Restoration of Inscription of the Chicago Water Tower Cornerstone Cook County, Illinois ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Information contributed for use in Cook County ILGenWeb by Laura Heidekrueger 09 Jan 1999. I found this report in the Proceedings of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of the State Of Illinois. Report of R.W. Bro. R.H. Wheeler: On restoration of inscription on corner-stone of Chicago Avenue water tower: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- June 30, 1913 To - Mr. Delamr D. Darrah, M.W., Grand Master A.F. and A.M. of Illinois, Bloomington, Ill.: Dear Sir and M.W. Bro.: As chairman of the special committee appointed by you for the purpose of restoring the inscription on the corner-stone of the tower of the Chicago Ave. Pumping Station of this city, I desire to submit the following report: A bronze tablet bearing the inscription, “Laid by the Masonic Fraternity March 25, 1867. Jerome R. Gorin, Most Worshipful Grand Master.” was prepared and placed in position on the stone today. Behind the tablet a parchment was placed on which was engrossed the following; “To All Ancient Free and Accepted Masons Greeting: “In the year A.D., 1912 the authorities of the city were seriously considering the question of destroying the water tower, a relic of early Chicago, because it had become useless in the system of waterworks and for the additional reason that the masonry was crumbling under, the influence of the elements, when on the earnest appeals of the Chicago Historical Society the sum of twenty five thousand dollars was voted by the City Council for the purpose of repairing and preserving it as one of the historical buildings of the city. “Worshipful Bro. Martin G. Seifert, Past Master of Constantia Lodge #783, was assigned as architect for the city to superintend the work, and he discovered the faint outlines of an inscription upon this stone showing that it had been laid by the Masonic fraternity. This fact was brought to the attention of the Most Worshipful Grand Master, Bro. Delamr D. Darrah, by Right Worshipful Bro. William Arens, Past Master of Germania Lodge No. 181 and District Deputy Grand Master of the German speaking lodges, with a recommendation that in view of the fact that the inscription had become nearly obliterated by the elements, a bronze tablet be prepared and inserted in the stone. The Grand Master referred this matter to Right Worshipful Bro. Ralph H. Wheeler, Senior Grand Warden, who upon investigation concurred in the above recommendation. “The Grand Worshipful Master then appointed Bro. Ralph H. Wheeler and Bro. William Arens a committee to co-operate with Bro. Martin G. Seifert and execute this work. A search of the Grand Lodge proceedings and other literature revealed the fact that this stone was laid on March 25, A.D. 1867, by Most Worshipful Grand Master Jerome R. Gorin. This bronze tablet was prepared and set in place this 30th day of June A.D. 1913, in the presence of the following brethren; Ralph H. Wheeler, America No. 889 William Arens, Germania No 182 The Committee Maritn Seifert, Constantia No. 783 Charles H. Crowell, St. Cecilia No. 865 Albert Jamplois, Blaney No. 271 Robert J. Daley, Garden City No. 141 E. E. Mills, Kilwinning No. 311 Ed. H. Thomas, Kilwinning No. 311 Oscar A. Kropf, Lincoln Park No. 611 Ed. W. Peterson, Garfield No. 686 Arthur E. Behrendt, Ben Hur No. 818 Jason R. Lewis, Union Park No. 610 John F. Schott, Germania No. 182 John H. Kanitz, Edgewatrer No. 91 William J. Burns, Chief Operating Engineer of Chicago Avenue Pumping Station, and not a member of the fraternity. I would have arranged for a more auspicious occasion, but at the request of the architect for the city, Bro. Martin G. Seifert, all display was omitted, and simply a few of the prominent members of the craft were asked to be present and witness the setting of the tablet. Fraternally submitted, Ralph H. Wheeler William Arens [ The Seventy-Fourth Annual Meeting held at Chicago, October 14,15, 16, 1913 Pantagraph Printing and Stationary Co., Printers, Bloomington, Il. 1913] ------------------------------------------------------------------------- COPYRIGHT NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the submitter or their legal representative, and must contact the listed Cook County ILGenWeb Coordinator(s) with proof of this consent. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Contact Angel Jacobsen-Shweika (CookILGW@jacobsen-shweika.com). ©1999, Angel Jacobsen-Shweika