The Portland daily press., 1889-10-09
WAVING PLUMES, FLASHING INSIGNIA,
Handsome Banners and Brilliant
Equipments Of Marching Knights
Make a Pageant which Washington
Will Long Remember.
Successfu fui Beginning of ftheTriennial
ConcIave Of the Masons.


VINO were astr early this morning glanced
mournfully at sullen threatening sky, in
dicatlye OF rain, and chilliness Of the air al
most foreboded snow. But as the hours
wore away the sun broke through and dis
sipated the clouds, and its cheerful rays
We're reflected from bright uniforms, spark.
ling insignia and Haunting banners. The
city wore a holiday garb. The long columns
OF knights with their gorgeous plumes and
uniforms, the galloping mounted equerries,
the huttering banners. the martial music, the
shrill and commanding trumpet calls, the
throngs of admiring spectators were here.
Only the. fields of picturesque tents, the
mounted battlements and mailed warriors of
the Middle Ages were wanting to make the
picture. complete. Everywhere was hustle,
animation and brilliant coloring The
streets were thronged with people, and
nrlght banners and mystic insignia decora-
ted the buildings in all parts Of ,he city.
Along Pennsylvania avenue the decorators
had been lavish in the use of bunting, and
from each window and house front flags,
banners and the cross of the Templars
Haunted in the crisp October air.
From the Treasury Building along both
sides of the magnificent promenade leading
to the Capitol there was an uninterrupted
display Of the national colors and the in
sigma of the Templars. The use of the de-
vices of the visiting orders permitted the
adoption OF some novel decorations, and the
opportunity was literally improved by the
business houses fronting on the line of
march, the effect being a very pleasing
variation from the ordinary devices Of de-
corati0n.
The dingy columns OF the east front of the
Treasury building were warmed into
temporary splendor by heavy draping of the
national colors, interspersed with shields,
bearing the heraldic devices of the visiting
commanderies. Long streamers of red,
white ard blue hung from the pediments of
the north, south and west porticoes, and al
most the entire cornice of the building was
hidden by huge American flags draped in
graceful folds. A national flag flying from
the mast pole with fiuttering pennons
streaming from guy ropes en- each side
crowned crow the decorations. The streets of the
city were thr0nged early in the morning
with strangers ana residents eager to wit
ness the grand pageant.
The Templars formed early in the morn
ing at their various headquarters and with
bands playing marched through the streets
march stands bad been erected for the use Of
the families and friends of the visiting
knights, and before 8 o'clock the choice
places had been occupied by spectators.
Windows commanding view Of the process
sion were at premium, and ladies' faces
peered from each at the scenes below
The avenue had been roped in to keep off the
crowd and give full room to the Knights for
the display OF their ElanOeuvers.
Several hours before the time for the pro-
cession to move the people were banked two
or three deep against the wire ropes that
were stretched from the Capitalize the Treas-
ury Building, while moving throng surged
slowly up and down the pavement. At the
railroad stations trains were constantly ar
riving with passengers anxious to get to the
line OF march, and many of these with
satchels still in their hands, Immediately
sought positions from which to witness the
parade. few belated Communicates ar
rived in the early morning and donning their
chapeaus and full regalia marched through
the streets to the positions assigned Them
1T was predicted by friends of the Tenn
plars that the crowd present today would
exceed in numbers that which witnessed the
inauguration Of President Harrison, but
this predictionwas very far from being real
lied The streets were we'll filled with peo-
pie. and progress was slow along the main
thoroughfares, but by no means well nigh
impassable, as was the case on the 4th of
March. a. moderate estimate would place
the number'of visitors in town at about So
0OO and these are nearly all friends of the
various communicates taking part in the pa
rade today.
The number of knights in the city has
been estimated from fifteen to twenty thou
sand, comprising over 200 Communicates,
from all sections of the country.
The twelve divisions of the procession
formed in the streets adjacent to the Capitol
and debouching from the side streets at the
signal of command, filed into line and began
the long march up Pennsylvania avenue
The parade moved over line of march
three and one-half miles long, beginning at
First and y streets, east of the Capitol,
thence. to street. down f street to Penn
sylyania avenue. at the foot of Capitol
Hill, and along Pennsylvania avenue past
the Treasury Building and White House
to Washington Circle, where the parade
moved into K street and down that street to
Mount Vernon square, where the COM
nanderies were dismissed. In front of the
White House stand had been erected on
the esame site from which the President in
March last. reviewed the long columns of
soldiery and civic organizations that formed
the inaugural procession. At 1880 Presi-
the arm Of Secretary Window. He was
followed by Secretaries Noble, Tracy and
Rusk, Attorney General Miller. General
Schofed and General Vincent, Assistant
Adjutant General. They were accompanied
by Mrs. Harrison, DIR. Scott Lord, Mrs.
Halford, Miss Sanger and several Indiana
friends. The entrance Of the Presidential
party was the signal for loud applause.
The grand encampment of the knights
Templars began its session Immediately on
arriving at the Masonic Temple at the close
Of the parade. Myron NJ. Parker delivered
his address of welcome on the part of the
local committee in behalf of the city. To both
addresses the Grand Master responded. This
closed the public exercises. The encamp-
ment began business in secret cOnclave,
This lantern bicycle parade tonight of
about 700 or 500 wheelmen, closed the enter
tainment OF the day.