Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 42, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 June 1895 — THE ODD FELLOWS’ TEMPLE. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

THE ODD FELLOWS’ TEMPLE.

NOW IN PROCESS OF ERECTION IN RENSSEEAER.

The above cut is a faithful representation, so far as can be shown in a small picture, of the front of the building now being erected by Iroquois Lodge, No. 143, Independent "Order of Odd Fellows, of Rensselaer. The area of the building on the ground is 44 by 84 feet and it is three stories high. The first floor is occupied by two stores, so arranged that they at any time, may be connected together by arches. The front of stores and show windows are finished throughout in red oak, with large plate glass windows and are modern in every respect. The center of the building is occupied by the entrance to second floor and Lodge halls above, the entrance doors being finished in oak with beveled plate, and the side walls wainscoted 4 ft high, while the floors are tiled mosaic. The entrance doors to the stores are at each corner. The entire front of the building on the second floor, and side next the alley, is fitted up in suites of offices for professional men, on the plan of one of oar modern city office buildings and it also contains a hall 25 by 50 feet which can be used by smaller societies or clubs. The entire floor is finished in Georgia Pine for oil finish. The entire third floor is occupied by Iroquois Lodge and will be one of the most complete lodge rooms in the State when completed. The entire front of the building on this third floor is occupied by the Lodge hall which is 46 ft. 6 inches by 42 ft. in the clear, with an arched ceiling 18 feet high. In the rear of the lodge room is a banquet hall 25 by 31 feet, with a kitchen adjoining, 10 by 15 feet, and a paraphernalia room 10 by 10 feet Between the main hall and the banquet room is a large ante-room 10 by 18 feet also a cloak room and preparation room, the staircase from the second floor landing you directly in front of the ante-room door. The exterior of the building is designed in English Renaissance, and is executed in buff colored pressed brick with stone trimmings. The carving on the caps and other ornamentation on the front of the building are all made to special design and executed in a bold and highly artististic manner. One of the principal features of the design on the front is the transoms over windows in Lodge hall on the third floor, in which the emblems of the different degrees in Odd-fellowship are executed in art glass making a beautiful effect when the hall is illuminated. These finer features can not, of course, be shown in our cut. The awarding of contracts for the building has been very satisfactory indeed. The price for the building coming SBOO.OO under the estimate of the Architects. The building throughout reflects great credit on the achitects, Mess. Morrison & Torrance of Chicago. The contractor for the building is j. L. Fatout, of Indianapolis. The foundations of the buitding are completed and brick-laying is now under way. The contract requires the completion of the building by Oct let, but the indications are that it will be finished consider, ably earlier than that date. The building is being erected under the general control and management of the Building Committee of Iroquois Lodge, namely: J. W. Oowden, T. J. Saylor, L. L. Ponsler, A. Leopold and J. B. Vanatta; the three first named being also the present Trustees of the lodge. Frank Osborne is superintendent of the construction for the Building Committee. , The architects of this building Meesrs. Morrison & Torrance, composed of J. C. Morrison and James R. Torrance* have their office in the Ballard building, corner 53rd Street and Jefferson Avenue, Chicago. Mr. Morrison, the senior member of the firm, is himself an enthusiastic and eminent Odd Fellow, and he has made something of a speciality of designing buildings for lodges of the order. Many of the best lodge buildings in Chicago having been designed by him.

A beautiful souvenir given to each purchaser of a reserved seat at Ellis’ Opera house, June 18, 14,15. —George Strickfaden’s new house on Cullen street is about inclosed. Work is also In progress on John Medieus’ house, on the next lot south. The Junior Endeavor society of tbe Christian church has presented to the church a handsome silver-plated communion service. Tbe Juniors raised the money by an ice-cream festival. T ~t’" The Hartley elevator at Goodland, full of grain, took fire Monday, from the engine room. As it happened there was a big crowd not for off, laying tbe corner stone of a Baptist church, and they soon put the fire out. Union and Walker Tps. had their school graduating exercises at Rose Bad church, Union Tp. last Saturday night. The Union graduates were, Orville Garriott, Laura Williams and Ernest Lowther. From Walker Tp., Nellie Meiser. E. L. Clark was unanimously reelected a member of the School Board, by tbe Town Board, Monday. He has served the town ably and faithfully in this capacity, for thirteen years, and bis re-election is a deserved recognition of his services.

A man named Joseph Shuey died in Burrows, Carroll Co., on Wednesday night of last week, as the result of a bullet put into him by Lewis Jones, a night or two previous. It is thought that Jones will make a good case of self defense. A large sum of money has been subscribed for the expenses of tbe Fourti! of July celebration, and preparations otherwise are moving along satisfactorily. The program of exercises and amusements will probably be completed io time for publication nest week. Lena Tuteur, daughter of Mrs. Anna Tuteur, had quite an alarming" attack of prostration from the heat tot Sunday, while playing in the sun, with other child jen. The attack did not prove very serions, however, and she was nearly well by the next day. Wheat is going up, and those fanners who refused to sell the product of last year at fifty cents per bushel are congratulating themselves on their foresight. Many of them say they are going to hold the crop until the dollar point is reached. The last time that wheat was a dollar a bushel was on the twenty first of August 1892.—Ex. Prof. Bohannon took his departure last Thursday for Boonville, Warrick Co., his old home, for the summer vacation. He started on his wheel and expected to make the whole distance, some 225 miles or more, by that method of travel. Robt. Vanatta went with him as fsr as Attica.

Tbe office in the Grand Lodge, Rathbone Sisters of Indiana, to which Mrs. Ida Randle was elected last week at Indianapolis, was that of Grand Manager, not Grand Protector, as erroniously stated. The latter office is the one she formerly held, and that of Grand Manager is a promotion. Friday Jane 14th, is Flag day, the anniversary of the stars and stripes. Rensselaer should not be behind the times in the observance of this glorious day, and no home should be without a flag of some sort on the anniversary. In the east it is a great day and even ia the south the celebration is much more general than in this part of the country. When will all the people of Rensselaer learn that the name of the principal business street in Rensselaer is Washington street? and that when the papers or persons speak of “Main street” they mean the .street which bears that name. That ia Main street that joins with Division street near the Catholic church, and runs north past the depot and the several grain and lnmher offlicea in that region.

John O’Connor, tbe bustling president of Kniman’s forth-coming big Fourth of July celebration, wants it announced that he has completed arrangements for a good pODy raee, in addition to tbe many other attractions he and his coadjutors have j prepared for tbe delectation of those I who attend this tbe, biggest “North End - ’ celebration ever held. Fred Warner, of Prairie township, White county, was found dead in his field Thursday morning. When he went to work in the morning he was complaining of not feeling well, but went to bis work as usual. Later it was noted that bis team was wandering aimhssly through the fields, and upon investigation Warner was found sitting against a stamp dead. The highest honor scholar among the graduates of the township schools of Jasper county, this year, was Minnie Tinkham, the bright 12 year old girl of Wheatfleld, mentioned & while back. The next highest is Nellie Meiser, of Walker; and the third in standing Mary Rowen, of Giliam. Both of these are also very young, under 13 we are informed. The little town of Malboro, in Hanging Grove Tp., is the only place in the county that has a general system of waterworks. Alfred McCoy, who owns most of the town and the land adjoining, has, at his own expense, had made a 500 bairel tank, which is filled by wind power from a big well and the water is piped into every house in tbe place. It was turned on first lost Saturday. The following is the list of teach- ' era for the Rensselaer schools for the ensuing school year, so far as they have been engaged: E. W. Bohannon, superintendent; Tbos. Large, principal; E. O. Holland, assistant principal; grade teachers, Misses Flora Wharton, Grace Vanatta, Nellie Kelly, Lizzie French, Nellie Coen, Jennie Miller, Blanch Loughridge Kate Mills, and Fannie Mills. Two teachers for tbe primary grades are still to be secured. A Mt. Ayr item in the Morocco Courier says: A telegram was received here Tuesday morning bearing the sad intelligence that one of B. Y. Miller’s sons had met death by drowning the day previous, near his home in the vicinity of Brown’s Town, Ills. The parents of tbe boy are Ornish people who moved from near this place tot winter. Their son, Ananias, living north of town, started at once for the scene of his brother’s sad death.