The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-11-01
TCleyeIand Leader.l

cleveland Leader.]
Thirty seven members of the order
Of the Iron Hall were paid dividends
$4,000 at Music Hall last
evening. They had for seven years
supported the organization
and in return received the btnetits
them The order has been
in the city only about lorg
enough for the original members to Le
entitled 10 final benefit, aud The fist
payment was made last evening. An
audience OF more than 8. 500 people
gathered to wituess the roc sdings.
The stage was fringed with u profusion
OF tropical plants, and in the center |
was large floral emblem of red and |
white roses with the. insc, ip ion :" U. |
P, F. 27-2S" The letters aignified |
the motto of the order" union, pro
lection, 70, ,bearance," and the num-
bers denote the pumber of the branches /
of which the beDeficiaries are members |
A very interesting feature of the stage
characterization was ali imitation safe
which contained the money. DIR. II
B VanNorman served as president of
the evening. First on the program
was the rendition of the " Ruined
Chapel, by the AriOn Quartet Messrs
= 81
aud G. ID. Duckett They were warm
ly greeted, as they always are, and rem.
dered the selection with their accus.
toned skill. Rev. DIR. Hildreth offered
prayer, and the Arions sang 1.-The
Lords Own Day" In
SPEAKING OF THE CELEBRATION
Dr., auNorman said, in substance:
I'VE meet to celebrate the seventh all
"a H. a DO 2h II oil
and we welcome all who have gather
ed with us. We meet to pay out, not
to receive money. The order has been
in existence over seven years, aud has
faithfully carried out every obligation.
A member of the order is not obliged
to die to receive the benefits of the or.
der. A man with the Iron Hall to de-
pend upon is perfectly Independent.
| The order is non sectarian, and the
only requisite to membership is good
moral character and u sound mind in
sound body. Ladies and gentlemen
may join for Sc, aud. their lodges are
separate. 1t was left for our honored
chief justice to learn that it costs no
more to pay living man $1,000 than
y dead man u like amount in [ zen
time. We meet tonight to pay $3O, 900
to the members of the graduating Glass
| who have bravely stood by the ship in
storm and adversely. No man. not
even an Iron Haller, should expect
something for nothing. but this comes
nearer to it than anything. A man in
the 81 600 grade has in seven years
paid $279. A workingmaD can main
tain a membership in the highest
grade by the payment of ten cents Il
day A burst of applause greeted
President Van Norlnan's recital OF the
hene fits of the order. Miss Jennie
4 Croft rendered GounOd's Workers"
in an artistic manner, aud the audi
ence we quick to express its apprecia.
ton Miss johnson accompanied the
vocalist as pianist.
Supreme Justice F. d. Somerby, OF
indianapolis, ives the second officer ol
he order to address the sssemblage
Mr.. Somerby bears the distinction o.
having been the founder of the order
and his review of its principles We 3 re
ceived with unusual interest. In the
course of his address he said; sup
pose | am expected 10 explain to you
our success pa an order. There are 1T
doubt before me those who failed tt
keep up their dues and are experienc.
ing Keen disappointment, fondiy wish
ing that they were behind me in'tead
of before me. Olr system enables lron
HalleIs to be independent of theil
neighbors. Even in this hour of sue
cess and triumph, the enemies thai
HAVE PURSUED US So STEADILY
exhibit their venom. What are We
here for2 We are here to demonstrate
principle. In seven years we have
met every demand made upon US ia
/ Cleveland and elsewhere. Our ii IS!
aim is at the home circle. Itis easy
to pay a living member benefit in
seven years IS to await his death. A
little over seven years ago state
the plan of organizing in Detroit a
gathering of thirty friends. and they
s. id, 1T would be grand thing. Lu,
how much would it cOst?" | respon,l
ed $500 to 81 600, aud they departe,
except one who renamed ss a friend
and to express the belief that va
) insane. 1t was poor encouragement
and removed to indianapolis. w,
started the ship there, and tonight
am here and | want to say that ther,
are 10000 in the United States just a.
crazy as 1 am on the subject, We hsvi
enemies many, but they are th 8
whose business is antagonizsd by on
system They opposed in like mann.
the beneficial organizations of year
ago. The assets accumulated by In
suranoe companies are in the IroI
Hall returned to the members. Iheart
today that Cleveland man had afte
: q prolonged mathematical struggle
decided that the lion Hall may hv,
twenty one years. If it Ia good tina
long why not always? In insuranc,
4 ,Qpu is the unit on which deaths ant
i. sickness are reckOned, aud every l ,OOt
has equal ability. Let each membe
, of the order produce one new membe
per gear. and they alone will provid
$25 per week, and ST 900 in Sc en- years
L was asked today. - Who is to pa,
country of ours they will not see th,
last man until Gabriel blows his horn
and ss he will then have all there is
he should be satisfied. There will b.
, no last man. We have ST ,l25 ,CO0 liza
bility to meet this year, and by count
ing up the money to be received thi
u year from the 80, 0,OU0 members behint
them, you will see that you have 81,
200, 600. They told me today: "Yoi
may pay tonight. but that will be tb,
end of it," We know the liability TO
this year. and by keeping the Iank
full we will have the same forces a
the end of the year as now, The Iron
Hall has been tried, hss triumphed
and you have been made independen
aud not dependent. The order Owe
not cent in the world, has q surplu.
of $400, 900, aud its paper is current
good as gold. from Maine to Califor
MIA" Mr.. Somerby gave also a some
what Intricate practical demonstration
of tie manner in which the order i,
able to meet its obligations HIS ad
dress was warmly applauded.
i Mrs. 8 T.. Ford sang Bizett's "Tar
an. ellie" in charming manner, and
when recalled by an enthusiastic de IN
0nstration. responded with The Last
Rose of Summer"
Mr.. F. W. Landers the supreme nc
countanJ, spoke OF the Order of The
4 Iron Hall as an American institution
besed on an American idea. Mr. e..
4 M. Davis, the supreme cashier, stated
/ that he was the fifth man to join the
order, aud that its growth had been
remarkable. 1t was the desire OF eI Q.
ryone. he said, to get as much for q
dollar = possible, and the Iron Hall