USA > Pennsylvania > Allegheny County > The history of the Masonic fund society for the county of Allegheny from the year 1847 to 1923; with biographical sketches of deceased members of the Board of trustees By Hiram Schock. > Part 17
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The matter was thoroughly discussed, and it was unanimously decided that the Board, by the Charter, had full power to dispose of the property; but at the same time, the stockholders should be notified of our intended action; when the following motion was made:
On motion by James W. Brown, seconded by A. D. Armstrong,
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that a meeting of the stockholders be called to consider the aforesaid proposal.
Previous to this meeting, however, definite and con- clusive action had been taken by various lodges, holding in the aggregate the largest amount of stock in the Fifth ave- nue property. They had voted, in their lodge meetings, by large majorities in favor of selling that property and buying a new location and building thereon. So when the stock- holders' meeting was called by notices published in the local newspapers the brethren were ready to reach definite con- clusions as to this very important and engrossing subject. This session of the stockholders was held July 25, 1905, the chairman being Brother Frank W. Zimmer, of Franklin Lodge, No. 221, and Brother Andrew D. Armstrong of Mil- nor Lodge, No. 287, was chosen secretary. Fourteen indi- vidual holders of stock were present, in addition to the elected representatives of fifteen Masonic Bodies. Among those in attendance, and taking active part in the proceed- ings, was Brother James W. Brown, of Hailman Lodge, No. 321, who was then the R. W. Grand Master of the Pennsyl- vania jurisdiction. Herewith is a complete transcript of the minutes of this important meeting:
Alfred S. Bishop, President of the Board of Trustees of the Ma- sonic Fund Society, made a statement, giving the reason for this special meeting of the stockholders being called. He stated that while the Masonic Bodies owning the large number of shares had voted to sell the property, yet they did not authorize any person or persons to sell. The secretary was then requested to read Article VII. of the Charter relative to the powers of the trustees as to the pur- chase and sale of any property owned by the Society. After Article VII. was read, the President of the Board of Trustees stated that the Trustees wanted it distinctly understood that they did not waive any of the rights or powers given to them under the Charter. But as this is in the nature of a fraternal organization, the Trustees de- sired to have the stockholders called together in order that the matter might be discussed in a fraternal manner.
Wm. J. Mustin, of Commandery 48; Wm. Leatherman, of Lodge No. 287, and James W. Brown, R. W. Grand Master of Pennsylvania, made some remarks in relation to the value of the property and the probability of a sale being made. The President of the Board of Trustees then stated that several offers and requests for options had been made, the last one being for an option on the property at $1,200,- 000, less 2% commission to be paid the broker handling the sale. After some further discussion-
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A motion was made by Eli Edmundson, Jr., seconded by Edward Hope, that the stockholders of the Masonic Fund Society for the County of Allegheny approve whatever action is taken by the Board of Trustees, under Article VII of the Charter of the Society, leading to the sale of the property on 5th avenue, Pittsburgh, Pa., provided that the property be not sold for less than $1,200,000.
The roll was called and the stockholders were requested to vote "For," if they were in favor of the motion to sell; and "Against," if opposed to it. The following is a list of the individual and represen- tative votes cast-all in favor of the motion:
H. H. Arnold, 1; Andrew D. Armstrong, 1; A. S. Bishop, 7; Geo. P. Balmain, 1; James W. Brown, 3; Lewis T. Brown, 10; Eli Edmund- son, Jr., 1; A. V. Holmes, 1; A. J. Lawrence, 2; H. M. Landis, 1; Wm. J. Morris, 1; Sam'l A. Steel, 1; John W. Taylor, 1; E. S. Wright, 1 .- Total 32.
The representative vote were as follows:
Votes
George Dickson, represent'g Zerubbabel Chapter, No. 162 .. 523
Charles Johnson,
Duquesne Chapter, No. 193 24
George Goodwin,
Encampment No. 1 10
Edward Hope,
Gourgas L. Perfection 101
Edward Lane, W. M.
Lodge 45 638
Louis W. Sperber
St. John's Lodge No. 219 791
Frank W. Zimmer
Franklin Lodge, No. 221 1410
George Rese ¥ Allegheny Lodge, No. 223 1
Louis E. Michel, 66
Solomon Lodge, No. 231 143
Edward Bauer, W. M.,
Milnor Lodge, No. 287 1331
Samuel A. Steel,
Washington Lodge, No. 253 150
William B. Wilson
Dallas Lodge, No. 508 100
Malcolm G. McLaren
McCandless Lodge, No. 390 2
Charles R. F. Schwartz
Tancred Com. No. 48 150
William W. Price
Pittsburgh Lodge, No. 484 60
Total representative vote 5434
Making a grand total of 5466 votes cast in favor of the motion, and none against.
As shown by the above record there was no question or uncertainty as to the desirability of selling the Fifth ave- nue property, if a good price were obtained. But here again, action ended. The matter receded once more into the back- ground, and several years were to elapse, and much di- vergence of opinion was to arise, before Freemasons Hall was turned into the hands of the profane and a new location finally agreed upon. Aside from this affair regarding the property, the Board of Trustees had no other important matter before them during the rest of the year 1905, with
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the exception of the record of a meeting November 8, where- in it is stated that pursuant to a resolution previously adopt- ed, "the President and Secretary had purchased from the Dollar Savings Bank bonds to the value of $10,000, and had cancelled the same."
There was no change in the membership of the Board for 1906, and the Trustees started the new year by buying from Gourgas Lodge of Perfection, A. A. S. R., bonds of the old issue of 1888 to the value of $6,000, which "were promptly cancelled." Meantime, notwithstanding the prob- able sale of the Fifth avenue property, important and ex- pensive repairs and alterations were made this year, 1906, in the Masonic building. In February a contract was closed for repairing the skylight at a cost of $575, with an addi- tional cost for repainting the same of $105; and at this date the Trustees had just paid $2,250, "covering the first payment on contract for elevator being erected in the store room of the Hall." The total cost of this latter improvement was $4,500. One of the interesting features of the financial status of the Board of Trustees at this period was the steady effort being made to reduce the number of bonds as fast as possible. As will be remembered, the issue of bonds made in 1888 amounted to $150,000, and in the minutes of a meeting held in March, 1906, it is stated that of the $150,- 000 issue there were still outstanding bonds to the amount of $104,000, but that in that same month of March this had been reduced to the extent of $10,500, as bonds to that value had just been purchased from Franklin Lodge, No. 221, and cancelled.
There was no change in the membership of the Board for the year 1907, and the records of the sessions for the twelve months are of no particular importance. The same board was retained for 1908, and in this year a very impor- tant step was taken in connection with the adjustment of the payment of the outstanding bonds of the Masonic Fund Society of the issue of 1888. The meeting at which this matter was considered and arranged was held September 29, 1908, and in the minutes is this explanatory entry :
The president announced that the meeting had been called for
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the purpose of providing for the payment of the bonds of the Society which fall due October 1, 1908.
The minutes of the meetings of the shareholders of the Society held July 10th, 1888, at which meeting the bond issue was authorized, were then read, and it appeared that the Trustees, under the resolu- tion adopted at that meeting, were empowered to extend the time of payment of the bonds to a period not exceeding five years, and at a rate of interest not exceeding six per cent. per annum, without any further action of the shareholders;
Whereupon, on motion of John W. Taylor, seconded by A. V. Holmes, the following resolution was adopted:
The resolution referred to above as introduced by Brother Taylor had been drawn up by Brother George C. Burguin, the then solicitor of the Board of Trustees, and the main features of are: It is first recited that the Masonic Fund Society had executed and delivered, in October, 1888, to the Fidelity Title and Trust Co., of Pittsburgh, a mort- gage on the Masonic property on Fifth avenue to secure the payment of a bond issue of $150,000, the said company be- ing trustee for the sale of the bonds; that up to September 29, 1908, the Society had bought and cancelled outstanding bonds to the amount of $69,000; that at that date, Septem- ber 29, 1908, the Dollar Savings Bank of Pittsburgh had be- come owner and holder of the remaining bonds to the extent of $52,500; and that "sundry other persons" also held bonds of this issue to the value of $28,500. This being the status of the bond issue at that date, an agreement had been made and executed between the Masonic Fund Society and the Dollar Savings Bank whereby the latter agreed to purchase the $28,500 worth of bonds held by outside parties, and then, having made this purchase, the bank extended the time of payment on all these bonds "for a period of five years from the first day of October, 1908," at a rate of five per cent. interest. Under this convention, the outstanding bonds continued to slowly decrease in volume, and it is in- teresting to note that this plan was followed steadily. Two years later later, for instance, in December, 1910, the status of the bond account is given by the following statement from the Fidelity Title and Trust Company, who were still the bond trustees :
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Bonds outstanding Nov. 30, 1909 $60,000.00
Bonds purchased and retired during 1910 16,000.00
Bonds outstanding Nov. 30, 1910 44,000.00
Aside from the above action taken with regard to the bonds, the minutes for the year 1908 are devoted to record- ing routine matters relative to improvements on the Hall and the prompt payment of numerous bills. In December all the trustees were reelected for the year 1909, and dur- ing this period nothing of general concern has been set down in the records of the meetings of the Society. But a sad break was made this year in the membership of the Trus- tees by the death of Brother James W. Brown, R. W. Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania. This influential and greatly beloved Mason died on October 23, 1909, near Detroit, Michigan, where he had gone in the hope of improving his health. He had long been prominent in the iron and steel industry, but had given much of his time and ability to the promotion of Masonic interests. He was a member of Hailman Lodge, No. 321, and had served as R. W. Grand Master in 1904-1905. His wise and efficient activities as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Ma- sonic Fund Society were gratefully recognized by the Fraternity, and it has been truthfully said of him that he "spread abroad the genial light of a cheerful and kindly heart." His successor on the Board of Trustees was Brother George W. McCandless, of Pittsburgh Lodge, No. 484, the membership of the Board for the year 1910 being, President, Alfred S. Bishop; Treasurer, Americus V. Hol- mes; Secretary, Andrew D. Armstrong, and Brothers Ed- ward S. Wright, George W. McCandless, John W. Taylor and Harry M. Landis. This year was a busy one for the trustees in connection with the revived proposition to sell the Fifth avenue property and buy a new site for a Ma- sonic building. The details of these proceedings will be found in the next chapter reciting the history of the dis- posal of that property and the final erection of the present massive Temple.
No change was made in the membership of the Board for the year 1911, but in the minutes of a meeting held on April 4 there is a record of more than passing interest. Mr.
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William Campbell, the well known Pittsburgh merchant, had died in March, 1911, and although he had not been a member of the Craft, the trustees rightly felt that they should take official notice of his death, in the form of a de- served tribute. For forty years Mr. Campbell had been a tenant of the Masonic Fund Society, having for that length of time continuously conducted his business, first in the Masonic Hall dedicated in 1851, and then in Freemasons' Hall erected in 1889. The following tribute to his memory was adopted by the Board and recorded on the minutes:
The President reported that Mr. William Campbell, who had been a tenant of the Society for forty years, had died March 23, 1911. On motion, it was resolved, that the action of the officers of the So- ciety in sending a floral tribute and attending the services, at the late residence of Mr. Campbell, be approved, and the following minute be made of his death:
"Mr. William Campbell, our tenant for almost forty consecutive years, was well known to all the members of the Board. He was a man of strong character, upright, honest, and straightforward in all his dealings. The members of the Board who were often brought into contact with him remember, with pleasure, the patience, gentleness and courtesy shown by Mr. Campbell on all occasions, no matter what subject was being discussed. In the death of Mr. Campbell the So- ciety has lost not only a good tenant, but also a valued friend, and one that, in either character, it will be difficult to replace."
In this year, 1911, under date of December 4, we get another glimpse of the bond situation from the following communication, sent to the Board by the Fidelity Title and Trust Co .:
Gentlemen, in reference to mortgage made by the Masonic Fund Society to the Fidelity Title and Trust Co., Trustees under date of October 1, 1888, to secure an issue of bonds, we hereby certify that there were issued bonds aggregating $150,000. According to our records, there have been cancelled to date bonds aggregating $123,- 000, leaving outstanding at the present time, $27,000.
When the stockholders convened in December to choose trustees for 1912, they retained all the old Board with the exception of Brother George W. McCandless, who was not a candidate, and his place was filled by the selection of Brother Andrew W. Pollock, of Lodge 45, brother of the late Dr. Pollock, and who had formerly been a member of the Board, being elected in December, 1893 and serving until the close of the year 1896. This year of 1912 proved to be
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an exacting one for the Board of Trustees. They had on hand the varied and important duties connected with the disposal of the Fifth avenue property, the arrangements for the purchase of another site and the preliminary work inci- dent to the construction of the present Temple-all of which history is presented in full in the succeeding chapter. At a meeting held November 5, 1912, action was taken looking to the purchase of all the outstanding bonds, the minutes reading as follows:
The question of purchasing all the bonds outstanding before the close of the fiscal year, November 30, 1912, was talked over; when, on motion, the officers were authorized to purchase the entire amount of bonds outstanding and to execute a note for sixty days for the amount over and above that which is available.
The satisfactory sequel of this action is seen in the fol- lowing record of a meeting of the Trustees held December 3, 1912:
The President reports that, as per resolution, November 5th, 1912, he and the Secretary had purchased all the bonds outstanding, which was twenty-one thousand ($21,000) dollars, and had executed a note with the Federal National Bank at 60 days for $10,000, this being the amount required over and above the amount available.
Thus at last all the indebtedness incurred by the erec- tion of Freemasons Hall in 1889 was practically disposed of and the Trustees stood ready to engage in the very much larger financial transaction which the purchase of a new site and the erection of a greater edifice involved.
At the annual election for stockholders three new mem- bers came into the Board at the beginning of 1913. These were Brothers Joseph E. Lewis, a member of McCandless Lodge, No. 390; William M. Hamilton, of Crescent Lodge, No. 576, and Roland S. Wilson, of Lodge 45. No small quantity of ink had to be used in setting down the volumin- ous minutes of the meetings of the Society during 1913, de- tailing the progressive steps taken in connection with the new Temple. No change was made in the membership of the Board for the year 1914, and the same trustees served through the following year. By the end of 1915 the great new edifice was practically completed, and the Board had the fine satisfaction of holding its first meeting there March 2, as shown by the following:
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HISTORY OF THE MASONIC FUND SOCIETY
Pittsburgh, Pa., March 2nd, 1915.
A regular meeting of the Trustees of the Masonic Fund Society was held at their office in Masonic Temple, cor. 5th and Lytton ave- nues, today at 3:30 P. M.
Present: A. S. Bishop, Prest .; Jos. E. Lewis, Rowland S. Wil- son, A. V. Holmes, Treasu'r; Wm. M. Hamilton, A. D. Armstrong, Sec.
Many matters connected with the new Temple, the settlement of contracts and the adjustment of financial questions, make up the valuable minutes of the year 1915. At the date on which the Trustees held their first meeting in the Temple, practically all of the Masonic Bodies within the limits of the city of Pittsburgh were quartered in the great edifice, the corner stone of which had been laid with impressive ceremonies on Tuesday, March 10, 1914, as de- scribed in the chapter following. For the year 1916 only three of the former trustees were retained, Brothers Lewis, Bishop and Landis. The new members were Brothers George W. McCandless, who had served as a trustee during the year 1910; William E. Best, Esq., of Milnor Lodge, No. 287; Taylor Alderdice, of Fellowship Lodge, No. 679; and Fager Jackson Shidle, also of Milnor Lodge, and who was the third of his name and family to become a member of the Board of Trustees. When the time again came in December to choose trustees for the year 1916 Brother Harry Milton Landis was on a bed of sickness, from which he never arose, this highly esteemed and efficient member of the Board dying at his home in Pittsburgh December 7, 1916. Brother George W. Wilson, a member of Pittsburgh Lodge, No. 484, was elected to fill the vacancy on the Board of Trustees caused by the death of Brother Landis. For more than forty years Brother Wilson has stood at the fore- front of the local Fraternity, a useful and constant and be- loved worker for the best interests of the Craft, and now is rounding out his long and honorable Masonic career as a member and treasurer of the Masonic Fund Society. On June 24, 1917, formal announcement was made at a meet- ing of the Trustees of the death of Brother George W. Guthrie, 33°, eminent in civic and Masonic life, and a Past Grand Master of Pennsylvania Masons. He had died at Tokoyo, Japan, where he was filling with honor and dis-
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tinction the office of Ambassador from the United States. He had through many years taken a deep personal interest in the labors of the Board of Trustees and had for an ex- tended period been its official legal adviser.
Since the year 1917 there has been no change in the membership of the Board of Trustees, and the reader will find in the next chapter an extended recital of the great labors of the Board in the period during which the present Temple was constructed. Later it was made the home of thousands of ardent American soldiers, preparing to take part in the great war in France. For always has this ancient Board of Trustees, down through its great existence of near- ly three quarters of a century, been mindful of the calls of patriotism as well as of charity, whether along great or small lines. Always its deeds of benevolence have been un- obtrusive, and no records are ever left to tell where help has been given, for the unrecorded words of gratitude are deem- ed ample recognition of all the sweet ministrations of charity. Now and then, however, we come across some bit of benevolence which gets noticed, as for instance we may read in the minutes of a meeting of the Trustees held Oc- tober 1, 1918, a record set down with grave precision by Secretary Fager J. Shidle, of a resolution, unanimously adopted, to the effect "that the Masonic Fund Society pur- chase $50 worth of tickets for the benefit of the Pittsburgh and Erie baseball teams, to be distributed to the school chil- dren of the Schenley High and the Bellefield Schools."
Here we end our recital of the multitudinous matters which have come up for consideration and action by the successive members of the Board of Trustees of the Masonic Fund Society for the County of Allegheny through the long period of seventy-three years. This recital presents a re- markable and brilliant example of splendid achievements, se- cured by an unwearied persistence that had its source in a beautiful devotion to Masonry on the part of men who saw in the Fraternity the noblest aims to which mankind may aspire.
CHAPTER VI.
ERECTION OF THE GREAT MASONIC TEMPLE.
Wonderful Growth of Masonry in City of Pittsburgh-Action of Gourgas Lodge of Perfection in Movement for New Edifice- That Body Buys a Site-Board of Trustees Take Up the Great Matter and Decide with Stockholders on Manner of Selling Fifth Avenue Property-Location for Temple Bought in Schenley Park District-Description of that Location-New Temple to Cost Over Million Dollars in Construction and Furnishings-Settle- ment of All Negotiations and Work Begun on Edifice-News- paper Comments-Work on Temple Started and Corner Stone Placed with Notable Ceremonies-10,000 Brothers in Procession- Contents of Corner Stone-Imposing Structure Completed-Great Temple Thrown Open to Needs of War and Made Home for Soldiers Going to France.
J UDGE Charles Shaler, who was eminent as a jurist, a Mason and citizen, in the early days of Pittsburgh, and for years an active member and safe counsellor of the Masonic Fund Society, delivered a brilliant address before a large gathering of Masons in Pittsburgh on June 24, St. John's Day, in the year 1846. That address is an illuminating exposition of the antiquity of Masonry and of its revival after the crash of the Roman Empire, in the times of the Middle Ages, when it suddenly emerged, as says Brother Shaler-
From the darkness that had lowered upon science and skill, and in the course of a few years covered Europe with those immense piles of architecture denominated Gothic, in which are exhibited the most sublime conceptions of the vast, the magnificent, and which seem, in some instances, almost to transcend the bounds of human invention, or the limits of human power.
This close and significant interlacing of Masonry with the art of the builder has always been one of the conspicu- ous and splendid glories of the Order; and Judge Shaler, in his address, presents that fact with engrossing interest. It is therefore, a matter of extreme importance for our Pittsburgh brethren to keep in mind the thought that by the construction of their great Temple they have not only exemplified the ancient practices of the Craft, but have also given to the world an imposing concrete symbol of Ma-
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sonic strength and influence. But there is also, in this con- nection, another particularly significant thought. It is that our Temples and Halls are not only symbols of Masonic antiquity and teachings, but they are also the products of Masonic necessity. For, amongst other reasons, there has always been one practical controlling reason for the con- struction of a building for Masonic purposes, whether it be called a "Temple" or a "Hall." That reason is, that there is, at the time, an insistent need for such a building. For our Masonic edifices are not the products of pride-an ostenta- tious desire to make a display of power and wealth. In- deed, it may be safely asserted that no structure, intended for the use of Masonic Bodies, has ever been erected in the United States, and probably nowhere in the world, with- out there having been first an actual need for such a struc- ture. Our local Masonic history shows that this has always been the case in Pittsburgh. The modest little Hall of 1811 was replaced by the larger one in 1830; and in turn, this gave place to the still more commodious building of 1851, and then again there came the more imposing Freemasons Hall of 1889, to be followed a quarter of a century later by the splendid Temple now in use. And at each successive construction, the building was always larger than the pre- ceding one, because the steady increase of the Craft requir- ed more extensive accommodations.
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