Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1874-04-24
The National Grange from 1857 TO the
Present Time.

Mach has been said and written about
the officers Of our National Grange, and up
to this time no one has thought of giving IN
account of the different offices of the organ
ization, which will certainly prove a more
striking history oil the progress Of the order
than the biographies of the men connected
with il.
During the year 1867 o. II. Kelley, ESD,
who occupied then, as now, the position of
national secretary, resided on his farm in
Sherburn County Minnesota, and there the
first records of the newborn organization
we're kept. So extensive were they that un-
til 1870 the hat Of the secretary was con-
sidered an ample and sufficient receptacle,
and no other provisions were made.
During the year 1870 Mr.. Kelley re-
moved his headquarters to Washington.
aud the Office of the National Grange fol-
lowed, of course With the assistance of
Miss Carrie A. Hall, the business was con-
Quoted in the secretary's own house until the
increase Of subordinate oranges aud the
formation Of several state oranges necessi-
tated more help and more commodious
quarters.
In August, lS72, the secretary removed
to Georgetown, ID. g., and there, for the first
time, rooms were procured to be used as the
Office of the National Grange. Two rooms
were occupied in the building, No. AZ Third
street, in Georgetown, an additional clerk
was added TO the list, and there the work
commenced in earnest The growth Of the
Order in 10 was considerable, and '73
opened with brighter prospects for the flu
turt.
In August, 1873, the executive commit
tee, finding that the limited quarters at
Georgetown we're very inefficient FOR the fast
accumulating mass Of documents and corre-
spOndence, secured the building at 6l2 Lou
isiana avenue, in Washington, where the
present Offices are now located. They
thought this location would be amply suffi.
cient for years to come, but the unparalleled
spread of the organization shows that meas
minds are apt to err, for to-day there is
hardly moving room in the building, where
clerks and employees are kept busily at
work.
Thirteen persons are at the present writ
ing kept constantly busy in the Office, and
ten rooms do not furnish sufficient space for
work The times are greatly changed. On
ly few months since the secretary could
take the packages under his arm and walk
up to the express Office; now the Adams
Express Company send wagon and mes
senger every day especially for the packages
Of the National Grange, which average
daily more than two hundred.
A description Of the present quarters
might prove interesting to many readers
aud as it is also matter of history in con
nection with the organization Of the Patrons
OF Husbandry, we shall give a correct per
picture Of the Office room
No. 6l2 Louisiana avenue, Washington
d. g., is an nnpretentiOus looking building
to all outside appearances neat residence
and, were it not for small sign over the
door indicating that it is the Office of thu
National Grange, would pass unnoticed
The building is built Of brick, aud consists
OF three stories aud basement.
The basement contains the packing rooms
where all the parcels for new oranges ar,
arranged, wrapped, addressed aud tied
ready for shipment Packages of docu
ments for deputies are also prepared there