Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-07-02
Scottish Rite Masons to Build
Splendid Structure.
ARCHITECTS PLANS READY
Highest Art Censors to Pass Upon
All Details.
STRUCTURE TO COST $500, 900
Classic Models Followed-Marble tt
Be Used-Wealth Of Symbolic
Ornamentation

| Ornamentat1on
| In one thing at least Washington 10
expected to surpass the world. That Is
in the magnificent temple soon to be
erected at 9Th and 8 street northwest by
the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite
of Free Missionary for the Southern Juris-
diction Of the United States.
Grand Commander Richardson says 1t Is
| proposed to make the new temple as
| magnificent as art and money can mako
| it. No efforts will be spared to this end.
| Aside from the architectural beauty OF
the structure. it's decoration and interior
| ornamentaion will be a marked feature.
| and 1t is expected when the temple is
| completed there will be no Masonic struc-
| ture in the world to compare with it.
Art Censors of High Repute.
| Every element of detail in construction
and characterization will be passed upon by
| men whose regulations in the art world
are famous. The purpose Of the Supreme
Council is said to be to reflect artistically
and symbolically in the new temple its
own Masonic glory in being the mother
council of the world and to make it a
symbolic monument of the great princi-
pies inculcated by the Scottish Rite Of
Free Masonry.
Soon after beginning the preparations
of the original plans it was found that
the site first chosen, on 18th street be-
tween l. and NJ streets. was too small to
carry out the ideas of the Supreme Coun-
Gil. Hence a new and larger site vas
acquired at the southeast corner of 10th
and streets northwest. which gave
ample scope to the architect
&c virv1n tr1y
The cost Of the new temple when COM
pleted. it is believed. will approximate
a million and a half dollars.
Under an edict OF the Supreme Council
the project as well as the money with
which to carry 1t out is entirely within
the personal control of Grand Commander
James D. Richardson, who, however,
| throughout has kept in close touch with
The temple is not one-man idea, he
said yesterday. but the result of the best
thought in the art and architectural
world.
Plans Have Been Completed.
Plans for the new structure have been
completed by a New York architect and
approved by the Supreme Council of the
rite. They provide for an imposing
structure, classic in design, of white mar
BILE. with a frontage Of 158 feet on 10th
street by depth of 157 feet. with
glded dome rising 100 feet from the
street level.
Leading to the temple from the side
walk will be a symbolic plaza Of granite
the full width of the building, with three
steps to the first rise and five steps to
the second before reaching the terrace
Across the terrace will be two other
rises of seven and nine steps. respective
iy, leading to the ornate massive portals
of the entrance. the whole forming a
Av1ta LoI., It
canoe.
On the s street side there will be
stretch of greensward parking seventy
feet wide for the full depth of the lot
be fifty feet wide The building will have
| three stories. basement and a SUBJ
basement.
The entrance will be fanked on either
side with two giant sphinxes. The ter
race will be embellished with symbolical
and allegorical statuary
Over the arched entrance to the build
ing will be a golden sunburst, with rays
forty feet in length. flashing from the
symbolic double eagle and triangle of the
thirty-third degree.
Inscription Over Temple.
Above it and running across the en-
trance will be the inscription.
Temple of the Scottish Rite, founded
H.,
the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite
Freemasonry. maintained and cherished
from generation to generation by the
brotherhood for the good of fellow-men
and the glory of Almighty God"
Above the level of the tablet bearing
the inscription will rise the great col
umns, thirty three in all, which will sur
round the building on three sides and
support the entabature, from which rises
the golden dome.
Entrance to the structure will be
through a spacious vestibule leading TO an
atrium, fifty feet in one direction and
seventy feet in the other. at the far end
of which is located the grand staircase
which extends to the mezzanine floor and
leads to the portals of the council cham
Der Of the thirty-thrd degree. There will
be two smaller stairways at the front of
the atrium
The apartments on the main floor will be
devoted to administrative purposes and
the library Those on the right will con-
tain the offices of the secretary general;
those on the left the offices and reception
parlors of the sovereign grand command
err, while the whole of the rear, which
devoted exclusively to the extensive IL
brary and Masonic and art curios relics
and statuary.
Rooms for Inspectors General.
The mezzanine floor will contain the
MONS or the actlVe inspectors general OF
the rite, thirty-three in number. There
are thirty-three active inspectors gen.
eral of the thirty-third degree. thirty
three degrees in the rite. thirty-three
states In the jurisdiction.
Each room will be the Official head
quarters of an active inspector general
of the thirty-third degree. 1t will be en-
bellished with the coat-of-arms OF one
of the states of the Jurisdiction and the
symbolic emblems of the degree to which
it is conSecrated.
Each room will SO communicate with
the adjoining rooms that it will be posi-
BILE, when occasion requires. to throw
them all into one long vista, leading to
the Council chamber Of the thirty-third
deyree. The folding doors that separate
them will sink into the walls from floor
to ceiling, so as to leave no obstruction
to the view throughout the entire vista
and the ornamentation of each room as
constituent part of the whole piano.
rama.
There will be sixteen rooms Of this
character on either side Of the structure.
| with the council chamber AS a TERMINUS
to each suite. When thrown together
| they will afford space to entertain thou
| sands of people on state occasions The
| entrance to each room will be from mar
| BILE corridors. which also can be thrown
| into the mammoth halls when the floor is
set for a big reception.
In the Council Chamber.
INA