The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-01-18

| were elected: Lag Schwartz, President: | George ". Tutweiler. Vice-President; Ben. B. Cox, Secretary; John w. Schei- | ble, Treasurer.
 l The directorate looked about for a | considerable time for desirable site 1 on which to erect a Castle Hall such | as the order deserved It was difh-
 cult task. Finally, however, and after I considerable dickering. the present sitc
 was secured from Mrs. Sarah E. Me- I Donald, on which then stood a three story brick building. The deal was
 closed and purchase price paid on May l 2l, 1903, Plans for the remodelling of
 the building were asked for and, on a
 bright day in the following month, plans agreeable Ito the directors were approved. Bids for the remodelling Of the building were asked for and the award was made to John McAdory. He | began the task on the first day of No- vember 1904, and it was completed in october of the past year. On January
 l, 1905, in slow rain. the corner stone | or the building was laid with the im- pressive ceremones of the order Hon. Fat J. Lyons. Mayor of Mobile. ano | Hon. Edward M. Robinson, as well as Hon. Charles E. Brieken of Luverne Ala, made brilliant addresses on this occasion. The rainfall did not dampen the ardor of the enthusiastic Knights once the building was completed and accepted by the Board of Directors of the Pythian Castle Hall Association. | steps were taken to fit up the bullding
 m becoming style. This, too. was task. not so easily accomplished. | The members of the board. however. did not faiter. They set about the work in a manner calculated to in- spire those of the order not on ,he board with the fact that they would soon enjoy all the comforts of thor
 oughly modern lodge room and nome,
 such as any Pythian might we'll Invite
 a visiting knight to enter. Befora he Christmas tide the portals of the Cas- tie Hall were thrown wide open for in- l spection by the general public and l throngs wended their way thither to view the elegant interior of the build | ing.
 The Pythian Castle Hall as previous
 ly noted, is located on the north side of Bienville Square, on St. Francis
 street It is three stories high. of | brick, with stuccoed front. The doors
 leading to the lodge room and upper
 floors are decorated with insignia of | the order. The ground floor Is oacu-
 pied by large stores or office rooms, one
 occupied by the Mobile Coal Company.
 the other fitted up into offices, one of
 which is occupied by The Montgomery
 Advertiser. The entire front is of glass.
 |
 heavy Brussels carpet and the flight
 is an easy one to climb. The second | floor is what might be termed q com
 bination. On the left at the head of
 the stairs is the ladies' parlor, finished
 in white enamel, with fine Brussels
 carpet on the floor, the furniture being
 of the Queen Ann type. A toilet room | adjoins the parlor. A hat and cloak
 room Is also connected with the par
 Tor. Adjoining these is the Iavarory
 and bath rooms for members, excIu- l sively. Across the hall are two gen. | tlemen's parlors and reading room
 The back half of this floor is reserved
 for the ante room and lodge room, the latter being 53x4S feet in dimensions This room is well ventilated and fitted
 up with electrical apparatus for illum-
 nations during the sessions. The | lodge furniture, while not gorgeous, is
 decidedly elegant and in keeping with | that throughout the building. gal lery, the full width of the sidewalk
 and running the length of the build | ing, is on this floor, and it has seat | ing capacity Of three hundred and can
 be used on occasions wnen parades are l formed, all of which pass directly in front of this building.
 The third floor $ equipped exclu-
 sively for use of members of tho sew eral lodges. On the right are two | | tables, and on the left of ihe hall two
 lounging or smoking rooms. At the | head of the hall and facing Bienville | Square is the committee room. a cosy, quiet room, wherein all the business of the association officers IS transacted
 This is we'll lighted by day through | two large windows and at night by electricity. At the rear of this floor
 is located the kitchen and pantry, with furnishings sufficient to answer the | requirements of any one of the several lodges.
 The grand stairway and alcoves on | the second and third floors were decor
 ated in bamboo, artistically arranged by corps of competent Pythians, schooled in the art. Hanging in the large doorway to the lodge room was | a gorgeous floral conceit, the crown
 ing piece being the Pythian emblem | This was, by connisseurs pronounced
 the most beautiful floral piece ever seen in Mobile. On all sides were seen
 the national colors and those of the | Pythian order. The lodge room, where | in the dedicatory exercises were con- | ducted, was elegantly decorated. In the reading room and conspicuous were l three large photographic groups, rep
 resenting the members of the Grand
 Lodge of Alabama, K. of F., ut Hunts vile, Montgomery and Selma, gifts from Past Chancellor R. N. SchwarZ The founder of Ashley Woolf Lodge,
 No. 43, and a member at present of one of the local lodges. In this room, also. 1 encased in a handsome frame, were q dozen badges, representing as many
 grand lodge sessions. of which Knight | K. NJ. Schwarz was member and tue
 shoulder straps, worn by delegates in ! the olden, golden days. The photos and badges attracted much attention. | Following is a list of the Mobile
 lodges from whose membership the
 Board of Directors of Pythian Castle
 Hall Association were chosen:
 Rescue. No. 24-H. D. Laffre, L. D. C..
 G.; w. R. Bickey. c. C.: Ernest Huband, " C.; D. R. Read. P; George H. Hull