Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-13
COSTS OVER MILLION
Contract Awarded for Scottish
Rite Masonic Temple.
WORK TO BEGIN AT ONCE
President Taft to Participate in
Ceremonies Of Laying Cor
ner Stone Next October.
TO BEGIN AT ONCE

The contract for the erection of the
million-dollar temple Of the Ancient and
Accepted Scottish Rite Of Freemasonry.
at 10th and streets northwest, has
been formally awarded to Norcross
Brothers Company. to be executed in
accordance with the designs and plans
Of the architects, John Russell Pope of
New York and Elliott Woods OF this
city. which have been fully approved by
Sovereign Grand Commander Richardson
and the Supreme Council Of the rite for
the Southern. Jurisdiction of the United
States.
While the work will begin Immediately,
the formal official breaking of the ground
has been deferred until May 81, which
will be the 10th anniversary OF the Su-
preme Council. the mother council of the
world. The ceremonies on that occasion
will be somewhat informal. 1t is under
stood. Rev. William Tayloe Snyder. rec
tor of the Episcopal Church OF the In
carnation, will conduct the prayer, and
by Grand Commander Richardson in the
presence Of the official staff of the Su-
preme Council There will be no other
program.
President Taft to Assist.
The corner stone Of the new temple will
be laid with imposing Masonic cere-
monies during the session of the Supreme
Council next October, and President Taft
has promised to off1ciate.
The new temple will cost more than a
million and a quarter dollars, exclusive
of the cost of the ground. 1t will be
stone. The first story will be Of granite
and the superstructure above OF a deli
cate gray limestone
Grand Commander Richardson said this
morning that 1t had been hoped to COM
plete the structure in time for the inter-
national conference of the supreme coun-
ellis Of the world, which will take place
in this city in October. 1912. His illness
and other matters, however, prevented
the awarding of the contract and the
commencement Of the work. 1t is now
the purpose. he explained, to devote as
much time In the construction of the
building as may be necessary to perfectly
carry out the elaborate architectural
plans, which will make the building the
most beautiful Masonic temple in the
world.
Symbolically it will be without an equal
in the world. Four flights of stairs, con-
sisting. respectively, Of three, five, seven
and nine steps. will lead to the main en-
trance. The bottom step Of the first
flight will be 2O4 feet in length. The
main entrance will be fanked with great
lion statues on either side, symbolical of
strength, which with symbols OF beauty
and wisdom will be the leading features
of the building.
Space in Main Floor.
Above the basement the main floor will
contain thirtythree rooms symbolical of
the thirty-three degrees Of the rite and
of the thirty-three states which COM
pose the southern Jurisdiction Of the
rite. Each room will be set apart for
the sovereign inspector general OF the
Supreme Council Of the state to which it
is devoted, and the members of the rite
in each state are expected to furnish
ornamental pedestals for the thirty-three
columns that will surround the outer
walls Of the mammoth hall devoted 10
the cathedral. The second floor will
contain the administrative Offices Of the
rite. surrounding great atrium. or In
ner court. which will extend upward to
the cathedral floor.
There are 40 Lodges Of Perfection in
the rite, and each lodge is expected to
donate a marble tablet. appropriately in
scribed and of ornamental design. show
ing the name. number and location OF
the lodge, to form a paneled dado
around the base OF the wallis of the
atrium. between seventy-fve and eighty
feet in diameter.
The crowning glory Of the building will
to the cathedral. 1t will be q chamber
seventy-five feet square, whose walls
will extend upward seventy-five feet and
be crowned by lofty dome.
Combine for Beauty.
The interior ornamentation Of the
cathedral. it IL expected. will make l,
architecturally and decorativsly the mos,
beautiful chamber In the world. Nothing
| in art or architecture 10 to be spared, II
| is explained, to attain this end.
To sovereign Grand Commander James
| Daniel Richardson was given the author.
ity to construct the temple, and In his
work he has been left free to select de.
| sign, plans and material. to employ as
sistance and to do all things necessary
| The grand commander has kept In close
touch with the individual members ofsth<
| S,,re>rnA Cnslncll IN all hA haa done anf