The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1909-10-28
ST ate III me is
re Blli ding
Member Of the Building Com
mfttee Gives Descrip-
hon Of Il.
BY JOHN a. BocK, 4
(Cl,airman Homo ComnrIttee.

be regarded as an epoch in the his
tory OF West Virginia Odd Fellow
Iship. for on that day the Odd Eel
lows Home at Elkins, the first fra
lternal institution OF its kind in tn,
state, was completed and turned owe
TO the Home committee. In addition
Ito the committee there were presen
i the officers of the Grand Lodge; tn,
President OF the Rebekah Assembly
Mrs. Mary Smith Lewis, the Superin
|tendent Of the Indiana Odd Fellows
Home, and members OF the ordel
from Wheeling, Fairmont and othel
SECTIONS OF the state. These thor
ougly inspected the building from
basement to rooi garden, and there
was but one opinion expressed. viz:
that it was s,pbs tanttal, beautiful
superoly adapted to its purposes Of
most exquisite finish, and that moth.
ling could be added to improve its
appearance or enhance its lowell.
X K :
ness. The building presents a beau.
tiful appearance from all sides
Many public buildings have fine
front. but will not bear inspection
from the other sides. Not so with
the Home. las a prominent Grand
officer remarked: "The rear is as
handsome as the front of most build,
iings.' And this feature was obsery.
led>by all. In fact. the Home proved
surprise to all who were not close.
Fly identified with It's erection. Few
expected to see such magnificent
structure.
Notwithstanding, much has been
published from time to time abou,
the Home. yet III some portions OF
1.-THE state its existence is not known.
The president of the Assembly re-
lated that few nights ago, while
visiting lodge, good brother APP
|proached her and asked. why dc
they not begin to build the Homer
She replied: why, my dear brother,
1.-THE Home is nearly, II net already
completed This was revelation
to him. After his surprise hrd abat-
led somewhat he replied, "Then 1t Is
mot Home on paper only"
In speaking, of the completion Of
..
the Home wish to be understood
as referring to the building only.
Although the committee has mada
many Improvements, there remains
more to be done to make the sur-
1roundfngs as beautiful and conven-
lent as have been planned. The
Kanawha water system will he COM
Epleted within the next two weeks,
which will supply an abundance OF
pure filtered water for all purposes.
!, The grading around the building is
ALMOST completed, and one driveway
/, is completed. There are Others to be
made and then all will be macadam-
lied, or given good surface OF
stone. There will numerous walks
through the lawn and park, covered
with concrete; 5000 pieces OF shrub
tbery are to be planted; a beautiful
flake covering one and one-half acres
will be made, and many other attrac-
Itions added in the near future.
For the benefit of many a descrip-
tion of the building may not he gu,
of place, but in giving 1t, will nec-
essarily repeat in substance. por.
ton OF my article OF June %.
The building is in the form of a
Greek cross. 149 feet long by 12s
feet wide, exclusive of porches. with
fhalls running through it both length.
wise and crosswise, and consist of a
basement, two full stories and an at
ltic story, making it practically four
stories. The basement is Of stone
while the walls above are of New
Lexington brick, fiIe terra Gotta
color, very pleasing to the eye. The
ROOF is tile, of a neat pattern and in
perfect harmony with the walls as to
color. The basement is spacious
and has many large rooms, one OF
(which contains the heating appara.
titus, two are for the laundry, some
will make good gymnaslums and play
rooms while others will be used for
the storage of fruits, vegetables and
supplies of various kinds.
Five flights of stone steps lead ur
ito an elegant porch, 10 feet wide
land 4os feet long, affording an ex.
Icelent resting place for the residents
lin pleasant weather. The roof Of
the porch Is supported by SO l2-inch
columns with nicely wrought CAPT.
Itals. The floors OF the halls. dining
room layatories, bath rooms and
toilets are mosaic thing OF neat de-
Sign. In the center of the dining