The Oskaloosa herald., 1912-06-13
PYTHIAN'S new HOME
Elegant Lodge and Club Quarters
Given "House Warming"


day evening at the public reception
tendered by the Pythian membership
upon the occasion of the first formal
opening of the new hall and home.
The reception committee stood in line
from fifteen minutes before eight
o'clock until half past ten end con-
slant stream of people, visitors and
guests filed by them as rapidly as
they could conveniently move. The
rooms, spacious as they were, soon
became filed, then packed with hui
manity until not another soul could
be squeezed into the place. Ushers,
whose duty 1t was to show visitors
about the rooms, were helpless and
could not move. Hundreds of people
we're standing in the street waiting
their opportunity and hundreds of
people noting the size of the crowd,
made no attempt to get into the hall.
Five thousand people Is low estimate
of the crowd that passed through or
perhaps more properly, visited the
rooms, for many were not able to
get beyond the confines of the recep-
ton room. An attempt was made to
give lady visitors carnation souve-
mir. One thousand flowers had been
given out by half past eight o'clock
and a second supply sent from the
green house was soon exhausted.
That everyone was delighted with
the reception and the house warm
ing" goes without saying. Express
sions of surprise and wonder came
from all sides. No one not in touch
with the work being done had even
imagined the degree of magniticence
of the new lodge home. Pythian com
mittees and members did every thing
in their power for the entertainment
of the guests, but only at times dur
ing a momentary lull in the crush
could they be of much assistance to
their visitors.
Special entertainment was by w
d. Beckma1's orchestra of ten pieces
which furnished an excellent program
during the evening. Dancing had
been forbidden and in fact was i'm
possible until about eleven o'clock
at which hour some of the more dar
covering to one side and initiated the
splendid floor of the large assembly
hall.
What They Saw.
Entrance to the new Pythian quar-
tiers is gained from High avenue
u,id hon
onud fight of broad stairs from the
second to the third floor takes one
to the entrance landing of the Ply
THAN home. A heavy mahogany
door is opened and one enters a large
central reception hall elegantly fur
nished and equipped. This hall gives
way to the various apartments of
the club and hall, to the east into a
billiard room, north into rest room
and lounging room, west into library
and ladies' parlor, south into the as
sembly hall and into a passageway
opening into a cafe and banquet hall
Cloak and toilet rooms are at one
side, two telephone stations, sani
tary drinking fountain and other con
ETC., are scattered about in endless
profusion and in the center of the
room Is a great circular settee OF
lounge. Silk portiers and draperies
of rich material and design are al
windows and openings between apart
ments.
Furniture in all departments of the
home is of the richest and heaviest
solid mahogany and all of the wood
work Is of finest select birch ma.
hogany finish. The combination gives
an effect, the elegance of which must
be seen to be appreciated. The apart
ments are electrically lighted and
ventilated, the walls are decorated in
the most pleasing and restful OF
tints and everything connected with
the home is in a degree of magnifi'
cence and elegance. Floors are GOV.
cred with great velvet rugs "two
Tone" green and black, excepting in
the ladies' parlor, which has an old
rose rug, with walls of pale blue and
woodwork finished In pure white.
Located at the front of the building
lighted from north and west, is the
club room or "lounging place" an
ideal den for smoking. game OF
cards, newspaper or conversation.
East from the reception room and
the club room is the large and per
fectly appointed billiard room. TWEEN.
ty by forty-five feet, equipped with
quartette of tables for billiard and
pool. All are of the Pfeister model,
solid mahogany and six leg pattern
The light fixtures are "old BRASS the
same pattern in use in the Illinois
Athletic Club of Chicago.
Great wide pillared openings sup
ported by heavy columns appear be-
tween reception hall and the other
adjacent rooms and in addition to
these are four double doorways, with
draperies, eight in all.
Special attention mis- given to an
apartment fenthBIiladies. large and
speciallyrfnished and furnished par
lor with adjacent dressing and toilet
rooms. This suite of rooms Is on
the west side of the apartments and
so located that the suite may be used
In connection with the assembly hall.