The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1897-08-27
A Complete Roster of Members is Glven--A
Fund of Information Published tor
the First Time.

The new hall was small affair about
twenty feet wide by fifty in length with
a small ante room and another room
for fuel etc,
Notwithstanding the inconvenience
of this place, the lodge continued to
meet there for ninteen years. having its
periods of prosperity and depression.
Dec. 31st, 1866, six weeks after insti-
tuition it reported fourteen members.
A year later about the time of its
removal the number had more than
doubled, viz, thirty-four.
Dec. 31st, 1868, forty-seven were re-
ported. A year later the number had
increased to sixty. The next term we
note a decrease of three. Dec. 31st,
1870 but forty-two members are report
ed, having had during the term one
death, the first in the history of the
lodge, and seventeen Withdrawals,
eleven of whom became charter mem
bers of Schiller Lodge No. 80. For
the next three years and half there
had been net increase of but three
members. Then came time of pros
perity. From July list, 1875 to Dec.
31st, 1880 the lodge had received eighty
four ;accessions, reporting on the latter
date ninty-three members in good
standing.
During term ending Dec. 31st, 1881
there were two deaths and thirteen
Withdrawals. Most of those with
drawing became charter members of
Eagle Lake Lodge, No. Sc.
For several years the membership
varied but little. Dec. Goth, 1890 we
reported an even one hundred.
At this writing APR. %, '99 we
number one hundred and twenty-four.
Total number admitted up to date 299.
In 1888 the question of obtaining
grounds upon which sometime in the
future to build a hall for lodge pur-
poses began to be agitated. In June of
that year the lodge became the
possessor of lots on the corner of
Second and Jackson streets, forty four
by seventy-four feet, for which it paid,
including commissions, 100000. Here
the matter of building rested until Feb.
1885, when it began to be discussed in
the lodge. In March following the
lodge ordered the secretary to procure
sketch of proposed structure. Two
sketches were obtained. One was
drawn by Geo. Pass of this place, the
other by Mayberry & Son, of Winona,
MINI. After considering for some. time
the merits of the two productions, the
latter was adopted. When the lodge
advertised for bids for the construction
of the building, June goth, 1885, two
bids were received. one for $10,775.0O,
the other 81, 10000.
The reception of these bids indicated
that the plans called for more ex-
pensive edifce than the lodge could
afford to build And the project was
abandoned for the time.
The inconvenience of their quarters
that time were so great and no imme-
date prospect of having hall of their
own that the lodge began to consider
the subject of securing more COM
modious place by lease. In Jan. 1886,
a committee was appointed to investi-
gate the. matter. Said committee was
also authorized to negotiate the sale OF
the lots purchased in 1888. This ques-
ton occupied the attention of the lodge
for some time. But no new hall had
been leased, nor had the sale OF the
property been effected.
On March Sth, 1886 the question OF
building was again revived. AS the
lodge had no funds to build with a
committee was appointed to solicit
subscriptions to building fund. On
March 22nd the committee reported
100000 subscribed From time to
time the committee reported progress.