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K of P Temple Dedication
June 9, 1892
New Castle Democrat

Knights of Pythias Lodge

      Every indication indicates that people will flock from far and near here to witness the imposing dedication services, parade, etc., on June 9. Arrangements have been made to furnish accommodations to all. It behooves every citizen to consider himself a committee of one to do everything in his power to help the knights and to make June 9 a big day for New Castle.
     Mr. Blodgett, of the Indianapolis News has written the following description of the temple: "The temple faces south on Broad street. It is of brick trimmed with stone, 82 ½ feet front, 55 feet high, 3 stories, and is 80 feet deep. Its architecture is of a style its own---being a combination of all the modern styles blended into an edifice beautiful to look at. The front and west sides are set in red mortar and so perfect is it that at first glance one would suppose that pressed brick had been used. It is supplied with water and gas---the latter for both lighting and heating. Inside it is finished in oak with a hard maple floor. The basement is divided into compartments with strong, heavy walls, and all modern improvements. This is used by the merchants who occupy the three store rooms on the first floor. The front is of iron with French plate-glass windows, 68'x144'. The first floor is divided into three rooms 30, 22 and 26 feet respectively in the clear. Merchants who pay a good rental occupy these rooms. The entrance to the second floor is at the southeast corner, up a five-foot hard oak stairway. At the end of a little hall running south from the top of the stairs is the wicket that opens into the ante-room 25'x26', with a cloak room 12x14. The castle hall proper is 50'x52½' with a 26' ceiling. It is lighted at the south and west by eleven windows each 14' high. With a stained glass hinged transom. There are registers and ventilators, and by means of a large shaft the air in the room is changed every five minutes. The ceiling is paneled and molded in a very artistic manner. In one corner is the property room, 25' square, and at the north end, shut off by sliding doors 16' wide and 11' high, is another, 24'x26', which is an assembly chamber and can be used for various purposes. The officers' room is 15'x26'. The castle hall is not carpeted. Its floor is waxed and maybe many a brave knight and his "lady faire" will enjoy a merry waltz or a gay quadrille on the broad space. And if the uniform rank is real good, it can use the floor as a drill ground. Eight hundred persons can be seated in the hall. To the east of the castle hall and through a hall 14' wide is the waiting room for candidates, which is also used for a reading and smoking room. This room is 18'x26'. By means of a hall 5' wide the third story can be reached from the street without touching either the lodge or the waiting rooms. A hall 14' wide separates the third story into different apartments. Near the head of the stairs is the kitchen, 18'x26', and opposite it is the banquet hall, 26'x60' with a ceiling 17' high. Here can be seated 260 people. Across the hall from the banquet hall is the armory of the uniformed rank, which is 26'x44'. The building is exceedingly well plumbed and fitted up with closets and wash rooms, and particular attention has been paid to sanitary matters and acoustics. About eighty men have been employed on the building, and to construct it 550,000 brick have been used, and on the walls are 5,000 yards of plastering. The entire floor space for lodge purposes is 9,880 square feet, which is more, Mr. Hathaway says, than any castle hall in the state. The roof is of asphalt, just as same as is put down on Ohio street in this city. The timbers are of yellow pine, cut in Arkansas especially for this building. The joist are three inches thick and fourteen inches wide, and over them is a matched floor, on which is placed concrete, and on this is laid the fine maple floor, thus making them solid and dead to any sound. The entire cost of the building fitted and furnished, is about $35,000 and Crescents Lodge insists that there is not a finer temple, no, nor one so fine in the whole state of Indiana.

New Castle Democrat
June 5, 1892


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