The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1907-10-24
Council Committee Find Masonic
Hall in q Worse Condition
Than Was Reported
FORBID LARGE GATHERINGS
Eagles and knights of Columbus and
Other Orders Having Halls in
the Building Must Change
Programs for Winter

alderman Edward G. Alleman,
chairman of the building and grounds
committee of the City Council, to-
gether with the other members Of the
committee and Mayor German made
an inspection of the Masonic Hall on
Main street on Wednesday afternoon
and as result of this inspection the
Fraterna1 Order of Eagles. the
Knights of Columbus and all other
orders using the hall for meeting
purposes have been notified to hold
no more meetings in it until it has
been repaired IN such way as to
conform with the demands of the
state department of factory and build
ing inspection. Architect Howard
Hahn and D. ]. Harff, the well known
contractor, aided the committee in
making the investigation of the
building and the members of the com
mittee report that they found the con
dition Of the building even worse
| than had been reported by Assistant
Factory Inspector Evans, of Racine,
| in his letter to the Mayor. It seems
/ that the north wall of the building
has been sinking steadily for some
time and IN the newly papered rooms
on the third floor it was found that
the building had sunk several inches
in the past few weeks.
Only two nights ago banquet was
given in the building by the Knights
of Columbus at which two hundred
| people we're present and the com
mittee believe that it would be little
| less than criminal to have such as
semblages on the third floor of the
condemned building.
The matter of framing report on
the condition of the building is still
in the hands of the committee, but a
report will be made to the Council at
the meeting on next Monday evening.
It is claimed that the upper floors of
the building are owned by the Rob.
inson estate and the owners of the
building have been notified of its con-
J, dition. Ii was intimated that the re-
port of the state officer had been the
result of private grudge against the
owners of the building, but the report
of the Council committee shows that
there was absolutely no ground for
such a report, as the building was
found even in worse condition than
reported.
The hall is, now the meeting place
of several fraterna1 orders and large
sums of money have been expended in
| fitting up the rooms on the third floor
of the building. 1t is claimed that the
only way to make the building per-
| fectly safe would be to tear down at
least a portion of the north and the
front wall of the building and rebuild
| them. The building is one of the old
esti the city and it's central location
makes it one of the most valuable. It
is certain that if the building is to be
used for large assemblages in the fu-
ture as in the past it will be necessary
for the owners of it to do something
at once. The condition of the build
ing will probably interfere with the
winter program for entertainments
planned by the Eagles and by the
various organizations using the
knights of Columbus Hall. The COM
mittee feels that there is no danger Of
the front wall falling in al the present
time unless large crowd should be
entertained on the upperEfoor Of the
building.