The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-02-10
MAKING It OVER
Fourteen Workmen Remodel
ing New Masonic Temple.
COLLEGE WILL MOVE OUT
Next Saturday and Force Will
Be Increased.

Achitect Ebert Dumont now has &
force of about fourteen men at work or
the interior Of the Y. NJ. c.. A. building
tearing out the old partitions and rooms
preparatory to the complete refitting OF
the structure for the Scottish Rite bo-
dies. They are now at work on the old
auditorium part over on the west side
of the building, and have been busy there
since last Monday. This end of the hall
is to be ref1tted up for the preceptory OF
the Consistory No. 2, and will be modelled
on the latest plans Of Masonic architec-
ture. A roomy stage with all the re-
quired accessories will be fitted up at the
north side. The Commercial college
which now occupies the east side of the
building, will move into their new quar-
tiers in the Sheetz block next Saturday
and on Monday morning more men will
be added to the work and operations COM
menced on this side. In this part of the
building Albert Pike Lodge of Ancient
Craft Masonry will have their quarters,
all fitted up in the most artistic style. II
is expected that in ten days the carpen-
ters and painters will be ready to begin
work on the reftting and all the new work
and then the work will be pushed as fast
as possible so that all may be done on the
contract time of April 18th. This year
the regular spring class, which usually
assemblies in the latter part Of March or
early April, will be postponed until some
time in May that the degrees may be
conferred in the new apartments. This
has been the ardent wish OF all the bodies
of the rite since first il was assured that
they were to secure the building for the
home of the bodies in this valley. To get
all the work completed in time for the
Consistory convocation at the spring
semi-annual meeting has been the ambi-
ton of officers and members, and it now
looks as though it would be realized.
When completed, in all the splendid de-
tails of the plans, the cathedral of the
rite in Wichita will be the very finest any
where in the southern grand Masonic jur-
isdiction, and this includes all the large
cities in the United States south of Ma
son and Dixon's line and west of the
Missouri river. With one possible excep-
, llOIl, II Will DC the HneSl ana HdNuSOul6Sl
Masonic structure of any kind in the
United States, exclusively given to their
use. The one exception is the Temple at
Denver, and as matter of fact the Ma
sons no longer really control that. This
leaves Wichita easily in the lead, and it
is a distinction the craft and every citizen
as well may be proud of. All modern
conveniences for lodge purposes, reception
rooms preparation rooms, stage effects,
and audience capacity will be arranged,
and nothing spared on the interior decor
ations to make them equal to the fine ap-
pearance and massiyeness outside. 1t is
expected now that the class of the spring
of '9S will be the largest ever confirmed by
any consistory in the history of Scottish
Rite Masonry in America All the sub
lime degrees from the fourth, or Secret
Master, TO the thirty-second, which is
Master Of the Royal Secret, viii be con-
ferred in all their magnificent dramatic
effects, and by corps of specially train
ed officers from all four bodies Of the
Rite.