The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1916-03-03
MASONS NSGALOREGATHER
TO LAY CORNERSTONE
Palatka Postoffice Building
y-Imposing Ceremonial.

Before the hour for the corner
stone laying of Palatka' s new federal
building last Saturday, the Masonic
fraternity, resident and visiting,
formed in parade and marched out
| Lemon street and back to the site of
the ceremonial through Reed street
headed by the Second Regiment Band.
1t was an imposing spectacle, espe-
cially that part of the parade occu-
pied by the Knights Templar, a
branch Of Masonry that rags itself in
becoming uniform and sword, with
G. Washington hat.
There were fully $50 Masons and
Knights in the parade, and among
them were some of the foremost men
in Florida. Masonry attracts to. its
ranks only men of known character,
and the parade was therefore made up
of the real creme de la creme Of
Florida's manhood. And the parade
looked the part.
Former Grand Master E. E. Haskell
of this city, on arriving at the scene
of the stone laying, called for silence,
when he introduced Rev. P. Quintius
Cason, who delivered the invocation.
Following the prayer, a selection
was rendered by the band, after
which Hon. S. J. Hilburn, orator Of
the day was introduced.
Mr. Hilburn was in happy frame,
and his address, though short, was
crowded with expressions of the graf
itude all Palatkan's felt in the hor-
or which had come to US in a special
convocation of the Grand Lodge Of
Florida to take charge of the ilnpor-
tant and time-honored ceremony:
that we were particularly honored in
having with US to take charge of the
ceremony the Grand Master of Flori-
da, Hon. James E. Crane and other
!officers of the Grand Lodge, who had
left their business to come and lend
the influence of their presence to a
ceremony which marked an important
epoch in the development Of the Gem
City.
Col. Hilburn dwelt for some little
time to showing of the strides Pa
Ilatka was making toward a city Of
the firSt-class, and its final recogni-
ton as such by the Federal govern
ment, as indicated by an appropria-
ton of upwards of 100000 for this
building. Mr.. Hilburn was at his
best on this occasion, and no less than
hundred citizens and strangers
have called the News attention to the
excellence of his address. He seem
ed to feel every word he said.
At the conclusion of Col. Hilburn'S
address. Hon. w. P. Merriam, mayor
of Palatka, stepped forward and m a
few appropriate remarks presented
Grand Master Crane with a silver
trowel, the same for use in laying
the stone Here the ceremony prop
er, began.
Grand Chaplain, Rev. ]. 7. Lewis,
rector of St Marks Episcopal church,
offered the prayer. Then followed the
ritualistic service incident to the real
work, each part impressively read by
the proper officer. Hon. John ?.
Wall, as Grand Treasurer advanced
with the copper box and placed 1t In
the stone, which was lowered to its
place under direction of Contractor
Dickson.
The officers who participated in the
ceremony were:
Grand Master, James E. Crane,
Tampa.
Deputy Grand Master, DR.. A. S.
York, Live Oak.
Grand Senior Warden, acting, Benz.
E. Dyson, st. Augustine.
Grand Junior Warden, R. ii. Coop
err, Palatka.
Grand Treasurer, acting, Hon. john
P. Wall, Putnam Hall.
! Grand Secretary, W. P. Webster,
Jacksonville.
Grand Chaplain, acting, Rev. j. L.
Lewis, Palatka.
Grand Marshal, acting, Judge E,
E. Haskell, Palatka.
Senior Grand Deacon, acting, ii.
A. Perry, Pomona.
Junior Grand Deacon, acting, K. }.
Hancock, Palatka.
Grand Standard Bearer. acting,
Harry L. Brown, st. Augustine.
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