Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-12-21
PoRTLAND's MASONIC TEMPLE.
Plans Consummated for Beautiful
and Fitting Structure.

Portland, Me-, Dec. 21.--The members
of the Masonic fraternity in and around
Portland will hear with great pleasure
that at last they stand in fair way to
realize the summit of theirlong cher
ished hope. They have for long time
been living in rented house and that
not half large enough. 1t has been
several years since the project of a
Masonic temple first engaged the at
tention of the members of the fraternity
but during that entire time a small
body of competent men has been at
work on plans and details for the pro-
posed temple. 1t was very early de-
cided not to go off half cock" as the
phrase is, but to wait until the plans
were well digested and sufficient money
ut hand to make the project an assur-
F., red success.
This body has been known as the
board Of Masonic trustees, and it has
| been in their especial charge for some
time to arrange plans and make all
| the necessary provisions by which the
work when once begun should go on
without interruption to it's end. The
board of Masonic trustees some years
| ago bought the lot of land ON the cor
nos Of Congress and Chestnut streets,
| and for some time have been collecting
| the necessary funds with which to COM
| mence the erection of the temple. The
| time now seems TO be ripe for the COM
| mencement OF this noble and glorious
undertaking. That it will fill a long
felt want goes without saying. There
has been no time within the past five
years that the present Masonic quar-
tiers have been large enough on occa-
sions when large numbers of the fra
ternity have been present.
| There have been times in the past
when men have been sitting around
three deep on each others feet for lack
of other accommodation on benches.
In the banquet hall the lack of room
has been even more apparent, and this
has been the one drawback to the
pleasure of attending Masonic BAN
quets. The work will begin as soon
as practicable and will be pushed along
to an early completion. The laying of
the corners of this building will be a
great Masonic event, and when the
building is completed it will be one Of
| the most important Masonic events
ever occurring in Maine. The members
of the fraternity are congratulatine
each other and everyone else is con-
graduating them on the approaching
contamination of their long cherished
hopes and plans. The detailed descrip-
ton of the building is as follows:
| The new Masonic Temple to be built
on the corner of Chestnut and Congress
streets VIII have a frontage of III feet
on Congress street and 14S feet on
Chestnut street. Some idea of the size
Of the building may be had by compar-
ing the area of the Y. NJ. c. A. build
ing with the new building. The Y. NJ
c. A. building contains 5000 square feet
while the new Masonic Temple will
contain over 1900 square feet. The lot
being bounded on the north by the
| Chestnut Street school yard, and on
the west by the passage leading to the
High school will insure ample light on
all four sides of the building.
| The building will be built of red
bricks with granite trimmings on the
lower story and with limestone or ter
| ra-cotta trimmings above. The build
ing will be six stories in height and
covered with 4 gravel roof. Simplicity
and strength will be the elements
sought for in the exterior, although
sufficient ornamentation will be used
to make it attractive.
The first floor will be divided rs fol-
lows: Four rooms with entrances on
Congress street, suitable for banking
or insurance business. two stores with
entrances from Chestnut street and a
room suitable for restaurant in the
rear of the stores having an entrance
| from the High street passage and also
an entrance from the main corridor of
| the building. The main entrance is in
! the center of the Congress street side
and leads directly to the stairway and
! elevators. There is also an entrance
from the Chestnut street side and one
fl ON the passage way. The second
story will be devoted entirely to office
purposes. On this floor there are 16
offices and IS private offices. There is
q large fircproof vault on this floor for
the use of the tenants. In the rear of
the third story is the banquet hall
So feet by sc feet in size and connect
ing with it, the kitchen, serving room.
store room. etc. The front part of the
| tJllGu story IS 10 ne usStl lDT OIfIceS. on
! this floor there are 10 offices and seven
private offices and Il 1ircproof vault for
| tenants.
The fourth. fifth and sixth stories
are to be used entirely for Masonic
purposes. The fourth floor has large
hall, so feet by Sc feet, smaller hall
80 feet by GO feet, tyler's room. COM
mlttee rooms, library. social rooms,
etc. The fifth floor will be the offices
of the Grand Lodge. There is also y
large ladies' parlor, reading room and
committee rooms on this floor. The
sixth floor has large auditorium, 81
feet by Sc feet, with Il stage SO feet by
80 feet in size. This auditorium will
seat comfortably $50 people. On the
Chestnut street side is the armory,
44xS3 feet in size, and on the Congress
street side will be social and commit
tee rooms.
There will be two passenger eleva-
| tors in the main corridor and a freight
elevator in the rear. Ample provisions
| have been made for toilet rooms on
each floor. 1t is intended to make the
building thoroughly modern in con-
struction and equipment. Steel will
enter largely into the construction of