEN-sToRY BUILDING.
1--WE are therefore Of the opinion that no
substantial impediment lies in the way of
the taking of such action as the Grand Lodge
may deem proper. under the circumstances.
Since the last session we have-carefully In
vestigated the prcpriety of the erection of
building. the probable cost thereof and the
revenue to be derived therefrom. and we are
UNANIMOUSLY of the opinion that the best in
. terests of all parties concerned requires that
a new building be erected upon the property
now occupied to contain seven stories and
equipped IN the manner of modern buildings
upon Plans hereafter TO be agreed upon, the
trustees being Of the opinion that up TO the
present time they would not be JUSTIFIED in
going to the expense of securing definite
plans or examining such plans with reference
to the construction of the building AS was
shown in our report at the last session the
revenues from the present building are not
at all commensurate with the value Of the
property. and 1t seems certain that they will
grow less as the building grows Older, and
also on account of the erection of other mod
ern buildings In the immediate vicinity. The
present revenues from the building aggre-
no hesitancy in saying that in our opinion
the proposed new building would produce
revenue of $4,000 per year, and after the pay
Insurance and jantor, we believe that there
would still be net additional income OF
$4,000 over and above the amount now real
lied from the present building, and this
without any increase of tax upon the lodges
or encampments and without in any manner
the h and thad are
In other words. that lodges, eneanlpments
and stockholders with the new building
in additions thereto the building itself, after
the payment of all increased charges. would
still net $4,000 per amman, to be applied to
the payment of the debt accrued on the
building. Thus in period of few years
the new building would be paid for out Of
its own proceeds and our property would
have increased In value more than hum
I'm view OF the foregoing facts the board
of trustees therefore request the. Grand
adopt plans for said new building and to
make contract therefor, to raise all nee
essary money for that purpose and execute
all papers or mortgages that may be neces-
sary to carry out the purpose, and fully en-
power them to carry on SAID work, ana that
the Grand Lodge. will either designate the
trustees as building committee or desig-
nate three or five other members OF the Grand
Lodge as a building committee, who shall
Of oak the Contract therefor by the board Of
At the opening of the afternoon session
the en death Of o Mrs W. H. Lesdy. and Il re.
spect to her memory the Grand Lodge stood
in silence one minute.
w. r. Myers and ]. r. G. T. Harper was APP
pointed to visit Grand Secretary B. F. Fos-
ter, who is Ill at his home. and to carry the
greetings of the Grand Lodge.
The report CT the committee on grievances
and appeals occupied the entire afternoon.
There We're fourteen s appeals from m sueor1
mendation of the committee was adopted by
the Grand Lodge. The single exception was
the case of s. NJ. Stevens. appealed from
Richmond City Lodge. and it was continued
until to-day. One unusual case came from
Oscella Lodge at Thorntown. j. Gaylord Smi-
lev was about to be tried for some miscon-
duct and it was charged that he wrote a
letter to a member OF the lodge Offering to
pay him $50 II he would secure enough votes
in his favor to prevent his expulsion. The
letter was reported to the lodge ard Smiley
was expelled. He appealed. The action Of
the lower lodge was reversed and II was or
dered that Smiley be reinstated. This case
was argued for two hours. The reversal Of
the lower lodge was on technicaltities.
There was a meeting last night of the Odd
Fellows Mutual Aid Association, and the
BUSINESS of the past half year was reviewed.
To-day the nominations for officers, to he
elected at the November meeting, will be
made.