Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 34, Number 62, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 April 1902 — Highest Mason in the World [ARTICLE]

Highest Mason in the World

. In oar brief mention of Col. A. Powell, the Texas giant who was doing business here for an eastern soda making house we accidentally knocked off an. inoh and a half from his superabundant height. An inoh and a half is a good deal on mostynen’s noses but it is but a small matter to the Colonel whether his height is stated oorreotly at 7 feet 4£ inches, or incorrectly at 7 feet 3J inches. Besides, for what we took from his tallness we more than gave back in thickness, for his general weight is only about 245 pounds, instead of 275, as we He was born in Texas and is 41 years old, and made all his extraordinary growth lengthwise before he was 17 years old. His parents • were ordinary eized people, and so is his one sister. He has no brothers. He is unmarried, and any of our romatio maidens or more or less romantic grass widows who are pining for a husband they oan “look up to” had best lose no time in setting their caps for the Colonel. Whioh title, by the way, was acquired while a member of the Texas state militia. * He wears a diamond studded gold watch and a most elegant and oostly charm, both given him by Queen Victoria, while traveling with Barnum’s circus. The oharm is a Knight Templar and Scottish *Bite masonic emblem; and along with his other distinctions, is the remarkable one that he tS" the highest Mason in the world; and Jie nearly supplies himself with cigars by proving this faot to incredulous members of that order. He belongs to Cincinnati Commandry No. 3. He also belongs the Odd Fellows and Knights of Pythias, at Brooklyn, N. Y, To liken the Colonel to a bird we might say that he measures just nine feet from tip to tip. That being the distanoe apart of the tips “of his fingers when his, arms are fully outspread. He wears a N o 14 shoe and a No, 10 glove, and the length of the legs of his pants thereof, is 2 cubits or 40 inches. It is needless to say he does not patronize the clothing stores for "hand-me-i4owna,” to any great extent, as the only ready made garments he can )uy large enough are hats and collars. The rest of his person must be clothed to order or go t&ked. Which last alternative, for climatio and other reasons is seldom resorted to. When he traveled with Barnum there were six other giants in the same oage with him and only one was taller than he, and that was Chang, the Chinese giant, who was 7 feet 8 inohes, and the tallest man alive or that ever did live, the Colonel says. But if Goliah of Ciath ever hears of that remark, what he may do to the Colonel when the latter crosses the river Btyx, will be a plenty. But long may it be before the genial modern Texan is compelled to faoe the wrath of the ancient ornery Philistine. Besides? we would like to see 'that mill ourself, if it is not pullad off too soon.