[Jason]

A Masonic emblem that Elgin officials had wanted to preserve crumbled as the terra cotta symbols were removed from a historic building, officials said Monday.

In October the City Council reluctantly approved the removal of the symbols -- a square, a compass and the letter "G" -- which were considered offensive by the church that now owns the former Masonic Temple building at 310 E. Chicago St.

But city officials had said they hoped to preserve the symbols and return them to the building if it again changed hands.

That's still the plan, but the emblem is now in pieces.

"We tried to save as much as we can," said Sarosh Saher, Elgin's historic preservation specialist. "The two larger pieces, the compass and the square, are being held until someone wants to put them back together."

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