The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-06-10
MASONIC ORDERS
ENGAGED IN BIG
BUILDING PL A N 6
Entire Country The Scene OF
Stupendous Construc-
ton Boom

Freemasonry is engaged in a stu
pendous building program through
out the country AS this activity is
largely of local initiative and enter
prise 1t Is difficult to make com
plete tabulation of all the construc-
ton projects under way, but 1t Is
safe to say that the total amount In
volved exceeds hundred million
dollars.
Perhaps the most spectacular
building project is the Detroit Ma
sonic Temple, to cost $o,ooo,ooo,
which will be one Of the largest and
costliest structures of its kind in the
world. 1t will occupy an entire city
block, will be II stories in height, and
besides lodge rooms, banquet and ball
rooms, will contain a theatre seating
$500 people, and with the largest
stage on the continent. IN the lodge
rooms $4,000 Masons may witness the
comforting of the three degrees or
Blue Lodge Masonry in week. Eight
thousand tons of structural steel Will
be used in the building.
Washington holds the fraternitys
interest by reason of the dedication
this fall Of the Washington Masonic
Memorial, for which the Masons OF All
the states have contr lbuted s3,Q0U,Ov0.
The local. Scottish Rite bodies are IL
nancing new temple at Thirteenth
and K streets; and other edltlces are
in the course of erection that Will
make Washington the Masonic CAPT.
tai of the nation.
The Scottish Rite bodies of st.
Louis are constructing one OF the
largest and most costly temples in
existence, to be used exclusively for
Scottish Rite purposes; while the
Albert Pike Memorial Temple, now
nearing completion at Little Rock,
Ark, will be a magnificent monu-
ment to a great and brilliant Mason.
In April the splendid Masonic
Temple at Birmingham. Ala. costing
s1,o00.O0o, was opened very appro-
priately, by a great public school
the annual convention
of the Alabama Educational assocla-
ton.
Eureka, Cal, small seaport town
on the Pacific coast, recently dedi-
Gated a superb structure, costing over
S350.0o0.
New England Masons, not to be
outdone by the brethren Of the south
and west, are considering ambitious
building projects. Massachusetts,
Masons are planning a great temple
In Boston to cost s1AceA- 90. = - / y
structure and furnishings. with an
endowment fund of 100000. Law
renee, Mass, has opened its new
temple, costing s250.000.
Danville, Va. formally opened last
month new. Masonic temple, 10
stories high. and Sioux City. Iowa, is
erecting an edifice to house its Ma
sonic activities for which the
brethren have raised s425,00o.
Mrs. Viola Lake. an ardent mem
H. H. To-
Miss. donated land for a Masonic
temple and the various craft organi-
cations are putting up building to
cost S3o0,000. the corner stone OF
which was laid May 20.
AL Malaikah Temple, Order of tho
Mystic Shrine, Los Angeles. lost their
mosque by fire last year. and imme-
diately set about rebuilding. A mag
nificent structure to accommodate
5000 people is being erected. repre-
sentinS an expenditure of nearly ST.
900, 900, which will be opened with a
grand ceremonial in the fall. Buffalo
Shrine is putting up club house to
cost $4,000.
Kokomo, Ind, has Just finished
temple at a cost of 100000; Madison.
Wis. has invested s750,o00 in a Ma
torium seating 1900 people; and Osh-
kosh and West Bend, in the same
state. are planning new lodge rooms.
Hollywood. Los Angeles. the center
Of notoriety in recent years. has re-
Gently opened ono of the most beauti-
full Masonic temples in the country, at
a cost of 100000, and is already
planning extensive additions. The
Masonic constituency of Hollywood
is large, active and thoroughly con-
secrated to high ideals.
Oklaht ma comes to the front with
four splendid temples in process of
construction; Oklahoma City. $1,000
900; Enid. $4,000: Claremont.
$4,000, and Holdenville. 100000.
cost s1,00o000; South Bend Masons
will soon open a temple costing over
d.ooo.ooo, and Rochester. N. Y. is
hurrying to- completion a beautiful
building representing $1.ooo.o0O.
Hartford. Conn. is investing $4,000
Among the communities in which
structures are being builded costing
toned: Long Beach. Cal; Provo.
Utah; Pikeville. KY; Louisville, Ky:
Fort Smith, Ala: San Francisco;
New Britain, Conn; Okeechobee.
Fla; Cainville. Ga: Bloomingto n.
ILL.,: Greenburg. Ind; Topeka. Kan:
Masillon, o.; Lynchburg. Va; El
Dorado. Kan: Mitchell, S. D.: Apple
ton, Wis; Chagrin Falls, o.; Holland
Mich; Tuckahoe. N. Y, nor-daes-th}
exhaust the list.
The Scottish Rite bodies OF New
York city have purcha sed the famous
Metropolitan house that seats $500
for their ritualistic work.
Philanthropies
Immense sums are being expended
also for Widows and Orphans
homes. The grand lodge OF Kentucky
is spending $1.500.000 this year for
the splendid homes near Louisville.
Eighteen new buildings are being
erected on q tract of Ill acres.
The grand lodge Of South Carolina
has appropriated $4,000 for a high
school building at the Masonic State
orphanage at oxford; while the Ma
sons of Wisconsin have begun cam
paign to raise 100000 to be used to
enlarge the Masonic institutions Of
that state.
Education also claims an interest.
and the grand lodge Of South Da-
kota has autht rizei the erection of a
dormitory for the Lasons and sons of
Masons on the campus of the Uni
versity of South Dakota. at Vermilion.
to cost 100000.
Ell Paso, Tex, Masons are soen to
erect q $1,000 900 hospital. The struc-
ture will be six stories and will ac-
comm odate 800 patients.