Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1914-06-19
COURTHOUSE AND
JAIL PROPERTY
SOLD TO MASONS
County DispOses Of Property to Masonic
Boaies OF Brownsville. Who Will at Once
Convert Court Building Into a Masonic
Temple.
MARKS NEW ERA IN PROGRESS
or MASONRY IN THE VALLEY
Purchase Price is $4,000 Cash, and Bottles
VIII Spend About $4,000 Placing Build
inc IL Shape for Club and Lodge Pur-
poses-Masonic Site Sold.

~pOSeS-MaS0nic SHE SOLD.
Dr. :. X. lIallam. chairman nf y pur-
chasing committee from The Brownsville
Masonic bodies. aunogn ed late yc>trr
day afternoon The purchase IN the rom.
hincd Masonic bodies ~ Brownsville ~
the abandoned Cameron county court
house and jail property. situated nI
Twelfth and Jefferson s%trrctS. aud *
trniin. from Jefferson "a Madison street
"a Twelfth Street. The deal was closed
with County Judge H. L. Yates. who vas
authorized Ly the board NJ county com
miSSiomcrS 10 complete il. The purchase
price wa> -lI.Uun cash.
The Masonic bodies viii "a oucc begin
improving The courthouse property. plan
ming ~ rNpcnd about -i..GAr Ia the work.
The first floor ot the building will bc
used 49, clHh rumS. equipped with libra
~. %parlor>. shower baths. banquet halls
and other convenience. ON the second
floor. the district court room will make
u model lodgcruom. and the smaller rooms
uu that floor will ~ fitted up ~ ante
rooms.
The third floor uf he binding viii
BE- used for the pdraphcrualia ~ the va
rinu> Masonic organizations. and will
have lockers for the equipment VI the
knights commandcry.
The grounds around the courthouse
will hc bcautificd. and probably the
trees ON the >uuth>idc will be- thinucl Ia
permit \ better growth ~ grass.
The improvements ia and around the
property viii begin ai once. AMI The pnr
cha>crS plan Ia occupy the new proper
a. within the next month. The exterior
of the huilding viii ~ >tuccucd.
The jail property viii not hc retained
a. the MA>nn> now have several offers
for the property. and il probably will h..
sold very soon.
The purchasing committee from the
MaStnS was composed of Dr. :. X. Hal.
las. =. |. Dworman anil Dr. Il. III. Thorn.
The MasonS some Years ago purchased
the property on Twelfth street. between
Elizabeth and Lcycc. ana III the heart
IF the business district. planning IL
build un III. However. with the erection
OF the new county courthouse the plans
were changed aud the organizations de-
cidcd Ia make an effort 10 purchase that
property. The courthouse il j. consider
cd could not w. Duplicated for less than
~2o.oho IN the erection of a Masonic
temple.
Along with the announcement of. the
purchase. comes the announcement that
the MlSon> sold their Twelfth street
property 90 4. III. More IF the Browns
VII" Hardware 60. Mr.. More bought thg
property with the view Of ultimately
erecting \ business building On the site.
The Masonic bodies that will ncupy
the temple will inclnle l:in orandr lodge
NJ. =. Ancient Free. and Accepted Ma.
sons: Rio Grandc Chapter. Ne. al7. Row.
~ Nrrh Ma>uHS: Rio Grandr Council
No. 80. Il. and :. A.: Brownsville rom.
mandcrv. NJ. 81. Knights Tcmnlar. and
Hope Chapter M. III. Order " IN,
Eastern STAR.
whey th" new building j. corrupted The
BROWNSVILLE MaSon> plan Ia give n hia
celebration m the building. a. which an
The Masonic bodies w lhc Inurr Iio
Grandr Valley will b. invited. and asa
HN"NN N
officers ~ III grand lodge. III II, rxprrtrl
to make the celebration The greatest Ma.
sonic event ever given IA the Lower Val.
ley.
The pun base of this buil,lins hv the
Masonic organizations will give Browns
vile the largest. and The only Masonic
frmrir south IT Houston nrrurier sole
~ hN Masonic organizations, II will have
The effect also ~ raising the standing ~
the local organizations among The Ma
sonic organizations If the state.
Among other things. ii II planned ~
elect "A common secretary for the various
bodies. Tie viii H. furnished I'm office IN
the temple. and viii make hi h~eadquar
tiers there.
The property 10 present l. ia the name
of Dr. lIaIlam as trustee. hut shortly
The Masonic Temple Association viii bc
organized and Incorporated. and the
buildings and property sill then b. turn.
eel over ~ III.