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 9
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with sufficient promptness, and the number of delinquent share holders had increased to such an extent that it was decided by the Board "to place the accounts in the hands of the alderman for collection." This action, however, was not taken. It was seen that a considerable amount of money was required at once. They decided to arrange for loans that would bring in sufficient cash as needed. This inter- esting transaction is set down rather irregularly and with disconnected details by Secretary McKinley; but it em- braced a proposition evidently suggested and certainly agreed to by Brother Hailman. The plan proposed was to the effect that Mr. Hailman should assume the responsi- bility for the payment of the existing indebtedness and certain future loans, and that, "to save harmless and indemnify" him for "all and every liability," a mortgage "of all of the real estate and property belonging to the said Masonic Fund Society" should be executed by the proper officers to the said James W. Hailman. It is apparent by the records that the indebtedness had reach- ed the extent of $7,000, an amount not at all surprising, however, when it is remembered that the total cost of the land and building was well on to $40,000, and that a good deal of that sum had already been paid. To carry out this transaction, which of course met with the full approbation of the trustees, a meeting of the Board was held April 21, 1851, although, as is evident, all the details had been settled previously. The arrangement was com- pleted in the manner shown by the following record left by Secretary Mckinley of the April 21 session.
Whereas, James W. Hailman, of the City of Pittsburgh, has be- come bound to several persons for and on account of divers sums of money advanced to and for the use of the Masonic Fund Society for the county of Allegheny, amounting in the whole to the sum of seven thousand dollars; and,
Whereas, it has become necessary for the said Corporation to raise other sums of money for the completion and furnishing of the Masonic Hall now in the course of erection in the City of Pittsburgh, on the lots hereafter mentioned, which said last sums of money men- tioned the said James W. Hailman proposes to raise on his own re- sponsibility, or by pledging the Real Estate and Resources of the said Corporation for the same; and,
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Whereas, at a meeting held on the 21st day of April, A. D., 1851, at which Charles Shaler was appointed Chairman pro tem., in the absence of James W. Hailman, President of the Board of Trustees of the said Masonic Fund Society for the County of Allegheny, the fol- lowing Resolutions were passed, viz .:
Resolved, That for the purpose of discharging the liabilities al- ready incurred by James W. Hailman, for and on account of the Ma- sonic Fund Society for the County of Allegheny, and of saving harm- less and indemnifying the said James W. Hailman for and on account of all liabilities and responsibilities heretofore incurred, or that here- after may be assumed by the said James W. Hailman on account of the said Masonic Fund Society, and of raising such further sums of money, either through the personal responsibility of the said James W. Hailman, or by pledging the Real Estate and Resources of said Corporation, may appear most prudent, as may be deemed necessary to meet the present emergencies of the said Corporation: A bond be duly executed by the Masonic Fund Society for the County of Alle- gheny, under the seal of the said Corporation, to the said James W. Hailman in the penalty of Fourteen Thousand Dollars, or to repay to him all monies he may have heretofore, or may hereafter advance to the said Corporation, and to save harmless and indemnify the said James W. Hailman for all and every liability or responsibility of any and every kind he may have incurred, or may hereafter incur, for or on account of the said Masonic Fund Society for the County of Alle- gheny.
Resolved, That in order to insure the discharge of the said Bond, and further to indemnify and secure the said James W. Hailman against the liabilities intended to be indemnified against by the said Bond and its conditions, that a Mortgage of all the Real Estate, the property of or belonging to the said Masonic Fund Society for the County of Allegheny, situate in the City of Pittsburgh, be executed by the proper officers of the said Society, under the seal of the said Corporation, to the said James W. Hailman, his heirs and assigns.
Resolved, That Charles Shaler, President pro tem., of the Board of Trustees of the said Corporation, execute the said Mortgage under the Corporate (seal) of the said Masonic Fund Society for the County of Allegheny, and that Samuel Mckinley, Secretary of the said So- ciety, countersign the same.
The mortgage and bond embodying the above stipula- tions carried a clause by which for an additional considera- tion of $1, the ground and new Hall, owned by the Masonic Fund Society in Pittsburgh were "granted, bargained, sold," etc., to Brother Hailman. The mortgage is dated April 23, 1851, and was recorded in the office of the Recorder of Deeds for Allegheny county on May 6 of the same year. An interesting detail of this transaction, as shown by the rec-
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ord, is that the document was "sealed and delivered in the presence" of Edwin M. Stanton, who ten years later was to achieve world-wide fame as President Lincoln's Secretary of War. He was at the date of the Hailman mortgage prac- ticing law in Pittsburgh, being then in partnership with Brother Charles Shaler. It was of course, under the direc- tion of these two noted lawyers that this affair was carried through. The alderman before whom the documents were executed was Brother Alexander G. Reinhart, who later be- came one of the trustees of the Masonic Fund Society.
This transaction was of the utmost importance to not only the Board of Trustees, but also to the local Fraternity in general, since it released them from the annoying pres- sure of existing financial obligations, but what was still more satisfactory, it removed, for a time at least, the diffi- culties of obtaining further loans. It was an exceedingly helpful act on the part of Brother Hailman. He was an able financier who could see ahead, and his confidence in the ultimate success of the undertaking of the Board of Trus- tees was amply justified. Within four years all the obliga- tions covered by the mortgage were repaid, and Brother Hailman entered the words, "satisfaction in full," on the record of the mortgage in the Allegheny County Court House, on May 11, 1855.
We have in the preceding chapter given attention to the proceedings of the meetings of the Board of Trustees up to and including the formal and imposing dedication of the new Hall on October 9, 1851. We shall here resume the con- sideration of subsequent records, as they present matters of particular interest and importance. We find in the minutes of October 23 of that year details concerning the payment of sundry bills, aggregating $2,670.76. There was a bill for carpets for the hall amounting to $570.64; another for furniture of $875.50, and $562.75 was paid to the "Cabi- net Makers Association."
We come now to a record of a meeting held November 6, 1851, which displays the foresight of the trustees. They declared a dividend of 6 per cent. on the stock issued, which dividend was to be paid in the form of stock, to all holders outside of Philadelphia. The holders in that city were to
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be paid in cash. The transaction is noted on the minutes as follows: "On motion, a dividend of 6 per ct. on all the stock be declared, payable in stock; except Philadelphia, which is to be paid in cash." To pay dividends in stock in- volved, of course, no additional financial outlay, and the brethren in Allegheny county were quite willing to accept the arrangement. But there was a particularly sound rea- son for making an exception in favor of the Philadelphia subscribers. Naturally the brethren there would not have the same deep personal concern in the erection of a Masonic Hall in the distant city of Pittsburgh as would the Western Pennsylvania members of the Order; and doubtless it was argued that if the Eastern investors could expect dividends in the form of cash, subscriptions from that part of the State would come in a good deal faster. Philadelphia had already proved to be a good field for the disposal of stock. None of the Pittsburgh brethren who journeyed in those days to the banks of the Delaware seemed to have returned without additional subscriptions.
By November, 1851, a small revenue was coming in from rentals. Store tenants were occupying parts of the new structure, and the "Concert room," so notable later as a place of worthy entertainments, was ready for use. Ad- vertisements had been inserted not only in the local news- papers but also in New York city newspapers, calling atten- tion to the desirability of the hall for public lectures, and proper theatrical entertainments. In the meantime, per- sistent attention was being given to the collection of unpaid subscriptions and securing new ones. In the minutes of a meeting held December 12, 1851, we read that, "on motion, Brother Mckinley was authorized to visit Cincinnati to col- lect unpaid stock, and sell new stock to the amt. of one thousand dollars, thirty dollars being appropriated for that purpose." This $30 was of course to pay the brother's trav- elling expenses, and when Secretary Mckinley returned from that trip to the Ohio city he was able to report that he had disposed of about $900 worth of stock.
Secretary Mckinley's minutes for the year 1851 close with the records of the annual meeting of stockholders De- cember 27 and a session of the Board of Trustees, convened
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for the election of officers for the coming year. At this stockholders' gathering an important ruling relative to the manner of voting for trustees was made by Brother Hail- man, who presided. At that time and for many years after- ward, until a change was officially made, the Charter of the Society provided that "each member shall be entitled to one vote, and no vote of proxy shall be received." It seems to have become the practice in lodges at that period to desig- nate one or more of their members, irrespective of their sta- tion in the lodge, to vote for trustees at stockholders' meet- ings. Indeed, there appear to have been elections for trus- tees at which votes were cast by representatives of lodges who were not lodge officers at all. This irregular practice appears to have caused dissentions at some sessions of the stockholders, and the opinion finally gained ground among the brethren that it was not truly expressive of the highest authority of a lodge. The ruling made at the December 27, 1851, meeting by Brother Hailman invested only the highest officers of a lodge with the right to cast ballots for trustees at the meetings of the stockholders. This ruling is set forth in the minutes as follows :
The President decided, on the inquiry of the Secretary, that the highest officers only could vote as the representatives of the stock held by the different bodies of Masons.
Later on this ruling was frequently disregarded and the manner of voting was finally definitely adjusted and settled by an amendment to the charter.
At this annual meeting of the stockholders, December 27, 1851, Brother Alexander Speer was chosen a member of the Board of Trustees, displacing Brother McCammon, a charter member of the Masonic Fund Society. Brother Speer, the new trustee, was at this date, as he continued to be throughout his life, a leading and highly respected citi- zen. He was prominent in manufacturing circles, being the owner, with Samuel Hall, of the Globe Plow Works. He was a member of St. John's Lodge, No. 219.
Two especially important events connected with the Masonic Fund Society signalized the year 1851, and it is a curious thing that nowhere in Secretary Mckinley's records of the Society is there a single reference to them. One of
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these events was the official investment by the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania of funds in the Pittsburgh Masonic Hall stock. The other was the historic concert given in the hall of the new Masonic building by the famous songstress, Jennie Lind, with the celebrated P. T. Barnum personally directing the affair. Not being in any way a Masonic affair, it might not be a matter of surprise that Brother Mckinley should have deemed this event of not sufficient importance to put in his records. But it is not so easy to account for the omission from the records of the Grand Lodge's time- ly and effective recognition of the big task the Pittsburgh brethren were carrying through. However, there is a record in the old ledger books of the Masonic Fund Society; but most of the information on the subject is found in the min- utes of the proceedings of the Grand Lodge itself. It may be safely asserted that from the very start of their plan to build a Hall the brethren at Pittsburgh counted on getting recognition if not financial aid from the Grand Body. In 1850 Brother Samuel Mckinley was D. D. Grand Master and it is evident that he took the matter up at the earliest oppor- tunity with the R. W. Grand Master and the Grand Officers in Philadelphia. His labors in that direction did not go un- rewarded, and later they were ably supplemented by the effective work of Brother James W. Hailman. We have however, no record of Brother Mckinley's efforts to get the Grand Lodge interested in the Pittsburgh undertaking until we reach the minutes of the Annual Grand Communication of the Grand Lodge held December 27, 1850, when there comes into view not only evidence of his activities, but also solid proof of his success. He had supplemented his personal visits to the R. W. Grand Master by a communication to the Grand Lodge, and as a result that Body made a purchase of 200 shares of stock in the Masonic Hall Fund, as is shown by the following record from the minutes of the Grand Com- munication of December, 1850:
A communication was read from Bro. Samuel Mckinley, D. D. G. Master, soliciting this Grand Lodge to subscribe for shares in the Masonic Building Fund Society of Pittsburg. When the following resolution was adopted, to-wit:
Resolved, that the trustees of the Sinking Fund be directed to
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subscribe for two hundred shares (amounting to one thousand dol- lars), Pittsburg Masonic Fund Society and that the R. W. G. Master be requested to draw his warrant on the Grand Treasurer for said amount.
Of course, Brother Mckinley's work had been strongly backed up by other Pittsburg Masons; but he had brought about a big achievement, for this practical endorsement by the Grand Lodge brought additional prominence to the work in Pittsburgh, and the effect was almost immediately no- ticeable in the increase of the Philadelphia subscriptions. Then at the end of the year 1851 Brother Hailman carried to a successful close another campaign in Grand Lodge cir- cles. He had supplemented his personal efforts by letters to the Grand Master, and exactly a year after Brother Mc- Kinley's success, we find the work of Brother Hailman bear- ing fruit. He sent to R. W. Grand Master Whitney a letter, which is included in the records of the proceedings of a Grand Quarterly Communication of March 1, 1852, as fol- lows:
The following communication was read and the accompanying printed report is filed in the archives.
Pittsburgh, Dec. 22d, 1851. R. W. Wm. Whitney, Esq., G. M.
Dear Sir and Bro., Permit me to enclose you my report to the stockholders of the Masonic Fund Society.
You will perceive that the Society is in a very fair condition, but owing to a very large portion of its debt being now due and pressing, it becomes necessary that further sales of stock be made. I have ad- dressed Bro. Adams as G. Secty., inclosing a copy with request to lay it before the R. W. G. Lodge and solicit a further subscription upon the part of the Gr. Lodge to the stock of our society. I trust and sincerely hope you will give it your countenance and support. You can speak knowingly in regard to the hall, having seen it. It certainly will yield a fair return on the investment. Our brethren here have done much, and will do more, and I trust the R. W. Gr. Lodge will deem it proper to consider the subject of a further sub- scription worthy of being made. Should Bro. Adams, in the multi- plicity of business overlook this matter, I beg that you will do me the favor to bring it to the notice of the R. W. Gr. Lodge.
Truly and fraternally,
Jas. W. Hailman,
(Signed) Prest.
The Grand Lodge took favorable action at the same ses-
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sion at which this communication was read, by adopting the following resolution :
Resolved, that the Trustees of the Sinking Fund be authorized to invest one thousand dollars in the stock of the Pittsburgh Masonic Fund Society.
As these were the only financial transactions carried on between the Grand Lodge and the Masonic Fund Society relative to the erection of the first Masonic Hall in Pitts- burgh, we shall give here a recital of the final disposal of the matter fifteen years later. These transactions were car- ried along in the annual statements of the finances of the Grand Lodge under two distinct designations. The invest- ment made upon the request of Brother Mckinley was noted as a purchase of stock to the amount of $1,000. The in- vestment resulting from Brother Hailman's efforts was carried on the Grand Lodge ledger as a loan. In the Grand Lodge's financial statement for the year 1860, for instance, we find these separate notations:
Certificate No. 419, Pittsburg Masonic Fund Society, Stock .. $1050.00
Loan .... 500.00
Loan .... 500.00
The $50 included in the above item of "stock" is ex- plained by the wording of the following statement taken from the Grand Lodge proceedings December 28, 1857:
The Trustees of the Masonic Loan reported that during the past year, $11,700 of the Loans of the Grand Lodge had been purchased at a cost of $11,159, being a gain of $541. And that they also have in their hands certificates of Pittsburgh Masonic Loan amounting to $2,050 (which certificates came into their possession while negotiating the Loan), which they are anxious the Grand Lodge would authorize them to transfer to the Grand Lodge Charity Fund, and for this pur- pose offer the following resolution :
"Resolved, that the $2,000 held by this Grand Lodge in the Pitts- burgh Masonic Fund Society, and also $50 of the same fund received by this Grand Lodge in part payment by Lodge No. 91 of a subscrip- tion to the New Masonic Loan, making in all $2050, be and the same is hereby transferred to the Trustees of the Grand Lodge Charity Fund in part payment of the annual subscription of this Grand Lodge to said Charity Fund for the incoming year.
Lodge No. 91 mentioned in the above minutes was old Columbia Lodge of Philadelphia, and it is evident from the resolution quoted that that lodge had transferred to the Grand Lodge a $50 Pittsburgh subscription to be invested in
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a new loan then being made by the Grand Lodge. In accor- dance with the directions in the above resolution, the trans- fer of the Pittsburgh investments to the Grand Lodge Char- ity Fund was made, as shown by the following record from the minutes of the Grand Lodge, December 2, 1861:
The sum of $2,050 of the Stock and Loan of the Pittsburgh Ma- sonic Fund Society having been transferred by the G. L., to the Grand L. Charity Fund, due credit has been given to the G. L. for that amount.
Through the long period of fifteen years during which the Grand Lodge held this stock and loan of over $2,000 the dividends on the stock and the interest on the loan were regularly paid in cash by the Masonic Fund Society, as the records of the Grand Lodge show. And at last after that period of fifteen years, we reach the records of the final, complete and legal termination of these transactions of 1850 and 1851 in the following words from the Financial State- ment of the Grand Lodge, presented, read and accepted at an Extra Quarterly Grand Communication held December 18, 1865:
During the year the Trustees of the Masonic Loan redeemed $1,000 of the Masonic Loan held by this Fund, and the Brethren of Pittsburgh paid off their loan, amounting to $2,050, all of which was immediately reinvested, as shown by the accounts.
This report from which the above record of the pay- ment of the Pittsburgh payment is taken is signed by Brothers Robert Clark, John C. Yeager and Francis Black- burne, the Grand Lodge Committee on Finance for the year 1865.
Let us turn now to that other notable event of 1851 connected with the new Masonic Hall in Pittsburgh. This was the appearance of Jenny Lind in the "Concert room" of the Hall on the evening of April 25, 1851. It was the first public entertainment given in the structure. It turned out to be a rather tumultuous affair and has become historic in the annals of the city of Pittsburgh. The Swedish song- stres was at the time creating a furore throughout the United States. She had come to this country under contract with Mr. Barnum and that prince of popular amusements was losing no opportunity of letting the American people know that Jenny Lind was in their midst. As a consequence,
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all Pittsburgh, and for that matter all Western Pennsyl- vania, was eager to hear her sing. Negotiations began early in the year 1851 for her appearance in Pittsburgh. Almost every day the local newspapers had something to say on the engrossing subject. Mr. John H. Mellor, the well known wholesale and retail music dealer, took the matter in hand. He communicated with Mr. Barnum, and in answer a tele- gram was received from that gentleman, then in New Or- leans, dated February 10, saying that "if there is a room in your city sufficiently large to give encouragement enough for us to give a concert, we shall be there about the last of March." The burning question then was, Where is there such a hall? The Pittsburgh "Morning Post" printed Mr. Barnum's dispatch, and with wise forethought answered the question, by adding: "The Masonic Hall would be the very place, it being large and commodious, and we sincerely hope that they may have it finished in time." This suggestion met with general approval. But in fact, the Concert room was not ready, and there was still much to be done in the way of completing both the exterior and interior of the whole structure. The big windows were without frame or glass, the Concert room was bare and the walls were not plastered. Nevertheless, it was determined that Jenny Lind should sing in that hall. Thereupon the seven trustees of the Masonic Fund Society, aided by the vociferous encour- agement and suggestions of the entire population, set to work to get things in shape. Word was sent to Mr. Barnum that of course Pittsburgh had a big enough hall for his con- cert. The whole city became interested, and the news- papers gave the matter absorbing attention, issuing almost daily bulletins recording the progress of the work on the Masonic building, where workmen were frantically fixing up the Concert room, erecting a stage, putting in benches. Following is an encouraging report from a local newspaper of date of March 3:
Masonic Hall-The workmen are very busily engaged in finishing this magnificent Hall for Jenny Lind's concerts. The trustees, we understand, have held a meeting, and resolved that no efforts shall be spared to have the building completed at the earliest possible day.
A few days later came this:
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The magnificent concert room in the new Masonic Hall, we are informed by one of the Trustees, will be furnished before the 1st of May, and it will be ready for concerts by that time. It will be alto- gether one of the most brilliant and beautiful halls in the United States.
A week later appeared the following :
Masonic Hall, the largest and most elegant room in the city, is being cleaned out and properly fitted up for Jenny Lind to sing in. They were yesterday putting in the gas pipes.
Mr. Mellor arranged with Mr. Barnum for two concerts, the first to be given April 25 and the second on the following evening. Jenny Lind and her troupe, headed by the great Barnum himself, arrived on April 23, having travelled from Cincinnati. The advertisements in the newspapers were worded in the true Barnum style, and in them this informa- tion was made public:
To prevent purchasers from being incommoded by lookerson, the usual charge of 10 cents will be made for admission to the auction, the entire proceeds of which will be handed to His Honor, the Mayor, to be devoted to charitable purposes. The price of admission has been fixed at $5. The choice of seats will be disposed of at auction on Friday morning at 10 o'clock at Masonic Hall."
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