Evening star., 1923-06-04

tanning 720 tons of reinforced steel and
$4,000 cubic yards of concrete and coy
ering an area of III feet by 2iJ feet.
II is nine feet thick at the center and
steps down to about seven feet ANA
four and half feet at the edges. Ac-
cording to experts engaged in pouring
the foundation. the mat. a : il is called.
is the largest in the world. The foun-
dation problems We're worked out by
H. S. Adams of Detroit, Mich. con-
Sultant. and by Moran, Maurice & Proc
tor of New York, consulting engineers.
The contract is held by Crawford &
Co. of this city. under the personal
supervision of Percy Crawford, vice
charge and F. S. Schondau is handling
the auditing work.
Pure Greek Architecture.
The entrance to the building will be
through a portico of six Doric col
umns, the whole a unit of pure Greek
architecture. The portiCO will lead
into the great atrium, comprising tee
main central room of the structure
and forming the memorial hall u
space 100 feet long and 20 feet wide.
The simple lines of this hall will add
to its sOlemnity and dignity, the
walls rising virtually i'm unbroken eX-
panse by clereStory to the ceiling
64 feet above. Ionic columns will
stand sentinel-like. at intervals along
will be rooms devoted to purposes of
the Masonic order. Cuerestory win
dowS. located above the enVelOping
room. will light the hall. To the rear
Will be an auditorium seating about
1,50O persons, with seats arranged IN
semi circular fashion. Offices also
will be on this floor.
The second colonnaded story will
contain the George Washington me-
mortal museum. comprising treas
Il. l.
ington's life. This room will be 70
feet long and so feet wide, with lofty
ceiling. Access will be had by a stair
way and elevators @
Above and forming the third level
of the tower will be another large
room. no definite use for which has
been determined.
The final colonnade will form an
observation room. from where a COM
manding view of the Potomac river
and the Maryland hills beyond may
be obtained
Each of the stories will be smaller
than the one below. and will be
fianked by correspondingly limited
number of columns.
The impressive memorial will rep
resent the elimination of movement
inaugurated by the Alexandria Wash
ington Lodge No. %. A. +. and a. NJ.
about dozen years ago, crystaliZinS
from a desire that there should be
some eminently fitting place in which
to display and preserve the collec-
tfon of Washington relics held by
the lodge. coupled with determine
tion to honor suitably the memory
of George Washington, master of
Masonry
The proposal was received With
favor by the entire Masonic order.
and the George Washington Masonic
National Memorial Association was
therefore instituted to execute the
idea. Officers of this aSSOciat tion are
Louis A. Watres,. Pennsylvania, presi-
dent; J. Claude KEEPER of this city.
secretary. and Melvin NJ Johnson.
Massachusetts; w. l.. Daniels. New
Jersey: W. :. Farmer, New York /;
George L. Schoonover. Iowa; Walter
l.. -Stockwell. North Dakota: Andrew
l.. Randall. Texas: Charles H. Gala
han. Alexandria; Harry Noyes, New
Hampshire. and George NJ. Napier,
Georgia, directors. The first pres
ident. Thomas Shyrock of Maryland.
died several years ago.
The association acquired thirty-hye