Evening star., 1932-04-10

Over the stage is a pipe organ cham
ber with lowers to direct the music
either into the amphitheater or the
Memorial Hall, as desired. Above the
tiers of seats and level with the second
floor Of the building-tl1e amphitheater
Is two stories high-are 16 marble col
umns reaching to the ceiling and form
ing a semi-circle around the auditorium.
These tan, graceful columns of st. Gene
We've Missouri marble are 1871 feet high,
little over feet in diameter and they
weigh 6 tons each. The trims through
out the auditorium are of jet-black York
fossil, which accent the soft chameleon
tones of the columns.
Besides the two main floors Of the
building described, there are seven stories
in the tower, making in all nine floors.
The principal sections Of the tower are
the three floors with very high ceilings
and tall memorial windows on all four
sides. These high stories are each sup
ported by a lower -ceilinged story. There
are AZ tall memorial windows, 27 feet
high, in the tower, adding great dignity
and charm to the architectural unity of
the building and giving to the solid
effect almost of fragilneSs. The three
high stories in the tower are the States
memorial, library and museum.
The States Memorial Hall, the largest
story in the tower is 63 feet long, 46 feet
wide, 80 feet high and has 16 memorial
windows. This room is reserved for
statues or other memorials to individ-
uals and affiliated bodies from the vari-
Gus States in the Union. The library,
on the sixth floor of the building, is
tall, handsome room with IA memorial
windows. It will house the National
Masonic and Historic Library, and par
ticularly those books pertaining to George
Washington.
ONE Of the chief purposes of the Wash
ington Masonic Memorial AsSocia-
item is to unity the more than 5000 900
Masons in the United States by main
tanning a library which will become the
center of Masonic information through
out the civilized world. Among the vaIu-
able books that have already been pre-
sented to this library are 5000 volumes
pertaining to the lore and history of
Freemasonry collected by the late Rae
J. Lemert of Montana. The Lemert
library Of Masonic literature is one of
the largest of its kind in the United
States.
The Last tall story in the tower is the
museum, where priceless relics of George
Washington and of Masonry will be ex-
hibited to the public. Above the museum,
on the ninth floor, is the open observa-
tien platform, which is 364 feet above
sea level and 257 feet above the ground.
From this height may be viewed a ter
ritory rich in historic significance. At
the foot of the hill is Alexandria The
city OF Washington and its majestic pub
lie buildings are plainly visible. To the
south is Cameron Valley, the site of
many Colonial homesteads. Further on is
Pohick Church, and on clear day the
tower of Mount Vernon may be seen
above the tree tops. Fort Washington,
at least 20 miles of the Potomac River,
GunSton Hall, Arlington and many other
historic landmarks are plainly visible.
Above the observation tower is the 20
tone rack of the electric chimes The
chimes, which can be heard mile away,
were presented by Col. Watres of Penn
sylvania- Above the chimes chamber is
an aluminium final, approximately feet
square at the base and 18 feet high, which
is expected to remain bright indefinitely,
as the cap of the Washington Monument
is still bright, although it has been in
place for more than so years.
The airplane beacon in the top of the
temple is permanent memorial to the
Grand Chapter Royal Arch Masons of
Virginia, which gave $1,000 toward its
construction. Nothing like this torch
has ever before been devised It consists