St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-09-23
ZION ASTRONG TOW Err.
The Minneapolis 0ommandery Makes q
Splendid Showing in the Knights
Templars' Drill.
The Contest Witnessed by a Vast Crowd
of Spectators Estimated at
10000.
The Military Display Followed by q
Magnificent Instrumental
Concert.
The Odd Fellows at Boston Transact
Business and Have n Pro-
ceSsiOn.
The KNIGHTS rcmpiars.

ST. LOUIS, Sept 22.-Hours before the
time set for the grand drill which was to
open the proceedings of the day at the fair
grounds the street cars leading to the
grounds were packed with people who pro-
posed to make full day of it. The streets
and avenues OF approach were thrOngcd with
conveyanceS of every description and COM
manderieS and bands which went in bodies.
Bands were playing, brightly uniformed
Knights were going through the evolutions
of the manual and the scene along the route
from the center of the city was most ami
mated and inspiring one. The stream OF
humanity began passing through the gates
before s o'clock, and by 10 the free stands
were more than half filled, while the grand
and other reserved stands were occupied by
some hundreds. The ladies seemed to form
at least have the audience. The fair
grounds, which are among the finest in the
world, presented
BEAUTIFUL APPEARANCE.
The rains of yesterday had cleansed
everything, while the winds and bright
sunshine of the morning had dried the grass
and rendered promenading decided pleas
ure, although the turf was little soft for
the pun pose of drilling. The huge platform
erected within the race track for the con-
cert which is to form perhaps, the chief
attraction of the day, was gayly decorated
with banners and emblems, as were the
grand stands. booths. exhibit halls and the
snowy tents, pitched on the lawn for the
use OF communicates entered for the drill.
The bands and Communicates entered for
the drill were early On the grounds and
were escorted to their positions by squads
from the local communicates.
By II o'clock fully 10000 spectators
were On the grounds, and the
STREAM OF NEW COMERs
was unchecked and more dense than ever.
Jackson No. 9, of Jackson, Mich, was the
first on the ground, and the other COM
petitors in the drill in the following order:
Detroit No. 1, of Detroit, Mich; Louisville
No. l, Louisville, KY: st. Bernard No. 35,
of Chicago; De Molay No. IL. of Louis
vile, KY, and Zion No. 2, of Minneapolis,
MINI. Owing to the fact that no prizes or
diplomas were to be awarded. and no de-
cision as to the merits of the competitors
was to be announced. the utmost good feel
ing prevailed. 1t was after II o'clock when
lots were drawn for the order of drill, and
the immense crowds had encrOached upon
the borders of the parade grounds. 1t was
decided that but thirty minutes be allowed
each commandery in which to drill, and
the order to be as follows: De Molay, of
Louisville, first; second, Zion, of Minneap-
oils; Louisville No. 1, third; St. Bernard,
of Chicago fourth; Detroit No.. 1, fifth;
Jackson, of Jackson, Mich, sixth; Raper
of indianapolis, seventh. During the long
wait previous to the drill, Ivanhoe Com
mandery, No. s, of st. Louis, mounted,
conducted
THE CELEBRATED CORNETIST, LIBERATI,
to position in front of the grand stand.
He gave a solo with bugle accompaniment,
composed of medley of military calls
The following were announced as in charge
of the various Communicates, with the
number of men drilling in each: De Molay,
of Louisville, W. II. Moffat, drill master;
st. Bernard, of Chicago Sc men, Capt.
Purinton, captain of drill corps; Detroit,
Eugene Robinson. drill master, 81 men;
Zion, Minneapolis, Lieut. T.. M. Keith, drill
master, "a men: jackson, % men, j. n.
Hatch, captain Of drill. 1t lacked but fif-
teen minutes of noon when the signal for
the drill to begin was sounded, and DE
Molay commandery, of Louisville, marched
to the parade ground, greeted by
the most enthusiastic applause from
had crowded all accessible and
some apparently inaccessible points of OBJ
servation. The fair grounds had been trod-
den into field of mud, rendering per-
Torrance of the various evolutions slow,
difficult and tiresome. However, tactics
were closely followed, and notable figures
and movements were greeted with liberal
applause. DeMolay cOmmandery occupied
its full allotted time. and its fine work re-
ceived generous recognition. Fo,.owing
DeMOlay's retirement, Zion No. Q, of Min
neapols, took the ground, making an ex-
cellent impression on its approach. During
the progress of its drill considerable UNI
favorable comment was caused by the action
of st. Bernard cOmmandery, Of Chicago,
which, attired in gaudy uniform with white
trousers, and preceded by the Thrty-sev-
enth regiment band, of Hamilton, Ontario,
marched across the border of the parade
ground to its position in the rear. somewhat
overshadowing the less conspicuously at
tired Zion commandery. Notwithstanding
the disadvantage under which they were
placed
THE MEMBERS OF ZION
kept steadily on with their business, and in
very short order had the undivided atten-
ton of the crowds in attendance, and
elected loud and frequent applause by
their superb drilling to the time of ''Old
Kentucky Home" Louisville Commandery
No. l then marched upon the field, making
a most favorable impression. The scene at
1 o'clock was most brilliant. The weather
was perfect. The sun was shining brightly
and the conditions were in every way favor
able to the fullest and most complete en-
ioyment of the occasion. The stands and
every available spot in seeing distance of
the parade grounds were packed with spec
tators, the knghtly uniforms and brill
liant costumes of thu ladies unit
ing to make the picture most beau
tiful and imposing. Hundreds of
carriages filled with ladies and their escorts
lined the outer circle and thousands on foot
were packed like sardines in box along
the rails surrounding the race track. The
booths and refreshment stands were
crowded to overfowing and still the crowd
continued to receive accessions from the
outside, composed of those who cared only
to listen to
THE CONCERT OF THE AFTERNOON.
In fact, after 7:30 this morning the gate
keepers had not a moments rest, and their
work seemed to increase instead of diminish
until 1 O'Clock. The commandery drills
lasted until nearly4 o'clock. Indianapolis
commandery failed to appear, and Detroit
No. l closed the drill with evolutons con-
tinu1ng an hour. At 2 o'clock Leader Gill
more began mastering the various bands of
music which were to participate in the grand
concert, but it was after $50 before they
began the march to the stand they were to
occupy. They were arranged so
that the different kinds OF in
struments were brought together
and the ''crazy-quilt' appearance of the
intermingled uniforms was decidedly
unique. Throughout the afternoon crowds
of people had been arriving in all sorts of
vehicles and on foot, and when the concert
began conservative estimate of the num-
Der of auditors would place it at rs, 600,
though it was estimated as high as $50, 600.
Whatever the actual number, it was suffi-
Gent to prevent those on the outskirts of
the crowd hearing much of the music, and
so far was the platform from the grand
ctopd thar the OccunantS Of tho Iatfar ,.,oro