Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1909-04-09
ST. LOUIS nASONS PUR-
CHASE HALL.
The Oldest Fraternal Organiza-
ton in the city Of st. Louis,
Mo. pay s22, 500 for Three
Story building Home for Six

StOIy OuliuluS 1AOtlAS Az OLA
teen Lodges.
The purchase of the handsome three
story brick structure at 36l5 Easton
avenue, known as EAston avenue Hall
building for $22, 500 by the Negro Ma
sonic Hall Association, for investment
and fraternal meeteng purposes, is
another milestone in the record Of ma
terial progress Of our people in St.
Louis. Within the last five years the
Knights Of Pythias, at SlS7 Pine; the
United Brothers of Friendship, at 2629
Lawton avenue; the Grand United Or
der Of Odd Fellows, at 1928 Morgan
street; Widows Son Lodge, at 2720
Morgan street; the True Reformers',
at $500 Pine street, the Colored Young
Mems Christian Association, at 2702
Lawton avenue; Douglass Hall and
Building Association, at 2645 Lawton
avenue, and the Provident Hospital
Association, at 2824 Lawton avenue,
have made property investments of .
similar nature in the district between
Jefferson ard Grand avenues. In ad-
dition they have acquired several large
churches, at prices ranging from $685.
600 to sec, 900.
Although the last to purchase home,
the Masonic Fraternity is the Oldest
of the orders in st. Louis, its first lodge
Prince Hall Lodge No. 1, being over
sixty years old. The order has an
active membership Of over 1900, among
whom are many of the oldest and most
substantial people of the city. The
purchase was made for the association
by committee composed of Capt.
William H. Butler, DR.. A. w Grad
dock and DR.. VIM. H. Mansifee.
Easton Hall was erected twenty years
ago, at cost of S25, 900. Three stores
occupy the first floor, the second story
IS pivided into flats, and a large lodge
hall, with cloak and committee rooms
attached, covers the entire third floor.
It is well suited for lodge purposes Of
the Masonic order.
Nine blue lodges, four Royal Arch
chapters, four knight Templars COM
manderies, one Scottish Rite consistOry,
one Shriners' temple, five courts Of the
Heroines Of Jericho, five chapters Of
the Order Of Eastern Star, and one
Kadosh council, all Of which are stock
holders Of the association, will have
permanent headquarters in this build
ing. .5..
Capt Butler, chairman Of the pur-
chasing committee for the Masons,
said: I'VE do not expect the slightest
protest from the people Of the neigh
borhood, for the simple reason that
there will be no cause for it. ] have
lived in the immediate vicinity of the
hall for number Of years, and ! have
never had the slightest friction with
my neighbors. The Negro Masonic fra
ternity is composed Of orderly, self
respecting men and women, who are
recognized as good citizens, and nothing
will be permitted on or about the
premises to which any neighbor could
offer protest.
For many years our order occu-
pied lodgerooms in the heart Of the re-
tail business district at the northwest
corner Of Fourth and Washington ave-
nue., and no protest was ever filed
against US, owing to the orderly and
genteel character Of our gatherings.
The elimination Of the Sunday night
ball and the sale Of intoxicant drinks,
which will not be permitted under our
management, will be an improvement
that will be welcomed by the people Of
the neighborhood.