Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1918-12-10
PAST MASTERS NIGHT.
Forest Lodge No. 130, f. and A. NJ.
Celebrated It's Annual Event
on Wednesday Evening.
Dee. 4th, 1918.

on wednesday Evening,
Dee. 4th, 1918.
Forest Lodge No. 130, F. and A. NJ.
celebrated Past Masters night on
Wednesday evening, and it was a very
lsuccessful and enjoyable occasion to
all Masons. Many Of the elder mem
Ders, If they do not attend regularly,
are sure to be present on Past Mast
ers' night. Those who are away from
home will come long distances to join
with their brethren on the night fix
ed upon for the event, so it is in the
nature OF a Homecoming to the mem
bers of Forest Lodge.
The following Past Masters did the
work of the evening: w. w. Albers,
A. V. Gearhart, D. McNaughton, A. R.
Bardeen, H. G. Flieth, E. B. Thayer,
F. P. Stone, w. B. Scholfield, S. B.
Tobey, j. N. Manson, F. w. Genrich,
c. B. Bird, P. j. Hopp, E. D. Widmer,
f. E. Bump.
Those who were unable to be pres
ent were j. P. West, Hastings, Mimi. :;
H. T. Northup, Chicago; Karl Mathie,
Evanston, ILL.,; DR.. P. A Riebe, Sacra-
mento, Calf; c. G. Parlin, Philadel-
phia; H. L. Crandall, Sacremanto,
Calf, and DR.. L. NJ Willard of Wau-
sau.
Those of Past Masters who have
passed away are: Eli r. Chase, r. P.
Manson, S. H. Alban, c. V. Bardeen,
c. F. Crosby, W. H. Mylrea, Rev. w.
E. Wright.
At the close of the work of the eve
ming over 200 masons sat down to a
banquet, prepared by the ladies of the
Eastern Star. The program which
followed was presided over by Past
Master w. w. Albers, POSTMASTER for
the occasion. A solo was delightfully."-
rendered by Mrs. Edward l.. Boehm,
Delight" by Luckstone. AS an en-
chore she Gang "The Birth of Dawn"
| by Leoni, which was equally as we'll
received by the large audience.
Emery James for his number sang
when the Boys Come Home" 1t was
very approriate and met with such an
enchore that it was necessary for Mr.
James to give another number. The
accompanist of the evening was Miss
Louise Stuhlfauth. The music was a
feature of which added greatly to the
pleasure of the evening.
The POSTMASTER took occasion to go
back into history and tell those pres
ent Of the progress of Forest Lodge,
especially from the time that he was
| Master, in 1891. Mr.. Albers is the
oldest Past Master in the city; he felt,
as he said, that he might be able to
relate some history, which would be
| interesting and he delighted all with
| the facts which were culled from his
well stored memory. He touched
briefly upon the fact that Forest Lodge
was started in 1860, dispensation
having been granted in November of
that year. A charter was granted
June 18th, 1861, with Eli r. Chase as
w. M. He told of the various homes
of the lodge, the first being in the
Farnham building which stood on
Third street, directly in front of where
the court house now stands. Later
the lodge was moved to the Mercer
| building on Third street and in 1884
| took home in the opera house block,
in rooms which had been prepared for
| it over what are now the American
National bank, the Western Union
Telegraph Company, r. w. Collie's
stationery store and Ploss Pharmacy.
This was the home of Forest Lodge
until it was destroyed by fire on the
night of Jan. 10th, 1892 which not
only destroyed the building put wiped
out most of the visible tools" of
masonery. But the fire, however, de-
structive could not wipe out these
working forces of the craft which are
almost as old as the hills and more
lasting because they are enshrined
within the hearts and souls of men.
Hardly had the fire cleared away be-
fore the brethren, with Mr.. Albers,
who was Master at that time, decided
that the Temple must rise again. A
committee was appointed to look into
the possibility of moving the old
court house on the lots owned by j.
A. Leahy, west of the court house
square. This plan was not looked
upon with favor by many. One of the
buildings destroyed by the fire was the
Hotel Arlington owned by George F.
Bells. AS Mr.. Bells had negotiated
for what is now the Hotel Bells prop
erty, corner of Third and Scott streets,
and Nathan Heinemann had secured
an option with view of erecting a
business block on it himself, this site
was looked upon with much favor
especially when Mr.. Heinemann made
the generous offer of turning over the
site to the Masonic order at the figures
given him. This was finally consum-
mated and the speaker said that to
Mr.. Heinemann was due the credit of
our having such a fine home today in
the very center of the business dis
trict.
Mr.. Albers entered into details as
to how the means for buying the
property and erecting a fire proof
structure were raised. The lot was Ga
x120 feet and was bought for $4,700
with what the various Masonic fra
ternities had on hand, about $3,0G0
and what was loaned by the brethren
for the emergency without interest
the amount was raised to $4,000 with
which to commence the work. Some
wanted to place the building in a
stock comany. This was opposed bids
for the Temple were too high and were
rejected ana the committee consisting
of w. w. Albers, w. B. Scholfield
Nathan Heinemann, G. S. Gilbert and
IC. V. Bardeen hired men to do the
work and experimenting the building
of the Temple until it was completed
4 l. AlU6IS Sdlu ludt ulOIISdS6 was
placed on the property, and the total
cost, including the lot, the Temple
and its furnishings was about $19,-
600, which at this time, in 1918, was
entirely paid for.
On Wednesday, Setember 7th, 1892
the corner stone of the Temple was
laid with impressive ceremonies. Mr.
Albers told of the difficulties which he
encountered; at first it was arranged
to have CIV. Bardeen conduct the cere-
mony. He was judge of the circuit
and found that he could not possibly
take charge because he had to hold
court in Rhinelander on that day. w
n H. Mylrea was substituted when he
was called out of the city to try a
case, and Mr.. Albers had to do the
honors. The officers of the occasion
u-ara oc follnuS. Wnrchinf,l1 Moctor