The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-09-24
THE lEMrLiRS PARADE.
A PROCESSION THREE AND A
HALF NILES LONG.
Scenes ard IDcIdents Along the
Line Of Marcia Grand
Affair.

NliIHldNu VIZ lHiCuO-b VI IllG gay
and the effect OF the announcement
msde: on Tuesday that the Knights
Templars' parade YVES permanently
abandoned, but few changes OF the
original programme were made neces.
ssry by the pc stponement. All mem.
bers OF the Commander-in-C Chiefs
staff we're on hand and substitutes for
division Office were only required in
two or three instances. The rank and
file comprised less Knights than won d
have formed in line had the parade
occurred when first advertised, bu,
nearly every commau6ery announced
to participate was represented. Some
slight additions had been made to the
already proiuse decorations, and these
damaged by the bad weather Of Tues
day bad been rest red.
The delay ard monotonous wa Is a.
the Fair Grounds yesterday had the
effect Of keeping people at home dur
ing tne early hours, as the public C n
Guided from its experiences yesterday
that the procession would be late in
iormiDg, and in consequences the work
of ge,tirg the divisions in osidon was
greatly facilitated by the absence OF
OF the thro1gs which on other occa-
sions have rendered marching ex
tremely difficult. Contrary TO general
expectation, the participants In the
parade were prompt in their move
ments and began to report ut the rem
devious even before the hour ap-
pointed.
All the stleets In the lower portion
Of the city were fairy i've with NOV
ing battalions, accompanied by Rayly
csparisoned bands OF music, the latter
in many instances performing their
duties ia rather listles1 and perfume
tory manner, aud showing plainly the
effect Of the almC st incessant work to
which they have been subjected in eE-
coiting the Communicates 10 which
they were attached on their fraternal
calling expeditions. Uniforms, too,
began to SHOW the effect Of hard SER
vice, aud co 'ors were not 30 bright nor
effects nearly 30 brilliant rs on the
opening days OF the conclave. Ery
trains br ueht loads of visitors, and
by 10 o'clock the street cas- from the
residence portions Of the city were
diecharging huge loads OF spectators
along the line OF march.
Contrary to the general expectations
the divisions Of the procession were
in position promptly on time, and at
the honr OF IL o'clock the signal for
the start was given and the procession
moved on its way. by this time the
crowds along the line OF march were
90 dense that all forms OF locomotion
were rendered extremely difficult and
everything but Professionalism YVES en-
tirely out of the question. Scores Of
stands had been erected ON vacant
lots and ia front OF buildings whose
fronts were some distance from the
street line and these were crowded,
chiefly with gaily dressed ladies aud
children. Along the lower portion OF
the route the windows in the three
miles Of business houses were jammed
with paople who bad selected these
points OF observation. The procession
was headed by a platoon OF mounted
police, which cleared tho way for its
progress,
It was l1:45 o'clock when the head
OF the procession reached the review
ing stand in front OF the Exposition
Builcing, where the members Of the
Grand Encampment were assembled
in a body. IL was nearly 2 o'clock
when the last division passed and the
Grand Encampment returned to its as
sembly room.
AS the procession passed the review
auraN atuHd nnrinna nunlgtltAra
gone through by the Knights, and the
bands, xty.two in number, which
accompanied them, and every skillful
or unusual movement was loudly APP
plaudrd by the crowds which lined
the streets and filed the four rows Of
windows in the capacious Exposition
Bulldog. Long before the last divi-
sion oil the procession had passed the
reviewing stand the head had reached
the Iont of disban I'm, mt at the or :
trace 10 the G and Encampment
hall, and the members Of the first d.
visions, breaking ranks and joining
with the other spe tators. packed
the lawn surrounding the build
ing, and rendered movement OF
anysort well nigh impossible, while en-.
trace to the Exposition Building was
entiely out Of the question. Ths pro-
ce sion was fully three snd a half mil, 8
in length and even the most, enthufi-
sstic off ers In charge Of the ar lange
Inent, were surprised at its msgnitu Q.
The parade pa sed without notable
incident and 10 casualties OF any sort
we're report d. At itl close tue par
Elephants dispersed throughout the
city and the social calling was Iesu med
by ONE, while Others awaited them
eelvs If the various river excursions
in b1ats furnished for the purpos, by
the local Communicates.