The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1913-06-09
MASONSOEDIcATE'
CRANOLODCEHAlL|
Thousands Attend Exercises al
EIlzibsihtown, Pa.
MILLIONS TO Be SPENT

MILLIONS TO Be Spent
The New Building 10 the First o.
Group to Be Used as Home Of ths
Order. s.
Lancaster, Pa, June 6.-With im
pressive ceremonies the Grand Lodgt
Hall of the Masonic Home, at Eliza
bethtown, this. county, was formally
dedicated in the presence of thousand:
of Masons from all over the state.
The hail is a fine piece Of architec
ture and the enterprise Is destined Il
develop into the greatest charity OF 1T
kind in any country.
The wives, widows and oryhan CHI
dren of such members will be carel
for free or all money charges Al
"guests" and in no sense as I'm
mates"
A novel feature of the institution II
the cottage system of housing thu
guests which does not separate hus
band and wife, but allows the continu
ance of the home life of the family.
Special trains carried visitors t.
Elizabethtown from all parts of thu
state, and refreshments were provided
for 10000 The Lancaster county Ma
sons, headed by Colonel Fordney, acs
ed as a reception committee, and priol
to the exercises the Grand Lodge Hal
and other completed buildings were
inspected.
The exercises took place upon tht
terrace of the Grand Lodge Hall, be
ing started with a procession Of the
officers of the Grand Lodge Of Penr
sylvania, In the following order: Crane
marshal, grand tyler and pursuivant
grand stewards, grand deacons, grand
chaplains, district grand masters, com
mittee on Masonic homes, past grand
masters; w. B. Hackenburg, grand
treasurer; John A. Perry, grand secre
tary: Louis A. Watres, senior grand
warden: James B. Krause, junior
grand warden; J. Henry Williams, dep
uty grand master; William L. Gorgas
grand master, and the grand swors
bearer The state officers wefs IN fu
regal,a. The actual dedication was &C
cording TO the ancient usage and Gus
tom of Freemasonry The dedicatOrJ
oration vas by Rev. Maitland Alexan
der
In great measure was the success ol
the enterprise made possible by
Philadelphian, the late Thomas r. Pat
ton. BY his will $1,000,000 was entrust
ed to the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania
to found home for male orphans Of
Master Masons. The grand lodge
sou igfit uc cuIaufne wTtn II is-l . in64he -fpl
dependent Masons and their families
and school for their children, and
thus was consolidated at one place and
under one management these splendid
charities.
On June l, 1911, ground was first
broken for the Grand Lodge Hall. The
building is now completed and wa'
fully furnished for the dedication. The
cost has been $425,000. 1t Is 425 feet
long and IS feet wide, the dining room
extension being 14Sx42 feet, with 6
ceiling So feet in height. There are 48(
lights in the dining room, which Will
accommodate 800 guests. The kitcher
extension is 101x62 feet. The building
is two and half stories high. A large
library. that will eventually house
many thousands of volumes, Is at the
west end of the hall.
The building is finished in hart
wood, oak and chestnut. It containf
BIO rooms. In the basement is bowl
ing alley, 204x25 feet. Connecting or
the west is large reading and smok
ing room, and to the east barber
shop, a fourteen ton ice plant, Ice
cream freezers, five large refrigerators
storage and butcher room.
Upon the first floor Is an outdoor
sun parlor, intersecting a sun porch
204x35 feet A large library room is OF
the northwest end, finely furnished. a
ladies' reading room Is attached, meas
uring 2Ox25 feet.
room, 25x56 feet; reception room, 2s
X25 feet, and a 62-foOt music gallery
in the dining room. The kitchens are
at the east eud of the hall. They are
equipped with potato peelers, dish
washers, steam tables, freight eleya
tors. Upon the second floor are 81
sleeping rooms, each 14x18 feet. There
are also lavatories and committee
rooms. Upon the third floor are 81
sleeping rooms, 16 bathrooms and 81
washstands.
The Grand Lodge Hall will be con
nected with all cottages by severed
corridors, roads and ways, that radiate
from it. The land Is 500 feet above ses
level, in wide valley, five miles dis
tant from the Susquehanna river, with
a geenral southeastern exposure, with
wooded hills on each front The cot
tages and supplemental buildings oi
the village will be erected as found
necessary.