The Morning News

Laying of the Corner-Stone of the Big Building.

Chicago, Nov. 1.—The corner-stone of the woman's temple, which is being erected by the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, was laid this afternoon. The exercises were opened at the Second regiment armory by singing "America" by a trained chorus of 2,000 children. Mrs. E. J. Thompson, mother of the crusade, assisted by Rev. Florence Keller, gave the crusade psalm. This was followed by an invocation by Rev. E. P. Goodwin, D. D. Responsive scriptural reading by the bishop followed, and the singing of the "battle hymn of the republic."

Addresses were then delivered by Mrs. Mary I. Lathrop, president of the Michigan Woman's Christian Temperance Union, Rev. A. H. Delano and Miss Frances E. Willard. Mrs. Matilda B. Carse, who projected the enterprise and is carrying it forward, gave a brief resume of the plan and the progress of the work.

ON TO THE TEMPLE.

The audience then proceeded to the site of the temple, on the corner of Monroe and LaSalle streets.

After the children had sung the song, "Saloons Must Go," written by Miss Willard for the occasion, Rev. Herrick Johnson made the dedicatory prayer. Then, with a delicately wrought silver trowel, Mrs. Carse laid the corner-stone, while the great chorus of children sang, "Rise, Temple Rise."

The building, when completed, is to be a handsome structure in the French style, costing $1,000,000. It will be thirteen stories high, and from the center of a Gothic structure will spring a frieze of gold seventy feet high, surmounted by the figure of a woman that stands with out-stretched hands and upturned face as in prayer.

The finances of the undertaking are on a firm basis, as $600,000 of the stock has been sold and the remaining amount will be raised by bonds.