Jasper County Democrat, Volume 5, Number 19, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 August 1902 — PYTHIAN KNIGHTS MEET. [ARTICLE]

PYTHIAN KNIGHTS MEET.

Supreme Lodge Holds Biennial Con* vention at Sait Francisco. The biennial convention of the Knights of Pythias was opened Tuesday in the Palace Hotel, San Francisco. Nearly 150 supreme representatives were seated when Supreme Chancellor Ogden U. Fethers rapped for order. Supreme Representative Walker C. Graves of California, in behalf of Chairman Charles L. Patton of tlie executive committee, welcomed the assembled knights. Got, Henry T, Gage sent his regrets at not being able to attend in person to receive the visitors to California and sent n message of welcome, which was read by Myron Wolfe. Supreme haneellor Fethers responded in a humorous speech to the welcome of the Governor. The visitors who had witnessed the opening scene then withdrew and the supreme lodge went into secret session, the first business being the conferring of tlie degree on twenty delegates. The afternoon session was devoted to hearing reports. Supreme Chancellor Fethers in his annual report said: “On Doe. 31, 1901, the order had 540,138 affiliated mem hers. To these should be added at least 500,000 who have been suspended for non-payment of dues or have taken withdrawal cards, making a total of more than 1,000,000. During 1901 the figures were: Initiated. 55.202; reinstated, 7,733; admitted by card, 7.077; total, 70.(51(5. During the same year 4,915 died, 2(58 were expelled, 8,378 withdrew by card and 32,857 were suspended. The net gain for the year was 23.194.” The report of 15. V. L. White, supreme keeper of records and seal, showed that the total number of subordinate lodges orr Dec. 31, 1901, was 7.002, the net gain during the year being 112 lodges. The net gain in 1900 and 1901 combined was 262 lodges and 47.032 members. The report of Maj. Gen. James R. Carnahan, commander of the. uniform rank, set fortli that there are 858 companies in good standing, organized into ninety-nine regiments and twenty-four brigades. There are in addition twenty-five separate companies, and warrants have been issued for twenty-three more. Elks from every State in the Union gathered in the great tabernacle of the Mormon Church at Salt Lake City to attend the formal opening of the annual reunion of the grand lodge of Elks. More than 8,000 persons, a large proportion of them clad in the white and purple uniform of the -order, were present. G. W. Powers of Salt Lake as master of ceremonies called the meeting to order and introduced Gov. Wells of Utah, who delivered the speech of welcome.