Evening star., 1908-01-17
BALTIMORE TEMPLE
Quilted BY FLAMES
Masonic Structure Above Sec
ond Floor Hollow Shell.
LOSS PLACED AT $250,000
Records and Archives Believed In
tact in Vault.
FIRES SECOND VISITATION
Lodgerooms Were Sumptuously Fur
nished in Marble and
Hardwoods.
LOSS PLACED AT S250,000
FIRES SECOND VISITATION

BALTIMORE January 1I.-The Masonic
remple on North Charles street between
Lexington and Saratoga streets. was gut
ted by fire. which was discovered shor'S
after 4 o'clock this morning.
All of the structure above the second
floor is a hollow shell. For a time Old
ST. Paurs Protestant Episcopal Church.
which is separated from the temple by a
narrow space was threatened.
The building. which is owned by the
Grand Lodge of Masons. is insured for
s3NO,OOO. and the contents for $4,000.
The first floor of the structure was oecu-
pied by several stores. all of which were
damared by water The stores are
Maurice ]. l.. Reeder. jeweler: Elsasser,
millinery; Geneva Lithia Water COMPANY
i. NJ. Adams hardwoods: James ii.
Downs. stationer.
The ,1pp.,r floors were devoted to lodge
rooms. all of which were elaborately and
sumptuously furnished in marble ana
hardwood while the walls were exqul-
sitely decorated in oil colors Ihefe were
also in the building many rare and fine
oil paintings.
Records and Archives Thought Safe.
The records and\ archives of the Grand
Lodge are believed to be intact. as they
are all kept in huge vault in the cellar.
The loss on building and Masonic equip
ment was placed at $4,000.
AS the building burned as freely as
though there was not drop OF wa
Ter being used the scene was most
spectacular one The flames leaped in the
: air to the height of several hundred feet,
illuminating the surrounding nelgnDoT-
hood as brightly as day. while the build
ings for several squares around were
III rafp
Although the hour was early. 1t was
but a little while before large crowd
gathered and it was necessary TO stretcn
police lines.
one OF the incidents of the fire was the
daring of a squad of laddermen. who de-
scfte great sheets of flame and clouds OF
smoke pouring from the windows, craWled
with a hose 10 the cornice of the main
roof ana remained there for nearly nall
s an hour.
Intensity Of the Flames.
The intensity OF the heat caused great
quantities of the tiles to fall. and the
iremen remained at their posts despite
The missiles and directed stream into
the interior Inch by inch they fought
the fire back until the water tower was
I,laced in position. Then they were or
dere4 down.
The Masonic Temple is four-story edi-
flee with width of about 100 feet on
charles street and depth of about 200
feet TO an alley in the rear of old St.
Panl's Church. The marble front was
SCARED and cfipped by the flames, but
the four walls. owing TO their thickness,
stand practically intact
This is the second time that the Ma
sonic Temple has been prey to flames.
IL having been destroyed on Christmas
day 1890 At that time however 1t was
used largely as theater fOld Fore
paugh'sl. and the Masons occupied but
a comparatively small portion of 1t. When
the building was restored the Masons de-
cided that they would use ii in it's en-
tirely. reserving only the first floor for
renting out as stores.