Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-01-10

| three CluGIeuL CioShSs LAG 1SASS
Room was over what is now the
| north part OF the Russell & Weston
| Block, the .Anteroom and Prelate's
| Room were next north in the White
| house Block, and the Banquet Hall
was north Of that. in the Block now
owned by the Augusta Real Estate
| Association.
| Thus matters stood on the crisp
and spicy morning OF January i,
1894. when the Elacs and laburnums,
lit with the glory fires of a new year.
hung burning and flashing in the
upper air: the larch and the pome-
granate flung their purple and yellow
flames in brilliant broad splaslles
along the slanting sweep OF the wood
| land: the senSuous fragrance OF in
| Vulnerable dcciduous flowers rose
| upon the swooDinS atmosphere: and
! far in the empty sky L solitary
oesopnagus slop, uron nlctioniess
wing.
| How does that sound? borrowed
that quotation from Mark Twain's
| Double Barreilei Detective Story
| There isn't a word of sense in it. but
Il ~ Spi zig ~ VA sAl Ni4SbSP't Aiii-
, public. ard have sprung il on YOU as
I slick and smooth sounding introduce
/. ton to that wonderful year of 1924.
II was some year. believe me. The
, handsome and gifted young attorney
! 10 whom l have prcviousl: alluded
was elected City Clerk in March Of
that year. returning Immediately 10
, Cambridge to complete his course at
the Harvard Law School, from which
| he was graduated in June. Frank r.
! Southland serving as Deputy City
, during his absence. In October the
! young attorney was admitted to the
! bar. was married Immediately after
. wards. and a little later was caught
! in the joyful swirl OF the renlaflla he
! Masonic activity Of that me.nora Ole.
year.
t On one occasion he found himself
| in the company Of two Of his brethren
I Of Aucusta Lodge, and being some
! what weary, sat down to rest and re-
| fresh himself. On rising he accident
! ~ took hold Of something which
easily giving way excited his c,;rios-
, ity. at which he hailed MS corlpan-
ions. thereby giving himself dead
| away to his father. who was recci.--
! ing his third degree that evening.
Some Of our prominent brethren
! assert that the building Of the pres
! ent Masonic Temple was In. cause.
| others that it was the result IF thu
| great boom in Masonry that vas in
progress in 1894. / think they are
Doth right. The boom had certainly
started before that year, but the
building of the new Temple was a
>reat factor in maintaining and IN
treasing it.
I'm leading up all the time to the
origin Of the Abnaki Club. Peraa ps
YOU hadn't noticed that. As a matter
of fact it has escaped my own OBJ
servation. but if YOU will be patient
l think l Will get there sometime or
other. But the road to the .Abnaki
Club leads me through the history of
| the erection Of this Temple ard to one
; OF my artistic Sensibilities the
+; temptation is irresistible to make Il
few slight sketches hy the wayside.
, The work of the preliminary COM
mittee of el-:ve from each OF the four
: Masonic bodies-,he determination to
1
Heath on April IS. 1894 OF the subscriD-
! ton contract for the organization OF
/ the Augusta Masonic Building Com
| pany. the enthusiastic meeting at which
1o2 men. every one of them Masons,
subscribed for the entire SAC 600 of stock
OF the new Company: the purchase Of
! the land from Edwin {. Burleici,.
] Thomas n. Lang and Eugene Whit
| house, the employment Of John G. Spoc-
ford OF Boston as The architect. and til.
! laying OF the cornerstone" on J'lne T.
| 1894. with elaborate and imposing Ger.
! monies. are events Of fascinating inter
est to Augusta MaSons, which WI.
doubtless be adequately set forth b.
I the historian at the sem-ccntenrial
celebration which We expect 10 occur in
! ure of attending with nv ear tlump.,
| on that occa sion. which will be short!y
| after my 18th birthday
| These are merely matters Of histoc:,
| but the unique and skilfully executed
| plan of organization which was worked
out BY Mr.. Heath is a living realitv.
with which we as Masons will continue
70 have very practical relations for
many years 20 come. and it is worth
our while - understand t.
The title to the Masonic Temple prop
erty is vested in the Augusta Masonic
Building Company. a corporation or
sanized on May IA. 1894. l: was capital
lied at $4,000. $500 being ~ pre-.
ferrei stock, and $1,000 bang a GO Gu.
:nulatltc common stock.
The company executed two trust
mortgages on the premises The first
was dated September a. 1s94. and gave
first lien on the property to three
trustees. who have no duties to perform
and no right to take possession or con-
troll OF the property in any way until
the Company defaults in the payment
'of its interest 70 the preferred stock
holders. for whom these trustees are 10
act in that event
Subject to this trust for the preferred
stockholders. the second mortgage, da:-
ed Nov. 2, 1894. gives a lien on the prop
erty to another board of seven trustees
for the common stockholders Three OF
these trustees are elected by vote of the
common stockholders. AMI each one OF
the four Masonic bodies chooses one OF
the remaining four. Ever since the
completion OF the building. this boarl
has had complete possession and con-
troll Of the property. After paying all
expenses. and the stipulated interest to
the preferred and common stockholders.
it is the duty OF the tru.tees to apply
the surplus income to the retirement.
by lot. first OF the common and then OF