The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-06-14
THE KNIGHTS TEMPLARS.
Programme OF the San Francisco Triennial
Conolave-The Competitive Drill.

Chicago Times.
The conclave opens on the Goth OF August
with the grand parade and review. The
Grand Encampment meets on the 21st and
that evening an opening promenade concert
and ball will be given at Mechanics Indus
trial Hall, free to all Templars and their
ladies' The competitive prize drill will be
arranged for Saturday, Aug. 25, thus leaving
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday
for uninterrupted legislation in the morn
ing. These days, however, will also possess
their distinctive features. Wednesday, Aug.
%, at p NJ, a grand banquet will be given
by the Grand Commandery of California to
the Grand Encampment Friday, Aug. "a.
the cornerstone of the Garfield monument
will be laid by the Grand Lodge F. and A.
Masons, of California, the procession to be
escorted by Knights Templars, United States
military, National Guard of California, Grand
Army Of the Republic and the military order
of the Royal Legion.
On Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and
Friday, also, special trains at excursion
rates, will be run to all available points, thus
affording the knights an opportunity to wit
ness some of CALIFORNIA; finest scenery-as
the geysers, the mammoth groves of Calave-
ras and Mariposa and even the far-famed
yosemite valley itself, as we'll as the cities of
sacramento, Stockton, San Jose, Monterey
and Santa Cruz, the beautiful valleys of Som
oma, Napa, Santa Clara, the great redwood
forests and other points of interest. Steam
boat excursions will also be made around the
bay and harbor to Newark Hunters Point
ana dry-dock, Benicia, Vallejo, Fort Point
and the Farralone islands. In order that
these may not interfere with business and
keeping this consideration constantly in
view, these excursions will be continued
throughout the following week for the espe-
cial benefit of the officers and membe OF
the Grand Encampment, who will be escorted
as guests of the Grand Commandery of Cali
fornia to all the various points OF interest.
The competitive drill on Saturday, Aug.
25, is the feature of the conclave which is
now attracting the greatest interest.
The st. Bernard drill corps of Chicago won
the flag at the last conclave, but the stipula-
ton was that it should be held subject to
challenges for three years. IT, by the 18th
OF the present month, which was yesterday
no challenge was received, the St Bernard
corps we're to take the flag and with it the
championship No challenge had been re-
ceived up to last night and the drill corps
is now the champion Knight Templar
drillers, and they will celebrate the expira-
ton of the three years grace on Friday, at
Lincoln Park. Captain Purinton is the
commander OF the corps, and at o'clock on
Friday afternoon he will bring his corps out
in full uniform and put them through the
manual and evolutions in the park. Had a
challenge been received the Demands
would have taken the flag to
San Francisco and there again
contested for it. The prizes for the
drilling at the coming conclaves are not to
be flags but trophies of different charac-
ter. There are five of them. The first is a
vase twenty-four inches high. The top is
surmounted by knight on horseback, stand
i'm ovIi rAr nj
prising the different minerals of California
The vase rests upon two cornucopie, one on
each side. ana Whey rect uppn round base
composed of silver and gold. The cornuco-
pia on the right is filled with solid gold speci-
mems, the other with grapes and wheat The
handles of the vase are composed of gold
quartz and silver. The body OF the vase is
to be OF silver inlaid with gold. The knight
and horse snrmounting the vase to be of
gold. The whole of the elegant affair rests
upon four bear paws made of oxidized silver.
The second trophy is a mounted knight,
to be made OF gold, silver and bronze, stand
ing on a pedestal of California onyx. The
third is to be a revolving globe of pure sill
yer, ten inches in diameter. On the surface,
inlaid in gold, is to be an categorical design
of California. There will be figure OF u
knight in armor of silver and gold, a fortif-
cation composed of gold quartz, and tents,
banners. armors and bears in silver The
fourth trophy is a solid silver plaque, and in
its center will be rich y-engraved view of
the Yosemite valley with a border of eight
medallions, four being designs of knight
Templar emblems, and four California de-
signs of the big trees, Suffers mill, miner
and farmer The fifth trophy is silver
vase of elaborate design mounted by a Knight
Templar on horseback. The body of the vase
is handsomely chased, representing pilgrims
by the wayside, and rests on a massive foot
The prizes are being manufactured in Cali
g., % Il NO.
sum of money. They will be the absolute
properties of tue winning communicates, and
will not be subject to challenge, and this fact
makes the desire to secure them greater than
it otherwise would be. As consequence
all the crack drill corps in the country who
will visit San Francisco are now praeticing
the sword manual and evolutions, and specu-
lation on the outcome of the drill contest is
very widespread. The contest for first prize
is thought to lie between st. Bernard, of Chi
cago, and Raper, of indianapolis, as it did
three years ago. The spirit of rivalry has not
altogether abated since the twenty-second
triennal couclave, and the corps of both com
manderies are straining every nerve to pnt
themselves in position to win. Beside
the St. Bernard and Raper, there are St.
Elmo. of Memphis; Damascus, of ST. Paul,
and De Molay of Louisville. They
arc all crack drill communicates. and very
spirited contest Is anticipated. Captain
Purinton feels that his corps has as good
chance OF winning the first prize at San
Francisco as 1t had in Chicago in 1880. The
trophies are not open to contests from
mounted communicates.
Among the rules adopted for the competi-
tive drill by the committee having its arrange
ment in charge are the provisions that the
Communicates must drill without music; no
movements not provided for in Templar
tactics shall be executed; the tactics shall be
those prescribed by the different grand juris-
dictions or, if the Communicates so elect,
Grants tactics, and the time OF drill shall
not exceed forty minutes. The number of