Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-03-14

The Session Of the Grand Council In
Augunsa-A Glorious Banquet
The Hospitality OF the For6s-A
DeHighEfHl Trip Up the Famous
Canal.
Editor AOrniao Eeses The second annual
meeting Of the Grand Council Of the Royal
Arcanum OF the State Of Georgia, which
was convened IN Augusta on Thurs
day, was marked by g degree Of
harmony and good fellowship that
the Order in the Empire State. The Area
mum Is considered the best organized and
governed secret beneficial society In exist
ence, and its steady growth and the char
acter of its membership In Georgia demon
strate the estimation in which it's wise pro-
visions are held. As in Savannah, the
Councils throughout the State are
composed Of the very best class Of the
reflective business men and planters, men
prominent In the various branches Of trade,
commerce and agriculture, bankers, mer-
chants, doctors, lawyers and intelligent
mechanics and farmers. This fact more
forcibly commends the order than wordy
arguments. Ii is, however, Of the late an
nual session | desire to speak. The Grand
Council met at 10 m. on
Thursday, in the knights Of Honor
Hall, In Augusta, a handsomely arranged
building which is occupied by seYen differ
cut secret societies, and is fitted up In ex-
celient style. The session was largely at
tended, there being sixteen Councils
represented, and some thirty mem
bers present In all. The reports of
Grand Regent Ford and Grand Sec
rotary Spring showed q considerable
increase In the membership and the condition
financially to be satisfactory. Grand Rep
resentative B. FL. Richardson submitted his
report, giving sketch Of the more important
work Of the Supreme Council at fits session
IN Detroit, Michigan, 10 April, 1880, closing
his report as follows:
your Representative is more than ever
convinced OF the permanency of the Order,
through the wise and judicious counsels
which have characterized It's management,
and would earnestly urge upon all who
have its interests and future at heart, to
spare no efforts to secure regular and large
attendance at the meetings of the subordi-
nate Councils, and thus infuse new life and
energy among the membership"
A large amount of business of interest to
the Order was transacted at the morning
and afternoon sessions, and the constitution
was amended so as to make the Past Re-
gents OF Atlanta and Greensboro Councils
life members.
After the election of officers, the result of
which was given in your special telegram,
the Grand Regent appointed che following:
ID. w. GWinn, OF Atlanta, as Grand
Chaplain; w. o. Boiler, of Washington,
Grand Warden; D. w. Murphy, Of Barlow,
Grand Sentry.
Grand Trustees elected-Dr. VIM. King,
Jr.. OF Atlanta; Robt. Coleman, of Macon;
8. NJ. Subers, of Macon.
Committee IN a and
II. Richardson, j. w. Blackshear, w. D..
Griffith.
Finance Committee-Bascom Myrick, w.
w. Starr, DR., A. G. Harmon.
The elected officers were then installed
with the proper ceremony by Deputy
Supreme Regent B. H. Richardson,
after which Savannah was selected as
resolutions for courtesies, ETC., being pass
ed, the Council closed Its session.
THE AUGUSTA BROTHERHOOD.
Ford Council Of Augusta, numbering one
hundred and forty of the most substantial
citizens OF that Furnishing city, were the
entertainers of the Grand Council, and right
royalty did they perform that duty. In the
evening q magnificent banquet was rendered
at the establishment of Lexius Henderson,
popular caterer in Augusta, and one who,
judging from the superb manner In
7hich the feast was conducted,
has no equal n the South. The banquet
would have done credit % tfe famous Del
mOnico's best effort, aud aas an Aifair Of
which Ford Council hs3 coed reason 80 feel
proud. No host could have desired TO
spread a more sUmptuous feast for honored
guests than was this banquet, consisting Of
LRe odd courses, and served in q
stvle that vas admirable, there
| oe.aG complete change Of plstes and
knives ana FORKS es eaen coGgee was r.
and this quietly and e4pC5itoaz
marking the skillful and expeT sd
caterer. With such entertainers as !. =
Fords and such a feast, SO inn ef-
fectly described, 1t may befnferred that IL g
guests took no note Of time, and that
pleasure ruled supreme. l would here
most specially commend one feature Of
this model entertainment, which should
serve as an example worthy of imitation
The committee had decided to omit the
usual programme of Irregular toasts,' and
set speeches were counted out. The result
was a reunion devoid of formality or
ceremony, and characterized by the
utmost sociability, freedom, and
in every particular satisfactory and crafty
ing. For this the Ford Council had the
hearty thanks of the representatives. 1t
was long after midnight before the bill of
fare was finished, and the banquet most
pleasing and satisfactory brought 20 q close.
An impromptu session of a number of
members of Ford Council and the
Savannah delegation followed, and was
continued until the "wee sma'' hours. The
'Sweet Singer OF Israel, u the lively member
of Pulaski Council, who distinguished him
self on a previous occasion by his MARBLE of
"Ben Bolt" was In his element, but in
Bro. Weisiger, the ''silent" member of
Ford Council, had a ''foeman worthy
of his wit" The ''roYal brother with a
white diamond In his eye" notwithstand-
ing the brilliancy of the Starr that illumina-
ted the hall, remembering that an Alexan-
der was at the head, could af Ford to stand,
with equanimity, the small shot of his Foster
brother, especially when the Augusta knight
of the quill acknowledged that Savannah
was ahead, as he was no Walker. A
more Harmonious termination of the
delightful occasion could not have been
desired, and even the representative from
the mountains of Burke, ''who adds dignity
to any body and eclat to any
entertainment,s dropped his "tiger lily''
and pushed aside his ''snipe on toast'' in bis
zeal to express his satisfaction, when the
prominent grain and provision dealers"
started "Auld Lang Syne." Long will be
remembered this banquet and the enjoy
ment it occasioned.
Friday was devoted to sight seeing. drive
to B-rckman's celebrated nursery, four miles
from the city, and to the beautiful Gene
terry. On all sides were seen evidences of
the rapid growth of Augusta, and it
requires not the gift Of second
sight to predict with some assur-
ance a great and brilliant future for
the lovely Fountain City," There are
a very large number of buildings IN course
of construction and approaching compile.
ton, the merchants and tradesmen are busy,
smiling and happy, and the hustle which
everywhere prevails bespeaks the thrift and
prosperity of the city. These signs were
hope expressed that the day is not far dis
tant when Augusta will be,what she is emil
nently fitted, by location and facilities, and
by the enterprise and energy Of her mer-
chants to be, great distributing point for
Georgia and large portion OF South Caro-
lima.
the Worthy Grand Regent, Mr.. Frank G..
Ford, than whom there is no more sffable
and courteous gentleman, the Macon and
Savannah and other representatives and
their ladies who had remained
over were treated to trip
up the canal, of which so much
"My Queen" under command Of the popu-
lar Superintendent Of the Canal, Col. John
U. Meyer, the party started for the locks.
where splendid view of the 'falls Of the
Savannah" is obtained, and is well worth
thing, and although 1t may not now float the
beautiful steamship named In honor Of
the city, It is capable of pouring immense
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