Daily Republican., 1879-07-26
rHsasEArsxCusslen.

Six Thousand People Visit Reh0
both Yestordsy-TheO Odd Fellow
I'm Their Giory-The Day, TN
Place, tho FOgs, the Incidents
the Rains.
During the month Of May or soon af
ter the election of William II. Foulk, Al
Graud Master OF the order Of Odd Eel
lows in Delaware, that gentleman con
csived the idea of a grand reunion o
the order in the State, TO be held a
Dslawars's great seaside resort, Reho
both, some time during the summer
With such an ardent and conspicuous
Odd Fellow as Mr.. Foulk, to think o
the matter was but to act, and he COM
inundated his proposition for grand
reunion Immediately to the Lodges o.
Wilmington. He urged the appropri
ateness of It, because the 65th annual
Observance Of the order in the United
States had slipped by without any
demonstration, or indeed without any
notice worthy Of note by Delaware Odd
Fellows; that II would bssa grand thing
socially anyhow to come together and
get better acquainted, and that
it would afford an excellent oppertnni
ty for the Odd Fellows, their families
and friends, at very small cost to visit
Rehoboth, see the beauty and gran
deur Of the Ocean and listen to the
roar Of its whits capped waves as they
broke into spray upon the shore ; and
then there was another thought, the
venerable, Mr.. Ridgley Of Baltimore,
could be invited, and the Odd Fellows
Of Delaware, could have the pleasure of
honoring the man who though not the
founder Of the order, was virtually en-
titled to that distinction, as he had
entirely changed its character from a
mere social institution, into one Of the
broadsst benevolence and charity.
1t is only necessary to say the city
lodges saw the idea as Mr.. Foulk saw
it, and they all took hold Of the matter
with considerable vien and determine
ton to make it a grand success. At
the request of the Grand Master, each
lodge appointed COMMITTEES Of three
which met in joint convention, agreed
to have the reunion on the 25th of
July at Rehoboth, reported their con-
clusion back to the lodges, which i'm
mediately adopted them and the work
was fully under way. Invitations were
then extended to the lodges in the
State to participate in the reunion.
The Railroad Company agreed to set
the fare at the low rate 81 SO for the
round trip, provided 1000 tickets were
sold with rebate Of rs cents to be paid
back to the committee on each ticket,
as the earnings OF the order by the tx
cursion. This seemed like large
number to be sold, but the committee
went to work, and it soon became ap-
parent that instead of there being any
doubt about the success of the affair,
1t was going to be a mammoth concern
exceeding anything in the excursion
line ever given in Delaware. The sue
cess Of ths reunion was fully realized
yesterday.
At an early hour Wilmington was
astir, and Odd Fellows in their bril-
liant regatias were seen everywhere.-
Captain Seals we'll drilled patriarchs,
in dazzling uniform was on active duty,
escorting lodges to the depot, and SUI
periending the general arrangements.
At six O'Clock deputation of the lodges
escorted by the uniformed battalion
met Brandywine lodge at Tenth and
Market streets, and headed by the City
Cornet Band followed by til. Rokeby
band formed very pretty parade and
were much admired by thousands who
at that early hour were lining Market
street. Mr.. George Hughes was Grand
Marshal for the day and was ably as
sisted by number of Aids.
The great body of Odd Fellows how
ever, did not appear in the parade, but
with their families Immediately repair
ed to the depot to take tn. train with
out anyother insignia by which they
could be known as Odd Fellows than a
very pretty badge designating the lodge
to which they belonged, pinned to the
left lapel OF the coat. Many others
wore their regalia which was as va
red as the colors of Joseph's coat, but
every color and emblem having sig
niticance only known 10 those initia-
ted.
The City Cornet band, the Rokpby
from up the Brandywine, and the Ell
mira from Newport, went with the ex-
cursion from Wilmington, and on the
way down the Amphion of New Castle
andathe Dover Corn-t Band boarded the
trains and contributed to swell the
chorus of instrumental music for the
occasion.
The first train containing fourteen cars
left the depot at O'Clock empty, but
commenced to take ON at New Castle,
and when Harrington was reached it
was crowded. The second train con-
tanning 20 cars, ,One of which was bag
gage car, left crowded at 6.45 O'Clock,
and ran direct to Harrington, stopping
only at Middletown and Dover. A
Pullman palace car was attached to this
train which contained J.. L. Ridgley,
Secretary of the order, and
other distinguished and leading mem
bers. There was some diss abstraction
at the railroad company for
not having more cars, and it was said
that some two or three hundred, rather
han go on crowded trains preferred re-
at home. The demonstration,
nowever, was so much beyond tn > anti
,ipation of both the committee and the
'ailrcad authorities, that lack of cars t
or the occasion can be easily excused. t
Besides these trains another of four 9
cen cars left Harrington in the t
morning and picked up all the excur
ionists from that place to Rehoboth;
md still another came up the Breakwa- r
or and Frankford road to Georgetown. '
No. train reached Harrington when
in hours delay occurred, no one seem s
ng to know the reason for it, but it '
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