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 18
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In Pittsburgh by the year 1905 the Blue Lodges, the Chapters, the Council, the Commanderies and the Scottish Rite Bodies were making remarkable strides in growth and prosperity. The Scottish Rite, sadly pressed for room, were especially urgent in their demands for a larger Masonic building. Thus the various expressions of dissatisfaction over the inadequate accommodations of Freemasons Hall on Fifth avenue became a concrete and constant argument in favor of a larger structure. But from the very beginning of this agitation, the question of the location for a new hall or temple developed a marked diversity of preference among the brethren, and some years were to elapse before an agreement was reached as to just where the new site should be.
It was Gourgas Lodge of Perfection which as far back
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as 1901 had first taken hold of the matter with practical vigor. They favored the erection, on a new site, of a build- ing which should be large and modern in appointments, and one in which all the Pittsburgh Masonic Bodies might com- fortably gather. But they did not receive at this time sup- port from the brethren in general, and the trustees of the Masonic Fund Society were not willing to embark in such an important enterprise until there was more unity of ac- tion. Record has been made in the preceding chapter of the first steps taken by the trustees toward the sale of the old Fifth avenue property and the erection of a new build- ing, which, as has there been shown, had reached the point where the shareholders had authorized the Board of Trus- tees to dispose of the Fifth avenue premises. But again the whole matter was halted, the trustees knowing that they could not act definitely and therefore satisfactorily to the Craft without a united fraternity behind them.
Finally, in the midst of this status, the Scottish Rite Bodies, led by Gourgas Lodge of Perfection, being so seriously handicapped for a lack of space in Freemasons Hall, decided to go ahead, purchase a site and put up their own hall, in conjunction with any of the other Masonic Bodies who might join in with their plans. In fact, back in the year 1902, Gourgas Lodge of Perfection had got out a circular letter soliciting subscriptions for stock in a new building, declaring "that the growth and prosperity of the Bodies of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite in the Valley of Pittsburgh have rendered inadequate their present apart- ments and facilities for properly conferring the degrees and for accommodating members and candidates." They con- tinued to keep the matter before the brethren, and by the close of the year 1904 had acquired, by purchase, a lot on Forbes street, in the Oakland district in Pittsburgh, on which they proposed to erect a building. They had appoint- ed a Committee on Ways and Means, and this committee, at a meeting held in November, 1904, at which Brother George W. Guthrie, 33º, was chairman, presented a recom- mendation to the effect that "Gourgas Lodge of Perfection agrees to contribute $200,000 to the erection of a new Tem- ple." They had determined to go ahead with the propo-
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sition, if possible, and Brother James I. Buchanan, 33º, in his "Retrospect of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry in the Valley of Pittsburgh," says, in refer- ring to this meeting, that the recommendation was "adopt- ed by the largest and most earnest vote that was ever cast in Gourgas Lodge of Perfection." But as neither a ma- jority of the other Bodies nor of the shareholders in the Masonic Fund Society could be induced at that time to join in the enterprise, this movement to erect a building in the Oakland district lay dormant until the year 1906.
Then on December 6 of that year, at a meeting of Gourgas Lodge of Perfection a "Building Committee" was appointed and empowered "to formulate plans looking to- ward the locating, building or securing new quarters for the Scottish Rite Bodies." The Masons who comprised this committee were: Ills. Brothers George W. Guthrie, 33º, James I. Buchanan, 33°, Herman Junker, 33°, Joseph G. Morris, 33°, and Harry W. Dunlap, 33°, with the addition of the presiding officer of Gourgas Lodge. Conferences were held with the Trustees of the Masonic Fund Society, during which the fact developed that the former rather strong sentiment in favor of erecting a hall in the Oakland district had a good deal weakened, and it was announced that the Trustees had recently obtained options on other properties in the "downtown section" of Pittsburgh. But again no concerted plan was evolved, and no further action was taken by Gourgas Lodge of Perfection until 1909.
However, the Trustees of the Masonic Fund Society were far from abandoning the movement. They were, in fact, in hearty accord with the claim that Freemasons Hall had become too small for the use of the Masonic Bodies. But they still wanted unity of action, and they were acting with due and sensible caution, as is shown by this extract from the minutes of a meeting held March 5, 1907:
The subject of sale or exchange of the Society's property was talked over for some time, when John W. Taylor made a motion, seconded by A. V. Holmes, that a committee of three, be appointed, consisting of the President, Secretary and H. M. Landis, to take into consideration the question of sale or exchange of the property, and to consult with the Hon. Geo. W. Guthrie (Solicitor), on the legal points pertaining thereo.
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Then in 1909 Gourgas Lodge of Perfection made anoth- er start in their insistent crusade for a new Masonic build- ing. At a meeting held May 6 of that year, a lengthy re- port from their Building Committee was received and adopt- ed. In this report strong arguments were again advanced in favor of the Forbes street site, which that lodge had bought, and it was supplemented at the same meeting by an additional report which recited that on a vote for or against the Forbes street lot, 1,769 members of Gourgas Lodge of Perfection had voted in favor of that site, and only 399 against it. There had also been a vote in that lodge on the question whether or not the proposed new hall should be exclusively for Masonic purposes, and on that question the vote was 2,115 in the affirmative and only 60 in the negative. Later other meetings of the Building Com- mittee of Gourgas Lodge were held and on October 7, 1909, Brother James I. Buchanan, 33º,resigned as a member of that committee owing to the fact that his relations with other Masonic Bodies did not seem to him to be consistent with his membership on a committee made up from only one of the Bodies. His place was taken on the committee by Brother William McConway, 33º. This committee did nothing further in the matter of a new hall during 1909. But an entry in the minutes of a meeting of the Masonic Fund Society shareholders on December 27, 1909, shows that the Board of Trustees were ready to pay attention to any proper offer for the purchase of the Fifth avenue prop- erty. This entry reads as follows:
The President of the Masonic Fund Society announced that an offer had been made to the Board of $875,000 for the property of the Society on 5th avenue, Pittsburgh, Pa., and that the Board had re- fused the offer. Should the Board be offered what they consider a fair proposition for the property, a special meeting will be called to consider the proposition.
The above record indicates the exact position of the Board of Trustees on the subject of disposing of the Ma- sonic holdings and the construction of another building. They were at that period making no official announcement as to their choice of a site for a new hall. Their immediate concern was to safeguard the financial interests of the Craft by attending to the legal and profitable disposal of the prop-
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erty then owned by the fraternity down in the business sec- tion of the city.
But at the beginning of the next year, 1910, Gourgas Lodge of Perfection, with a commendable spirit of progress, again took up its advocacy of its Forbes street ground as a good site for a Masonic building. A call was sent out for a public meeting of Masons to be held February 2, 1910, in Music Hall of the Carnegie Institute. It was held under the auspices of Gourgas Lodge of Perfection and there was a large number of the brethren present. The Building Com- mittee presented an extended report in favor of erecting a building on the Forbes street site, and this report made a strong impression. But its effect was wholly destroyed im- mediately after it was read, by an announcement following the reading of the report, that the Pittsburgh Street Rail- ways Company had purchased a lot directly opposite the ground on Forbes street owned by Gourgas Lodge of Per- fection, and that upon this lot the railway company was preparing to erect large car barns. This news at once put an end to all arguments in favor of the Forbes street lot as a site for any sort of a Masonic building. The meeting in the Carnegie Hall closed with the adoption of this resolu- tion :
Resolved, That the whole matter be referred back to the committee with instructions to investigate the possibility of disposing of the pres- ent site, and the purchase of a more desirable one, and make report at a meeting to be called by the Thrice Potent Master.
Commenting on that conclusion of the long and com- mendable effort of Gourgas Lodge to bring about the con- struction of a Masonic Hall sufficient in accommodation to meet the needs of the local Craft, Brother James I. Buchan- an, in his "Retrospect" says: "With this ended the move- ment of the Bodies of the Scottish Rite for a building of their own."
From this period can be dated the adoption of the con- certed action which finally brought into existence the great Masonic edifice completed in 1915. There had been a session of the Board of Trustees on the day prior to the meeting in Carnegie Music Hall on February 2, 1910, and it had been arranged to hold a conference with the A. A. S. R. Building
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Committee on February 2, prior to the meeting in Carnegie Hall. The reason for this conference on that date was this: The action of the street railways company had be- come privately known among the Masonic brethren, and it was concluded that as soon as this information should be given at the public meeting the brethren there assembled would at once drop the Forbes street site as a proper one for their proposed hall or temple. This was, as we have seen the result, and the Board of Trustees were then in position to assume the leadership, backed by Gourgas Lodge of Perfection and the other Bodies, in the important work of getting rid of the Fifth avenue property, securing other ground and arranging for the construction thereon of a great edifice. That the building should be one worthy of the importance of the Pittsburgh Masons and ample for their requirements was the general desire. It was, in fact, determined to erect an edifice which would be worthy of the name of "Masonic Temple." Assuming, therefore, charge of this great programme, the Board of Trustees decided to send out a printed circular "to each and every member of the Blue Lodges meeting in Freemasons Hall for the pur- pose of ascertaining their wishes as to retaining Free- masons Hall as a place of meeting, and their opinion as to the advisability of purchasing another site and erecting a building thereon, which would be more suitable and con- venient for all the Masonic Bodies." This circular was prepared and read at a meeting of the Board of Trustees on March 30, nearly a month after the gathering in Car- negie Music Hall. It set forth the purposes in view, and the following two questions were added to it:
(1) Are you satisfied with the accommodations furnished your lodge in Freemasons' Hall, and do you desire to retain said Hall as a place of meeting ?
(2) Are you in favor of obtaining another location and the erection of a building thereon which would be more suitable and convenient ?
This circular was mailed by the Trustees to 5,268 members of the fraternity, from whom 2,784 replies were received. In answer to the first question above, 1,850 members voted "No;" and 689 voted "Yes." To the second question there were 2,179 votes in the affirmative, and 474
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in the negative. While the total number of replies received to the two questions was not as large as had been expected, there could be no doubt as to the attitude of the brethren in general with regard to the proposition to secure a new location and erect thereon a larger hall, and as to the Ma- sons who did not vote at all on either of the two queries, the Trustees were quite justified in interpreting their silence as a sign of acquiescence in whatever action the Board of Trustees might see fit to adopt. It was therefore decided by the Trustees to proceed with the formulation of more definite plans. Accordingly, in pursuance to a previous arrangement, the Trustees met, on April 7, 1910, with the members of the Building Committee of the Scottish Rite Bodies for the purpose of determining and agreeing upon their future line of action with regard to the sale of the Fifth avenue property and the purchase of a site elsewhere. This important session was convened in Freemasons Hall at 4 o'clock in the afternoon of the above named date; and be- cause of the present interest in the matter and its value as a historic record for the future, a complete transcript of the minutes is given herewith. It will be seen by this record that there was no longer any doubt as to the neces- sity of a new Masonic Hall, nor as to the need of prompt and practical action looking to that end. The minutes are as follows : Pittsburgh, April 7, 1910.
A special meeting of the Trustees of the Masonic Fund Society for the County of Allegheny was held in Freemasons' Hall, Fifth avenue, today at 4 P. M., as per resolution passed at a special meet- ing held March 30, 1910, which was as follows: "On motion, the President and Secretary were authorized to request the members of the Building Committee of the A. A. S. R. to meet with the Trus- tees of the Society in Freemasons Hall, Thursday, April 7th, at 4 P. M.
The following were present at this session of April 7:
Members of the M. F. S .: A. S. Bishop, Prest.
A. V. Holmes, Treas. John W. Taylor Geo. W. McCandless
Wm. McConway
Edward S. Wright
H. M. Landis A. D. Armstrong.
Members of the A. A. S. R. Committee:
Geo. W. Guthrie
H. W. Dunlap
Herman Junker
Jos. G. Morris
Jas. Lytle
Wm. B. Tipton.
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A. S. Bishop, President of the Society, presided at the meeting and A. D. Armstrong, Secretary, acted as Secretary.
The President stated the object of the meeting was to make a report of the ballot by the Craft in regard to their desire to remain in the present building, or obtaining another location, and the erec- tion of a building thereon.
The minutes of the informal meeting of March 30, 1910, which gave the number of circulars and cards mailed to the Craft, and the number of the replies received, and the number of Yea and Nay votes on the question, was read.
The subject of formulating some plan to build a new Hall was discussed by the following brothers: Geo. W. Guthrie, Wm. McCon- way, H. W. Dunlap, Geo. W. McCandless and James W. Lytle and A. S. Bishop, President. After a full and free expression of opinion of the various plans that might be followed, in order to simplify matters, it was thought wise to appoint a committee to prepare and present a plan or plans at a subsequent meeting of the Trustees of the Masonic Fund Society and of the Building Committee of the A. A. S. R., to be called by the President of the Masonic Fund Society.
When on motion of Geo. W. Guthrie, seconded by Herman Junker, it was resolved, That a committee of five be appointed, of which the President of the Masonic Fund Society shall be chairman, to formu- late a plan to carry out the wishes of the brethren as expressed by their ballot recorded in the minutes of the meeting held March 30th, 1910; this committee to report back at a subsequent meeting.
The President appointed the following as that committee: Geo. W. Guthrie, Wm. McConway, Harry Dunlap, James H. Lytle and the president. Letters of regret of their inability to be present were re- ceived and read from James I. Buchanan and James S. Arnold.
The Committee of Five, appointed as stated above, got to work promptly, drew up a plan and submitted it at an informal meeting of the Trustees of the Masonic Fund So- ciety and the representatives from Gourgas Lodge of Per- fection, held November 25, 1910, a record of which meeting is as follows:
An informal meeting of the Trustees of the Masonic Fund So- ciety for Allegheny County, and the Trustees and Building Commit- tee of the A. A. S. R., was held in Freemasons Hall at 3:30 P. M., pursuant to a call of the chairman.
Trustees Present : Member of the A. A. S. R., Committee:
A. S. Bishop,
A. V. Holmes,
Herman Junker,
H. M. Landis, Edward S. Wright,
Geo. W. Wilson,
Jas. I. Buchanan,
Wm. B. Tipton,
Geo. W. McCandless, John W. Taylor,
Geo. W. McCandless,
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A. D. Armstrong. Chas. M. Johnstone, Jos. S. Alexander, Jas. S. Arnold, Jos. G. Morris, Jas. Lytle.
Regrets were received from Geo. W. Guthrie and Wm. McCon- way and H. W. Dunlap that they had prior engagements and were unable to be present.
The report, or Plan, prepared by the Committee of Five was then read and considered. This was the first definite plan of operations considered by the Board of Trustees, and while it was not the one which finally was adopted, it pre- sented the working basis for the subsequent plans. The principal provisions were as follows :
Upon the sale of the property on Fifth avenue, Pittsburgh, all shareholders, other than the Blue Lodges, are to receive their pro rata proportion of the net proceeds derived from said sale.
Each Blue Lodge now meeting in the present building shall con- tribute $10,000 to the Masonic Fund Society, and each Blue Lodge now meeting elsewhere, or that may hereafter be constituted, that desires to meet in the new building, shall contribute a like sum, and shall receive therefor an equal interest in the Society.
Blue Lodges having money invested in the present property, to receive in lieu of interest on their investments over and above the $10,000 necessary to their membership in the Society, a sum equal to four times the present annual revenue received from said investment.
Blue Lodges not having sufficient funds to contribute $10,000 to the Society, and become members thereof, are to contribute to the full extent of their funds, and are to pay the balance in annual in- stallments on the first day of October in each and every year until the whole amount is paid; and until such whole amount is paid, they are to pay four per cent. (4%) interest on the amount unpaid.
All other Bodies desiring to meet in the new building are to con- tribute to the cost of same without becoming members of the Society, and they are to receive one per cent. (1%) interest on the full amount of their contribution.
This plan was then considered in Gourgas Lodge of Perfection at a meeting held May 19, 1911, and the action they took is shown by the following extract from the min- utes of that session :
Resolved, That Gourgas Lodge of Perfection approves of the Plan of the Masonic Fund Society attached to the report of the Building Committee, presented at this meeting and agrees, if the plan is carried out, to loan to the Masonic Fund Society cash and real estate as hereinafter set forth; the same to bear interest at the rate
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of one per centum per annum, payment to be made as follows, namely :
The property belonging to this Lodge of Perfection on Forbes street near Fifth avenue shall be conveyed to the said Fund Society, or such person as it may designate, at a valuation to be agreed upon, between the said Society and the said Building Committee, and an additional sum, which, with the agreed price of the lot, shall not exceed a total of $300,000. The property to be conveyed and the money advanced as soon as the Masonic Fund Society has selected a new location and agreed to furnish to the Bodies of the Scottish Rite adequate and satisfactory accommodations in the new building.
This resolution to adopt the plan as sent in from the Masonic Society was not acted upon at this meeting of Gourgas Lodge of Perfection.
It will be noticed that in the plan as presented by the Committee of Five only the Blue Lodges are mentioned as pledgors and contributors to the fund necessary for the erection of a new building. This restriction was removed by a recasting of the plan, which was presented at a meet- ing of the Board of Trustees held March 19, 1912. It in- cluded the provisions of the plan considered November 25, 1910, but under a heading of "Conditions," came this para- graph :
Each Masonic Body meeting in the new building shall own and hold an equal interest in the Corporation and the purchase and ownership of shares in the Corporation shall be confined exclusive to said Masonic Bodies.
And the words, "Blue Lodges," were changed to the words "Each Masonic Body," or "Masonic Bodies," thus granting to all the Masonic Bodies the right to participate in the ownership of the proposed Temple. This new plan, thus changed from the former one, was signed by the Build- ing Committee of Gourgas Lodge of Perfection, as follows: William H. Hamilton, 33°, chairman; J. Harvey Harrison, 32°; Theodore A. Motherell, 32° ; Frank D. Hartman, 32°; and William D. McIlroy, 33°. Further action as to the plan was arranged for at this meeting of the Trustees of March 19, 1912, as follows:
After a general discussion of the plan, it was decided to take no action, and the Board adjourned with the understanding that the Trustees would meet the committee from the A. A. S. R. and ascer- tain if that committee had any idea of the size of lot that would be required for the new building, the character and cost of the building
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to be erected, the probable revenue to be derived and the probable amount of expenses, including interest on bonds, taxes and general operating expenses.
The efficient work done by the Building Committee of the A. A. S. R. from its first formation is a matter of record, and was of a high and durable value. Acting in conjunction with the Board of Trustees of the Masonic Fund Society, detail after detail in connection with the business of buying a new site and erecting a costly Temple was taken up as different questions developed during the prolonged planning. During this extended period the membership of the com- mittee had been changed at various times, but always there was concerted and effective action. Particularly is this tribute due to the Committee of the A. A. S. R. by reason of the formulation finally of the very comprehensive report, adopted by the Masonic Fund Society, which furnished the information and the arguments that led to the selection of the site of the present great Temple in the Schenley Park district. This report was drawn up in accordance with the resolution passed at a meeting of the Trustees on March 19, 1912. It was printed in pamphlet form and widely dis- tributed among the Craft at the time, as it comprised a complete statement of the status of the project for a new building and presented facts and figures explanatory of various locations and outlined projects relative to the differ- ent kinds of Masonic buildings that had been suggested. This report was first brought officially to the attention of the Board of Trustees at a meeting held August 1, 1912, the minutes of which state that the session was called "to hear the Report of the Committee appointed to prepare a plan for the erection of a suitable building to accommodate all of the Masonic Bodies." There were present at this meeting Trustees Alfred S. Bishop, Americus V. Holmes, Harry M. Landis, Joseph E. Lewis, John W. Taylor and Andrew D. Armstrong. The members of the Scottish Rite Building Committee in attendance were Brothers William M. Hamil- ton, William D. McIlroy, Frank D. Hartman, J. Harvey Har- rison and Theodore Motherell. At this meeting the report was read, "Giving," as the minutes state, "three estimates of different styles and sizes of buildings." The report was
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discussed, but, to again quote the minutes, "as it was im- possible for those present to arrive at a decision unless they had a copy of the report in their possession," a motion was carried to the effect that each member of the Board of Trustees should be provided with a copy, and that another meeting should be held on Tuesday, August 13, 1912, at 3 o'clock P. M. The trustees assembled on this date, and the long report was adopted as read, "subject to the approval of the shareholders of the Masonic Fund Society." The trus- tees of the Masonic Fund Society then went further, at the same meeting, and took action which resulted directly in the selection of the ground on which the present Temple stands. This action was formulated in the following resolu- tion, adopted unanimously :
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