Democratic Sentinel, Volume 19, Number 35, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 September 1895 — KNIGHTS IN BOSTON. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

KNIGHTS IN BOSTON.

TWENTY-SIXTH GREAT TRIENNIAL CONCLAVE. Thirty-Thousand Templars and Their Friend* from All Parts of the Country—The Great Parade—A Week of Much Gsyety. Owned the Town. Boston has had rather moraithan its ■hare of great gatherings this summer. Scarcely had the Christian Endeavor cohorts departed with their banners than the Knights Templar veterans were seen rallying to the city of brains and beans to the number of 30.000, with half as many more ladies in their illustrious train. This twenty-sixth triennial conclave of the Knights of the Temple was remark-

able in more ways than one. It was the largest gathering of the kind in the history of the order. This not only means that there is financial hopefulness and prosperity in the circles to which the Sir Knighjs belong, but it calls attention to the fact that the great and beneficent

Masonic brotherhood which has been inwoven with the most important features of our national history is experiencing a healthy and continuous growth. The fact that there are now in this country upward of 100,000 members of the order of Knights Templar alone is full of encouraging significance. It is maintained that the Masonic fraternity, not to speak of others scarcely less influential, has done an incalcuable amount of good in conserving respect for the basic principles of true religion among a class of men most likely to be prolific in scoffers. And not less important.is the part played by this order in the perpetuation of patriotic sentiment throughout the Union. From the laying of the corner-stone of the national capital at Washington, a century ago, to the laying of the corner-stone of the Masonic Temple in Chicago, this society has played an important part in the public and semipublic events that have made up our history as a nation. It is forty-five years since Boston has been the scene of Knights Templar grand conclave, and the members of the order in the themselves to the utmost to outdo all that have taken place since. Boston boasts of the largest commandery in the United States, and this one body appropriated $35,000 to be spent in making the guests appreciate their welcome. Even with such an example the visiting commanderies were determined not to be excelled, and though none of them expended any such sum "of money, all planned to more than do their part in the festivities. Special trains were chartered from all parts of the country to carry the members of the visiting commanderies to the East, and in many instances the trips were arranged -nd added to so that the route included not only Boston but many other Eastern cities and points of national interest. The representation from .States as recorded at the triennial headquarters at the opening of the festivities was as follows: Alabama .... 80 Missouri .... 1,003 Arkansas ... 58 Nebraska .... 130 California ... 370 Montana .... 40 Colorado .... 134 New Ka’ps’re. 1,117 Connecticut.. 864 New Jersey.. 618 Delaware... 200 New York... I,GSO Dis. Col’bia.. 560 N. Carolina.. 18 Florida 30 N. Dakota... 6) Georgia ..... 76 Ohio 1,515 Illinois 1,605 Fennsyi’via . 2.084 Indiana 685 S. Carolina... 25 lowa 343 Tennessee ... 125 Kansas 363 Texas 1 Kentucky ... 280 Vermont .... 670 Maine 1,085 Virgiitia .... 441 Maryland . u . 527 Wisconsin ... 500 Massac’ setts Wyoming ... 20 and R’de»l’d. 6,218 Indian Ter... 45 Michigan ... 1,545 - Minnesota .. 223 T0ta125,721 The Grand Parade. The conclave was opened with a parade, which was the greatest of its kind ever held. More than 40,000 Knights Templar were in line, and fully'l,ooo of these were mounted. In addition to these was the members of the Grand Encampment of the United States, as well as other high officials of the order, in carriages. The parade was commanded by Grand Master McCurdy, of the Grand Encampment, who is the head of the order. The decorations of the city were superb, and all along the route of the parade mammoth grand stands had been

erected, each artistically decorated, and it is estimated that the seating accommodations for the reviewing of the parade exceeded 150,000. The stands seated anywhere from twenty-five to 5,000 persons and were erected by the different comanderies of the city and also by private individuals for speculation. In addition to these every available window in every honse along the line of march was bought up by speculators, and even the front doors were utilized for seats and

sold to the highest bidder. Every available window on Dartmouth street was sold for prices varying from sls to S3O for every front room above the first floor. Columbus avenue for its whole length was one reviewing stand, and the seats were disposed of at an average price of $3, while window space was taken by visiting knights for their friends at prices ranging from $25 to SSO for front rooms above the first floor. So great was the demand for window space and points of vantage for seeing the parade that enormously high prices have been been paid. A barber in Washington street offered his window space for $25 for the day and a shrewd customer in one of his chairs took it up and later sold the privilege for $75. Not less than $1,000,000 changed hands for the pleasure of witnessing the greatest parade in point of splendor ever held in this country. Expense of the Conclave, The estimate of the expense -of the grand conclave to the members of Massachusetts and Rhode Island commanderies, who are the hosts, was $350,000. In addition to this each member procured special regalia, and several thousand dol-

lars represent the expense of badges for exchange. Every .frater was supposed to carry an exchange badge; in fact, a pocket full of them, and when another frater met him on the street without the ceremony of ah introduction badges were to be exchanged. In this way vast collections of badges were procured as souvenirs of the triennial meeting, and a complete collection of those worn during the week will be worth fully SI,OOO. A series of receptions and social festivities were held during the convention and visiting knights were taken to view all interesting points about Boston. Many public, as well as private, buildings were elaborately decorated during the convention, and old Boston assumed an air of brightness and gayety such as she has rarely known before.

MOST EMINENT SIR HUGH M'CURDY.

FLORAL CROSS AND SHIELD ON BOSTON PUBLIC GARDEN.

MASONIC TEMPLE, WHERE THE CONCLAVE WAS HELD.