Evening Star Newspaper, June 7, 1923, Page 34

THE _EVENING STAR, WASHINGTO D. C. THURSDAY, JUNE 7, 1923. Homes of D. C. Masonry Keep Pace With Growth of City Masonry has grown up with Wash- fngton. From a mere handful of the craftsmen who were numbered among the first lodge established in George- town back In April, 1789, the growth of the fraternity has been reflected in is ever-increasing membership. Wwhich at_the present time has passed the 20,000 mark. The housing problem of the grow- ing organization has been foremost since its Inception. Temple after temple has been erected, only to give way in succeeding years to homes adequate to meet the resultant needs. Despite the seemingly immense ac- commodations provided by the mag- nificent central temple standing on the corner of 13th street and New York avenue northwest and the nu- merous smaller temples scattered in varlous sections of the city and sub- | urbs, ample facilities are still lacking | and Masonry is now looking for reliet to the proposed new home on Temple | Heights. H The march of improvements has swept away a few of the earlier homes of Masonic lodges in this juris- diction and those buildings in which the Grand Lodge found 4 succession of homes. Yet there remains & re- markable number—veritable land- marks—which stand as mute wit- n es to the progress of Freemasonry in_the District of Columbla. The earlier lodges of Georgetown are known to have met in private houses, but the first definite location of a Masonic lodge within the present limits of the District is that of the Federal Lodge, which met in a room specially fitted for its use in a resi- dence of one of the members on New Jersey avenue just south of the Capitol and now included in the site of the office building of the Housé of Representatives, ant Gate Lodxe. The newest addition to the chain ©of Masonic temples in this jurisdiction is the building erected by the East| Gate Lodge, No. 34, at Rhode Island | and Millg avenues novtheast, at a cost | of approximately $50.000. It is a three- | story brick structure. The front is faced with tapestry brick and Indiana limestone embellishments. On the ground floor are stores. A spacious auditorium, fully. equipped to meet the needs of the community for a public meeting hall, is on the second floor, while on the top floor fs the | lodgeroom. smoking room. locker | room, etc. The corner stone of this temple was laid September 1, 1922, with impres- aive ceremonies. The gavel used by George Washington jn laying the corner stone of the United States| Capitol building tappéd into place the | corner stone of the temple. The history of the new Masonic Temple at 13th street and New York avenue dates back to 1890, when the pressing need of a new temple of proportions ample. to accommodate the rapid growth of the fraternity, | and of a character in keeping with | the dignity of the order began to | occupy the attention of all interested, | and for a number of vears thereafter many tentative propositions lnok(nw‘ to such a consummation were ad- vanced and carefully considered. i Ground Broken in 1007. i Eight years later. after the site on which the temple now stands had been selected, the project of financing such a structure was inaugurated by | MANONIC HALL OF THE MYRON M. MILANS LODGE., NO. as. PARKER LODG GE, the solicitation of subscriptions from the varfous Masonic hodies and in- | dividual members. When the fund had increased to the point where good | business judgment made the venture | reasonable, ground was broken in 1907. The corner stone was laid June | % of that vear with elaborate and appropriate exerciges. . Unforsesn difficulty being mat with FESTIVALS,FETES | Washington, Continual Swelling of Body From Washington’s Time Till Present, With Over 20,000 Members, Followed by Increasing Number of Beautiful Lodge Buildings—Central Temple at New York Avenue and 13th Street Artistic and Mystic and Commodiously Furnished. B N e Nt NATNL PRATY MASONIC TEMPLE, STH STREET NEAR F STREET NORTHEAST, HOME NO. 27, AND THE JOSEPH H. in securing & foundation the work of bullding the temple was delayed, but was pushed with all possible speed, and the magnificient propor- tions and monumental character of the new addition to the city's archi- tectural beauty grew rapidly into evidence until the completion in 1908. Dedication ceremonies were held September 19. 1305. And thus by INAUGURATIONS DWARFED BY SHRINE DECORATIONS Never in its history has Washing- ton been decorated as magnificently | as it is today. No event has ever brought forth from the citizens of the capital city such a hearty ex pression of welcome as has been ex- tended to the visiting Shriners. The main thoroughfure of the city, Penn- | evivania avenue, is the axis of the entire system. Pennsylvania avenue today bursts forth with flags, bunt- ing. draperies, rosettes, fans and other devices. By night the visiting nobles. their friends and the citizens of Washington, as they walk on the historic Avenue, view on every hand the wizardy of the electricians' ar the soft glow of the vellow lamps east u golden mantle of light on the decorations. _ Between the Peace monument and the grim, gray Treas- ury are sixty-two arches. They are of the “split necklace” type, five are of major size. fifty-seven of minor type, and after one has passed through the magnificent “Garden of Allah” he beholds from 17th street to 224 street ten other street-wide features of illumination. From the middle of these are huge illuminated Shrine emblems. These in turn are surmounted by crowns of oriental design. The lamp -posts along the pathway which the “Sons of the Desert” tread are decorated by ban- ners and shields, all sirmounted by flags; and lest there be a missing note, Ross P. Andrews, chairman of the Shrine decorations committee. gave orders that every grandstand bs elaborately trimmed . for this suspicious occasion. Color Everywhere. Not alone is Pennsylvania avenue ® medley of colors, but every section ©f the city has been beautifully em- bellished with decorations that shew the spirit of hospitality of the peo- ple of Washington. .This, was made possible by the citizens' decoration committee, of which Charles J. Columbus 'Is chairman. The decora- tion of the business section had a separate chairman for each city square, and without exception everv business house in Washington has decorated lavishly its structure. As 4f these were not enough, various citizens’ associations have taken charge of the decorations in the resi- dential portions of the city. en | the river front presents a gala ap- pearance, and from the masts of yachts, from the rigging of other!/ craft flutter pennants, flags and em- blems. | The government . has done itself proud in the matter of decoration, whereas the visiting nobles viewed | from the great white portals of Unfon Station that beautiful white atone structure, the city post office. | Its pristine beauty was further en- hanced by the series of decorations, the counterpart of which Washington has never seen before. and its com- | panion bullding, the Post Office De- | partment, presents an appearance | that has trom the earliest part of' the week provoked words of admira- tion and appreciation from thousands of visitore. Not only did the Post Office Department employ the usual method of decoration. but they have also placed at points of vantage huge crescents. 'neath which are well exe- outed paintings of the Sphinx. Rolly-Polly Faces Here and there on the front of the bullding are gigantic faces, atop of which is the red fez. These faces show a rolly-polly countenance, one eye closed, as If in a wink. and If one i# well enough versed in the teachings of the Koran he will grasp the sig- nificance of that smile. The great granite building that houses our billions of gold presents an - imposing _appearance. stores and other edifices along the line of march give one the impres- slon of marching along a pathway of a great garden. It is as if on either side of the waik stand thousands of brilliant flowers. The carnival at Nice, the Madi Gras at New Orleans, the rose festival at Portland and the superb decorations of the San Fran- cisco exposition all are dwarfed. Here and there and everywhere are decorations of bunting of cloths of sold, ete. Potted plants and flowers, myriads of eledric lights amd hun- dreds of apeciments of the handiwork of the artists predominate. Truly, Washington presents the greatest NEW YORK AVENUE Hotels, | and most besutiful appearance she has ever shown to the world since the day of that great Mason—the father of his country, George Washington, AND 13TH STREET. gradual gradations and measured Steps the fraternity in the District arrived at the goal of its ambition for a quarter of a century—the pos- session of a temple Masonry and worthy of v zton The building is one of great dignity and simplicit «nd entirely in keep- with the ¢ public buildings | for which Washington Is noted. The cades, by their several parts, v to the mind the uses to whic hl ch part is put. the public part by large openings architecturally framed and the secret by small openings and large. simple wall surfaces. The im- pression to be conveved is that part of “the building will be for public use, while a larger part will forever MASONIC HALL, ANACOSTIA, HOME remain a closed book with all its mystery to the uninitiated Farm Mystic Character. ‘The peculiar shape of the site made | it possible to impress on the shortest but most Important facade facing 50 feet and 8 inches on 13th street. the character of the temple. The sides continuing down New York avenue 132 feet 6 inches and H street 144 feet 3 inches, respectively, are a continuation of the 13th street mo- tif. but here the windows are made much more archaic in character and by their shape, size and disposition lend mystic character to the struc- ture The building contains five stories and a basement, and is 110 feet above the sidewalk. It is fireproof through- HOME OF OF THE LOCAL o R SRS THE LO| GRAND LODGE GES. OF THE cut The with steel-frame exterior walls construction are self-sus- | taining. The massive Indiana limestone base of the building is heavily rusticated The principal entrance is marked by A large semi-circular opening or doorway to distinguish it from the rectangular openings on the sides, which are entrances and exits to the auditorium. The colonnade of the superstructure i« Hanked at either end by heavily rusticated piers. which comylete that part of the composition An attic crowns the buflding with | an elaborate cheneau. which glves an interesting silhouetfe against the sky The whole composition is designed OF THE ANACOSTIA LODGE, NO. for a light-colored material. The base is of limestone. The cornice and other architectural features, such as the caps and bases of pilasters. trims about windows, columns, balustrades, etc.. are also of estone or terra cotta to match in or, while the main body of the whole is of a se- lected gray brick. pleasing to the eye and in perfect harmony with the trimmings. Bunquet Hall Under Street. The main portion of the basement and vaults' extending out under the sidewalks on the three sides of the bullding is devoted to the banquet hall, seating about 500 persons. A lsrge auditorium, virtually sidewalk level, occupies almost at the | e R BRIGHTWOOD HALL, HOME OF THE STANSBURY LODGE, NO. 34. DISTRICT OF grand chapter MBIA AND MOST e e MASONIC HALL, TENLEYTOWN, HOWE OF TH ODGE entire first floor and seats about 1.500 persons. The room also is designed for use as a music hall, for use of choral societies or oratorio concerts as well as for special Masonic rites A mezzanine story, on a level with the gallery of the auditorium. con- 18 the offices of the board of man- agers of the building On the second floor a spacious 10bby opens from the public space and give the offices of the grand er and the grand secretary, the and the grand com- mandery rooms. the library and two ample lodge rooms, one of which is located on the south side and the other on the north side of the build- ing. The library room is of generous dimensions and equipped with se tional hook cases containing an un- usually large collection of works, spe- cial. fraternal' and general interest, while the walls are adorned with practically a complete set of oil por- trafts of deceased grand masters The third floor is devoted to Blue Lodge Masonry and contains two lodge rooms of slightly varving di- mensions. One on the southern side of the building is designated lodge room No. 1, while that on the nort ern side is known as lodge room No. 2. Room No. 1, the larger of the two, is handsomely upholstered in blue leather with appropriately toned car- pet and s occupied by the Grand Lodge as well as a number of others. The smaller room is furnished with leather upholstery and in addition to other attractions has a handsome | pipe organ buflt into a recess. The fourth floor, with two as rooms of practically corresponding sizes to those on the third floor, is devoted to the capitular and templar bodies. Auditorium Seats 800, The fifth and last floor is occupied embly | 1argely by an auditorium which, with its gallery, is capable of seating 800 persons. A large stage is the special feature of this room. The Grand Lodge of the District, twenty blue lodges and a number of Royal Arch chapters, commanderies (Knights Templar) and Eastern Star chapters meet in this temple. blue lodges meeting here follow: Federal. No. 1; Columbla. No. Lebanon, : New Jerusalem, No. Johns, No. 1 National, No. 12: Washington Centen- nfal. No. 14; Benjamin B. French, No. 15; Dawson. No. 16: Harmony. Acacia. No. 18: LaFavette, No. Hope, No. 20: Pentaipha, No. 2 minus, No. 25; Osiris, No. Solomon, No. 31; Temple 32._and Congress. No. Reyal Arch chapters which meet in the temple are: Columbia, No. 3: 19 Ar- e . e S ¥0. 2; Mount Vernon, No. ]3: reka, No. 4; LaFayette, 5 and Mount Horeb, No. 7. The Grand Chapter also holds its sesslons here. Columbia, No. 2. and De Molay. No. 4, are the Knights Templar comman- deries which meet in the temple. | Washington Counetl, No. 1, and Adon- iram Council, No. 2, of the Royal and Select Masters also meet here. Chapters of the Order Star_which eet in Naoml, No. 3; - ; Areme. No. 10; Temple, No. 13; William F. Hunt, No. 16; St John's Lodge. No. 18; Fidelity, No. 18; No. Miriam, No. 23; Beth- any. No. 24; Lebanon, No. 25: Wash- Ington Centennial, No. 26; Acacia, No. 28; Gavel, 29; Hope, No. 30; Hard- . and Loyalt Outgrew 01 Homens. The home of the central lodge be- fore the erection of the 13th atreet and New York avenue temple was in | the old Masonic Temple at the north- | west corner of 9th and F streets which is now standing criod of growth and unsatis- and inadequate housing con- movement was launched 1558, that finally re- sulted in the erection of the F strest temple. It was abandoned for Ma- sonic purposes when the new temple was opened | One of the older lodges of this ju- rigdiction is Naval Lodge. No. 4, which | meets {n its temple at 4th street and Pennsylvania avenue southeast. After its earlier history in a small two- story brick dwelling at 1129 Tth street southeast, Naval Lodge moved in 1521 into more commodious quarters at 5th street-and Virginia avenue south- east, then the most populous settle- ment in that part of the eity. The increasing membership ultimately forced the lodge to scek new quar- ters. In 1893 it purchased a lot at the northwest corner of 4th street and Pennsylvania avenue southeast and on it was erected the buflding now its home. The corner stone of this building was laid July 24, 1894, and June 6, 1895, the building was dedi- cated of the the tem- Esther, northwest, Aftera p tory titions. November Hax Valuable Relics. Potomac Lodge. No. 5, which claims to be the first in this jurisdiction, meets in Masonic Hal 1210 Wi consin avenue. This lodge has the distinction of having four dates of warrantry and four numbers. Tt also in posseesion a number of valuable Masonie relics, among them being the gavel with which Master eorge Washington laid the corner of the United States Capitel building, Wednesday. September 18, 1793 at has its stone Potomac Lodge was the first char- tered, April 21, 1389, which antedated the inauguration of President Wash- ington by nina days. This lodge was known officially as Lodge No. 9, and wus the second chartered by the Grand Lodge of Maryland The home of the Anacostia Lodge is in. Anacostia, D. C. The corner &tone of the building was laid July 2, 1890, The building was dedicated Novem- ber 4, 1860 Takoma Lodge became the seat of Masonry in this suburb in 1594 It was formally constituted and the hall dedicated May 15, 1885 In 1909 the lodge purchased the property and im- proved it ext Another Masonic temple in the out- M R. SINGLETON NO. 30. lving seotions is that of the Stans- bury Lodge. No. 24, in Brightwood Thisx building is aiso the meeting place of Brightwood Chapter, R. A. M. CHICAGO TEMPLE BOASTS POUNDS, PULCHRITUDE The potentate of Medinah, James d. is the biggest presiding poten- in the world. Mr. Todd, who is a prominent Chicago criminal lawyer, stands six feet four inches in height and weighs almost 500 pounds. But Medinah boasts of other weighty talent. Big Bill Wade, in charge of the oriental band and who was po- tentate last year. and is a representa- tive to the Imperial Council this year, is only a half inch shorter in height than Mr. Todd and weighs only one pound less Also the Chicago nobles promise to bring with them Miss Beatrice Vahle, T tate 1 Dopey Dan and the Shriners BY W. H. CLAGETT. ' Dear Nobles * UNE 7. Now that you've had ample opportunity to get a fairly good slant - at the methods and customs of us D. C. folks, lemme ask that in case there’s been any noticeable peculiarities—blazay manner, ultra eon- servatism or flippant chatter, f'rinstance—just chafk if up ‘to environ- ment and let it go at that! - Deep down in our innerds we're absolutely regular, but continueus hob-nobbin’ with the great international nabobs of the carth—and re- member we've been the checkerboard of the universe jor quite a few an- nums—can't possibly help affectin’ the simplest of communities, and while it's kee-rect that in the last two decades, espe- cially since the old world went ratty, us Wash- ingtonians have come in closer contaét with more kings, queens, jacks and ten-spots than any set of taxpayers ever corralled in one bali- wick, way back of it all we're Amcricans first ! And notwithstandin’ our long list of stoo- pendous exhibitions and history-makin’ pow wows, our stately Presidential inaugurations arms conferences, peace deliberations, mili- tary maneuvers, votes-for-wimmin demon strations, business men's conventions and plain common or garden circuses, never in the history of this unmatchable arca has an ex- travaganza been staged to compare in mag nificence with this huge hlowout of yourn! Take that back to Four Corners and Devil's Gulch and teil 'em I said it! For more vears than it's joodicious tr state, I've been weighin' in and out of thi ancient and honorable territory, and i eyver your show’s been equaled in the past, have been durin pledge ! In other words, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. vour perial Session a triple-X humdinger, an without question the most spectacular demonstration ever pulled in 1/ east! And as I set here in myv cubbyhole. squintin’ out aver the myriad of light-hearted, fez-topped revelers, representin’ virtually every blesaer commonwealth in our grand and glorious old, rock-ribbed-Republi willin'ly concede that you're rightiully. entitled to the chocolatescos: bonbon! Is “Pote” Steuart or any of the Almas bunch in the house? With that out of the way. and the tediousness of vo sions and pageantry splendors fast fadin' into history, it's onlv natura to surmise that the vast majority of vour mighty hordes will utilize th remainin’ time of your stay in givin' the incomparable Heart of the Natir a critical once-over; in which case don't forgct: That_notwithstandin’ all the physical beautics ni our Capital City, its unmatchable public buildings, broad avenues. parks. trees and flora, sumptuous private dwellings and stately monuments, the place itself, the tricd and trusted old District of Columbia. communin’ quarters of the coun- try's greatest brains, from Washington to Harding, stands today without a peer as the true cradle of liberty! So, in vour flitterin's don’t fail to take a rock! Yea, Nobles! We gladly give Massachu- setts hers, and let Virginia boast, and never sneer at Maryland. nor fail New York a toast! We point with pride to Rhody's name, and always freely bend to honor our great na- tional sons—we know just where they'll end! Charts, booklets and calendars will. de- tail each and every historic spot of interest in and near our world-famous ten-by-seven- mile area, all of which should not only be visited, but closely scrootinized, yet no printed program, schedule nor outline can inject into vour hearts the livifi’, .breathin’ spirit of liberty, which irom the moment the United States of America became .the land of the free and the home of the brave up to the time this goes to press. has permeatcd every ounce of ozone that's ever waited through this patriotic community! Thurfore, slow-up and draw in your breathers! Go to it. Shriners. the guardeens of your town and my town, from the great White Father to the humblest of District folks are not only willin’, but itchin’ that you give the old burg a most keerful up-and-down! They've got nothin’ to be ashamed of. and knowin’ full well that hones trustees always court an inspection, will feel much put out if you over- look a bet! I7 it’s to be had and is on the level we've got it and is yvourn to be enjoyed! I thank you, DOPEY DA) must the period | mislaid the o Ancient Arabic Order 1923 Im Eleven Huge Auto Parks Here Care for Thousands in Caravan Eleven nites in Washington today are accommodating more automobiles than ever before in their history, and | perhaps more than they will see at any one time In the future. Forty- five thousand machines are here. They are scattered around at these twelve parking places. in addition to the garages of the city. which are crammed to the bursting point with visiting motors At Camp Meigs alone are 10,000 machines. Six acres of ground at Georgia avenue and Pinev Branch road is literally covered with a crop of machines. Then, the old circus grounds at 15th and H streets north- east. i8 a rendezvous of other cars. When 8 flock of 45.000 machines comes to @ town. It behooves the civic host to provide for them. This is exactly what Dr. J. T. Prendergast chalrman of the automobile parking committee: C. M. Wright, his alde, and other members of the committee have been doing. The largest single task was watch- ing and checking up on the trans- continental caravan. They followed them day by day. while the fleet of machines grew from an original 400 to the thousands before reaching ‘Washington. Sunday, Dr. Prender- gast sent two committeemen to act &s pilots from Frederick, Md., to Wash- ington. At the Distriet line they were met by Dr. Prendergast and E. C. Snyder. chairman of the en- tertainment committee. and escorted to the clty proper. Then Tuesday afternoon, came the dedication of the | zero milestone at the north end o S o the Ellipse, previous to which these | Visitor could find gasoline. water. a automobiles paraded through Wash- | £XPerts io attend to any knocks ington streets. and formed a eircle | the motor g8 Jetn o8 dn the misshanian around the Ellipse. It's a hn-i.: job, :g‘dw‘;xrma ly every other service this automobile parking chairman- - " et 0 ship, and many a handkerchief was| ‘er‘l-x:?dr:v'u:'r’f\f‘;::'Tn"“:fl,“”-n“‘"{ e, drenched from the chairman's brow. Special guards are on « Lo take Other Parkiag Sites. Before the machines had been thers a Three of the eleven sites where the | day these guards were on speaking parking of automobiles ig being | terms with the respective owneérs. |+ handled here already have been men- | addition (o this type of safeguarding tioned. The othar elght are: Wis- |insurance had been taken out to pr. consin avenue, Friendship Heights, [ tect the owner of the machine in ¢ adjoining the McLean estate; Bladens- | of misfortune. There you are: vacant burg road and Trinidad avenue north- | blocke in Washington and fields out east; Delaware avenue, at D and O Rs b DR. JAMES PRENDERGA Chalrman of the Shrine nutomohile committee. who won the beauty prize last year in San Francisco. She was chosen by # committee of Chicago artists and sculptors as the most perfact woman in the c of the city limits turned into open streets Southwest: property at 4th|air garages, with water. electiric and C streets northeast; a plot at 5th | light, police protection, and all the street and Rhode Island avenue|conveniences of the roofed-over northeast: 15th street and Benning | garage. road northeast; 165 acres on Wilson | Garages, according to officials boulevard batween Rosslyn and Clar- | the Shrine organization. guarantced a endon, Va. and the Mausolsum prop- | month ago that the price for storing erty &t Arlington. machines would he $1 per day. In The Wilson Boulevard Auto Park is| virtually all cases, it was reported probably the largest stretch of | today, this has been lived up to, de ground ever used for the maintenance [ 8pite 'the fact that every storage of automobiles in Virginia. To look | arage in Washington is crowded 1o over this vast conclave of automo- | capacity with machines. The garages biles. one imagines he is inspecting | obtained automabiles for storage from the annual output of @ motor factory. | persons who had written in for ad Hoods are everywhere. This park | vance reservations. The total num and the Mausoleum property are the [ ber was between 10,000 and 15.000 fo1 official camping sites allotted to the The | CHARLES M. WRIGHT, irman of the Shrine lemobile committes. Teservations alone. Two weeks pre- Shrine organization. The others are | vious to the convention 7.000 reser- simply sites. vation requests were on file, - The progress of an automobile from an out-of-town road to the parking Dlace is Interesting. Here's the way most of the machines entered the District: Tpon arrival at Hyattsville, Rock- ville, Alexandria or other suburban towns on the traffic arteries leading into Washington the machines were stopped and the operator requested to register his name. The registrars were selected from the convention o ganization and sent to these outposts. Upon _registering, the motorist ceived a card which gave him the signment of parking space. Then he motored on. Arriving at the District line, there was another hold-up. He surrendered the card to others of the committee and a pilot was appointed to conduct him to the exact spot where his machine could be parked.| York and Pennsylvania hindreds of In this manner virtually every visit- [ machines joined the miles-long line ing machine wasa registered and listed | of motoring pilgrims. and when entering the city. A number of stolen | Rockville undertook to feed the cara automobiles, incidentally, were identi- | van at the Montgomery County Fair fled by this mean: Grounds Monday, the citizens of that Thus the machine came to the|town provided for almost as many parking space. Arriving there, the persons as the town itself held. Great Caravan Grows. The arrival of the automobile-aaravan from cross-country resembled greativ the terminus of a gigantic snowball at the bottom of a‘hill. It started small and ended big There were only 400 machines in line—only 400, mind stretching along only a few miles of highwav—at the start. As these ma- chines passed through California and far western states, on the main route. others constantly joined them, coming in from small feeder roads, where they had been parked awaiting the arrival of tWé ‘caravan By (he time the caravan hit St. Louis. the number had more than trebled in size, and during the tour across the middle western and central states, still more augmented the caravan. From New