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Show THELODGEROOMGOSSIP Hews and Notes of Interest in Fraternal Circles All Sorts of Items, THE MASONS OF MINNEAPOLIS Are Building a Magnificent Temple-Knights Temple-Knights of Honor Knights of Pythias. IT WAS in May, 1883, that a few enterprising brothers conceived tho idea of erecting a Masonic templo in Minneapolis. Ucforo long tho "Masonic Templo Association Assoc-iation of Minneapolis" wus organ-i.ed, organ-i.ed, with a capital stock of tl.lO,-000, tl.lO,-000, divided into 0000 shares of 25 each, with a limit of indebtedness i of $7.),000. In the following month of July the directors felt authorized to pur-' pur-' chase a site. One of the best locutions in tho city the corner of Hennepin avenue nd Sixth street was selected, mensuring 83 feet by 165 feet and costing $01,600, $15,-000 $15,-000 of which was donated by private citt-ens, citt-ens, making tho net cost to t he association t-Hl.tsAl, It is now undoubtedly worth $100,000. The cnpital stock was afterward Increased to t-50,000. The Masonic temple has now beconio a reality and is rapidly approaching coin-, coin-, pletion. It presents to the eye a most pleasing and attractive appearance and can mio t fail to attract the attention of the observant passerby. Its dimensions are 83 feet on Hennepin avenue by 153 feet on Sixth street, and it is eight stories in height. It is built of Ohio white sandstone sand-stone ami, Architecturally speaking, is of Romanesque design. The Hennepin ave nue front is interspersed with numerous atriking features, emblematic of the Ma- , MINNEAPOLIS MASONIC TEMPLE, sonic order, always welcome to the eye of the craft. The building is thoroughly fire jiroof in construction and its interior arrangements ar-rangements for light, hunt, ventilation and access are tho very best known to modern science and experience. The npartmouts for the lodges are touilly distinct from tho olHce portion of the building. build-ing. The entiro northeastern portion above the first floor is set apart for Masonic purposes. pur-poses. On the second floor there are two largo and complete blue lodge halls, with balconies, extending, as do all tho lodge apartments, through double stories. On the fourth floor is the consistory chamber, and also an additional blue lodge hall. On the sixth floor are the cominandery, council and chapter chambers. The entire eighth floor is devoted to a largo ball, 80 by 114 feet, for drill purposes, for large convocations, banquets and the like, and is further completely equipped with adjoining ad-joining parlors, reception rooms, kitchen and closets. Tho first floor and basement are intended intend-ed for one In rgo general store and are largor thanany otherof tho kind in the city. They are capable, however, of being divided into " . three or four well lighted stores or general offices. The entire fronts both on Hennepin Henne-pin avenue and Sixt h street on the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth aud seventh floors are devotod to offices. There are of those about 120 In unrulier, and for comfort and elegance cannot well 1m surpassed. They will be thoroughly cared for and the entire building kept in first class condition. condi-tion. Two of the best elevators will be kept constantly in service. The entire coat , of the building, exclualve ot the site, before be-fore referred to, will not bo far from $300,- ooo. The information for the foregoing description de-scription and the picture of the templo which accompanies it are taken from an excellent and comprehensive article in a recent number ot The Voice of Masonry and Family Magazine. |