Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-02-06
AUTHORIZE WORK
ONLULU MOSQUE
Structure on Parkway to Be
Most Magnificent Shrine
Temple
TO COST OVER S750.000
Shriners Decide to Build at
Once and Name Commit
tee to Negotiate
TO COST OVER S75O.0O0

Members OF Lu Lu Temple, Ancient
Arabic order. Mobiles of the Mystic
Shrine. have authorized the beginning
of work on the construction of their
new three quarters Of a million dollar
home.
The building, which will rise to a
height of twelve stories at Tweuty-third
street and the Parkway, long has been
"a dream Of the shriners. The construc-
ition was help up during the war. iu de
ference 10 the governments need Of men
jand materials. When completed In
iall its parts. shriners say. it will out
rival in magnificence many of the fam
lous temples pictured in the Arabian
Nights,
At a meeting Of the organization held
last night in their present home. Spring
Garden street east Of Broad, a COM
mittee was appointed 10 negotiate for
the immediate erection of the new
temple. This committee is composed Of
Past 1llustrous Potentate W. Freelaud
KendrCli; lllustrious Poteutate Charles
$. Beir and the trustees Of the present
building.
F., In October, 1917. formal settlement
was made for the ground on which the
new building will be reared. The plot
f, extends from Twenty second to Twenty
Z third streets. spd from Spring Garden
street to Pennsylvania avenue.
Work Ordered Begun al Meeting
More than 1000 members Of the order
attended the meeting last night. when
work OIL the new edifice was ordered be-
gun. At the present time there are H.
900 active members OF La Lu Temple
: The total membership admitted since
its organization in 1883 is more than
! $4,000. For long time the need for
, larger quarters has been great.
The new building Will be the largest
and most elaboratey furnished shrine
temple in the world The plans provide
} for a principal auditorium to accommo-
date comfortably more than 5000 per-
sons. Immediately beneath this will be
the largest ballroom I'm Philadelphia
This also may be utilized for banquet
purposes. The seating capacity for this
floor, with tables all laid out. will be
5000. In the ballroom will be d huge
pipe organ.
Meeting Room Under Ballroom
Underneath the ballroom are to be
located numerous meeting rooms to be
guard and the patrol connected with I
the Lu Lu Temple, locker and clubrooms
and the largest swimming pool in the
city.
This main building is to occupy the +
major portion OF the large lot but at
one of the corners is TO he erected a ,
separate section of the building, TO be
equipped with club features and sleep
. ing rooms for use Cf the members Of
the Temple only
Surmounting the entire structure
which will be at a height Of twelve
or fourteen-story building will be an
immense roof garden. where in pleasant
weather meetings of the Shrine or spe-
cial entertainments are to be held This
roof garden is to have a seating capacity
fully as large as the main auditorium,
which will mean that a special eleva-
tor service for the accommodation of
many thousands of people will have to
be installed.
In Lu Temple Organized in 1888
I.u Lu Temple. which today has the
third largest membership of any Tenn
pie In the world, was organized in De-
cember, 1883. when twenty-eight
Knights Templars, connected with Phil
adelphia Communicates held their first
1hetllilS 10 give Il sllillt 10 llllS tAAA.
From that date on the membership,
which is confined exclusively to Knights
Templars, or Thirty-second Degree Ma
sons, grew by leaps ana bounds, The
first meeting place was in Industrial
Hall. located on Broad street, near Race
In December, 1883, Industrial Hall was
partly destroyed by fire. and as a re
suit the members decided TO own their
own building. In March. 1890. the
temple purchased st, Philips Episcopal
Church on Spring Garden street, near
Broad, together with several adjoining
properties, for meeting purposes. The
old church property was soon found TO
be too small for the large membership,
and during the year 1903 the building
was demolished to make way for the
present large temple. During that year
the meetings We're held in Musical FUND
Hall, on Locust street, near Eighth.