The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-02-16
MASONIC HOME
WAS DEDICATED
Big Event Took Place in Bis
marck Today-Many Wis.,
itors Were Present

Bismarck, X. H., Feb. 1s.-Tbis aft
crnoon, in the presence" Of about 200
Masons assembled from every Soc
tion of North Dakota. as we'll as the
officers and members of the local or
GaniZation, and hundreds of visitors.
Most Worshipful Grand Master Rob-
ert Morrison of !omhina *ulcmnlN
conscrratcd TO the Grand jehovah
the magnificent new tempt" of l!iS-
marck lodge so. ). y. +. n A. NJ,
and dedicated il to f~reomnsonry. yir-
tue and universal hcncvol"nce, pour
Ing thereon from a silver vessel,
CORN, emblem of n"lrishmont; from
u second silver vessel, wine. rnhhlom
Of rcfrcshmont. and from Il golden
vessel. oil. "mhlcm of Joy. Thus WAS
realized the fnndcs' dream of the
members of the Masonic fraternity
who rcsid" in tn" capital city. VIII"
arc now comfortably cnsronced in
their new ON
Early Days of Bismarck Lodge.
The first charter ia Bismarck Ma
sons was granted hv tn" grand lot'g"
of Minnesota january -, 1876, and
il was designated as Io,lg" SO. 100.
The charter WAS rcgrant"d To tn" To-
cal order by the grand lodge OF Ua-
lSota territory Jun" s. 1850, Whcn il
WAS known as bismarck lodg" No. 1i.
w non norm ia kiltl WIS itlfnlIlti IN
To the union as II state. and n grand
l"de" of Nor'h Dakota instituted. tn"
grand officers again r"craut"d Eia-
lnarcl lodge n charter Jun" l3, 1889,
dcnominating ii Bismarck lodG" No,
:. \. f.. and a. NJ. For many years
III" lodge held its sessions in various
rooms over TIL" places of business.
and elsewhere in the city. For sever
IA years past it held it's sessions in the
Jtythioo hDI1 Ia az tJ, ,ir-, stru
was taken toward securing - home
for itself. when Two lois We're pilr-
chased. 1t was mot until 1909 that tho
preliminary construction work was
commenced. During tn" llmmer of
that Year the foundation WAS laid.
Work on the temple proper was not
begun until III" spring oi 1911. The
cornerstone was laid i'm July. 1871,
and the editicc was ready for occu-
pancy lat" in December. Tho Mason
orders took possession of tho temple
early in january of this year.
Description of the Temple.
The new temple WAS erected ut "a
cost of $4,000. 1t WAS designed lay
Architect NJ. L. I;eebn. formerly of
Fargo. but now n resident OF San Iii
ego, Cal, and was bull, by Mossrs.
Unlisted and Ii"rson of the Bismarck
Construction company. It's dim"n-
sions are 80 Ivy 100 feet. with two
stories and n basement. The foun-
dation is built of range rock of ma
tive stone, while the temple itself
is constructed OF light Hebron press
ed brick. trimmed with Kettle River
sand Stone.
First Floor
Entering tn" wide corridors the Wis
it"r is ushcrrd int" the general re-
ccpti"n room. II 10y Il feet, which
opens off the p%nrlurs, II by 81 feet,
at the southern end of which is :,
handsome ornamental brick fireplace.
Across the corridor is he reading
room. in which is also built n hc.uti-
full fireplace. This apartment is %
by % feet and is connected with the
banquet room by a spacious doorway.
The banquet hall is % by 40, II he
tween it, and the large kitchen is IA
we'll arranged pantry.
Blue Lodge Room.
n principal feature OF the first
floor. however, is tn" blue lodge room,
which is not surpassed by IL 'odgs
room i'm the northwest. In size il
measures IS hy 60 feet. with IL q
foot ceiling. Across the western end
Is constructed Il oomy gallery. Tho
lodge room is finished in stained oak
and has II plasterrd beam ceiling anG
ornamental rorniccs. and nuted pilas.
ters with ornamental raps. h clec'
IF1c l1SnIS :tfc tnt'tStu III 1foSlcG
globes, and handsome bracket light.
adorn the pilastcrs. Adjoining tho
blue lodge room are paraphrrnali:
rooms for The several Masonic bodies
Tt is we'll lighted by great large win,
dows. draprd with blue and white
curtains. The furniture is all of tho
mission type.
The second Floor.
The second fioor is reserved for tho
members of Tancrcd Commanders
No. I, Knights Tolnplar. and the Ia,
dies who are affiliated with the Orde,
of the Eastern Star. The Eastern
Star lodge room is % by 30 feet, ana
opening therefrom is II robins room
pnrlors. IL by % feet. Across thu
lobby is the armoty for the COM
mandcry. which adjoins the gallery
that overlooks the lodge room
The Basement.
Tho basement is devoted largely tc
club features. Here has been re.
served a room for the secretary. Tho
office Is 20 by 2G. and furnished Will
~ handsome fireplace. Opening from
it is II security vault. and beside that
is n chess room. cosy and quiet. TIT
toilet room is also in the basement
and there are installed baths. as wei
Ms Shower baths. with hot and colo
water ready for use all the time. A
capacious billiard hall. 3S by IS, open.
from the main corridor, back oi
which are two large store rooms. Tho
north side of the basement has beer