The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-09-23
Drills and Other Exercises at the st. Louis
Fair Grounds Witnessed by Crowds Ag-
gregating More than 5000 People.
Gilmore Leads the Greatest Band Con-
cert Ever Given in the Country.
Proceedings of the Sovereign Grand Lodge
10. o. Fifteen Thousand Members of
the Order Join in the Great Parade.
THE rEMpLAR coNcLAvE.
Charity Day Magnificent Success-A Grand
Parade to Take Place To-Day.

Parade to Take Place To-Day.
| ST. Louis, Sept 22.-The Knights Templars in
| attendance upon their twenty third trie2nial
| conclave. the thousands of visitors and great
number of citizens. devoted their time to-day to
the charity exercises at the fair grounds for the
| benefit of the Widows and Orphans Masonic
| Home. Early this morning the streets were
| thronged with thousands on their way thither
There was no room for Zone more" on any of
the street cars running to the grounds. and ve-
hicles of every description were utilized to con-
vey the eager spectators to the scene of the
Knights Templars competitive drill and the Gil
more concert The Merchants Exchange held
no session, in honor of the event, and the re-
leased clerks, as well as their employees, wasted
little time in proceeding to the grounds. AS the
morning passed away the usually busy streets
became almost deserted, so many avaed them
selves of the opportunity of contributing to the
charitable object The only class of people pres
ent in the city who did not generally
attend the exercises were the members of
the Grand Encampment, whose meeting, at IL
o'clock, made it absolutely impossible for them
to leave the city. They were represented, how
ever, by few who obtained leave to absent
themselves from the meeting. 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 proposed to make a full
day of it. The streets and avenues of approach
were thronged with conveyances of every de-
scription, and communicates and bands which
went in bodies. Bands were playing, brightly
uniformed Knights were going through the eyo-
lutions 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 hu
| manity began pouring through the gates before
s o'clock, and by 10 the free stands were more
than half filled, while the grand and other re-
| served seats were occupied by some hundreds.
Ladies seemed to form at least half
| 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 prom
enading a decided pleasure. although the turf
was little soft for the purpose of drilling. The
huge platform erected within the race track for
the concert, which is to form, perhaps, the chief
attraction of the day. was gaiiy 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 en-
| tered for the drill were early on the ground and
were escorted to their positions by squads from
the local commanderies
By II o'clock fully 10, 900 spectators were on
the ground, and the stream of newcomers was
"a
manderies, as they marched to the parade
ground were received with loud applause, which
grew into tumu.t as those of national repute
appeared. Jackson, No 9, of Jackson, Mich,
the first on the ground. and the other
petitors in the drill followed in the following
order: Detroit No. l, of Detroit, Mich; Louis
vile, No. l, of Louisville, Kv. St. Bernard, No.
35, of Chicago; De Molay, No. IL, of Louisville;
Raper, No. l. of Indianapolis and Zion No. 2,
| of Minneapolis Owing to the fact that no prizes
or diplomas were to be awarded, and no official
decision as to the merits of the competition was
to be announced, the utmost good feeling pre-
vailed.
1t was after IL o'clock when lots were drawn
for the order of drill, and by that time 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; Zion, of Minneap-
of Chicago, fourth; Detroit, No. l, fifth; Jack
son, of Jackson, Mich. sixth; Raper, of In
dianapolis, seventh
During the long wait previous to the drill.
| mounted, conducted the celebrated cornetist,
| Liberatti, to a position in front of the grand
stand. He gave a solo with bugle accompani-
| ment composed of ame6ley of military calls.
1t lacked but fifteen minutes of noon when the
signal for the drill to begin was sounded, and
| De Molay Comrnandery, of Louisville, marched
| to the parade grounds, greeted by the most en-
| thusiastic applause from the fifteen to twenty
| thousand people who had crowded all accessible
and some apparently inaccessible points of OBJ
servation. The parade ground had been trodden
| into field of mud, rendering the performance
of the various evolutions slow, difficult and tire
some. However, tactics were closely followed,
| and notable figures and movements were greeted
with liberal applause. De MolaY occupied its
full allotted time and its fine work received gen
| erous recognition
| Following De Molays retirement, Zion No. 2.
| of Minneapolis, took the ground, making ex
| cellent impression on its approach. During the
| progress of its drill considerable unfavorable
comment was caused by the action of st. Ber.
nard Commandery, of Chicago. which, attired in
| gaudy uniform. with white trousers, and pre-
ceded by the Thirty y-seventh Regiment band, of
| Hamilton, Ont, marched across the border Of
the parade ground to its position in the rear,
| somewhat overshadowing the less conspicuously-
/ attired 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 undi-
vided attention of the crowds In attendance, and
elected loud and frequent applause by their
superb drilling.
10 the tune of "Old Kentucky Home" Louis
vile Commandery, No l. then marched upon the
| field, making most favoreble impression The
| scene at o'clock was moss brilliant The wealth
| er was perfect, good breeze was stirring, the
sun was shining brightly, and the conditions were
| in every way favorable to the fullest and most
| complete enjoyment OF the occasion. The stands
and every available spot in seeing distance of the
parade ground were packed With spectators the