Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-10-09
KNIGHTS In ARRAY.
A Splendid Pageant at the Ma
tional Capital.
SIXTEEN THOUSAND MEN IN LINE.

the Route OF March-The scene Graph
tcaily Described-Openipg OF the Com
ciave-Iows Men Excluded.
WASHINGTON CITY, Oct 9-Ths triennial
conclaye of he Kuights Templar was begun
here yesterday. The army Of COMMANDERS
had been marshalng for several days ami
yesterday there was beating of drums and
marching and countermarching of COM
msnderies in SNOWY uniforms. The national
capital has rarely been so profusely decor
sted a. It was yesterday. The local Masons
did themselves proud in this resp ,ct, and the
city was perfect blaze of color so far the
principal streets were concerned. Especially
was this true OF Tennsylvania avenus. From
the capitol To- Washington circle there was a
blending array Of bunting The route OF
the parade west Of the treasury department
was not SO generally decorated as east OF
that point
The Treasury and War Buildings
Probably the simplest and most effective
decorations on the route were those of the
treasury and war departments. IL was done
CHIEFLY with immense American fags. Tue
'lumns of tho long colonna 10 on tbs cas-:
front Of the treasury were wrapped to tie
heighth Of about Il teen feet with either an
immense Il ,g or with crosse ban is OF hunt
ing, s,me red some white, and some blue.
bus none blend ID. Every hotel AMI man V
b uses, converted for the time b.ing into
a4ylums for the Templar pilgrims, were
adorned with banners or gorgeous de ,ora-
tons These combined in most every case
the device an inscription Of the command
cries making their headquarters in the hotel,
with the usual patriotic show Of rel, white
and blue bunting.
The Visiting Knights.
The visiting knights hung their shields out
side OF their pavilions at a great tourney,
though instead OF the clash of arms and tbs
rough jousts here knights will strive to outdo
each other in courtesy and in the peaceful
contests Of the parade and the banque ct
board. One feature Of the gathering was
the solid, welLdressed, prosperous appear
ance OF the average visitor. The comman
deries appear to be made up from the best
citizens and leading men of the cities the Y
represent In many cases in the ranks are
prominent men whose names are well Unknown
beyond their own cities for their services in
war or politics, or their eminence in the
business world.
The Throng from Abroad.
Ii was predicted By friends OF the Tenn
plars that the crowd present yesterday
would exceed IN number that which wit
messed the Inauguration of President Harri-
son, but this prediction was very far from
being realized The streets were well I'll led
with people, and progress slow along the
main thorough ares, but by no means we'll
night impassa BILE, as was the cass on the
4th OF March. moderate estimate would
place the number Of visitors at about $50, =
600, and these are nearly all friends of The
various Communicates taking part ia TIA
parade. The number Of knights in the city
has heen estimated at from 1900 to -. OOJ
comprising over 100 comman ieries fro m all
sections Of the country, and Il Is estimated
that loOO0 knights took part in the pageant.
The Parsders Early Astir.
BY o'clock IN the morning the comman-
deries were sstir, each preparing for a place
in the division Of the grand parade Of which
1t was to form a part. A short time after
this hour the first division of the parade met
and, forming on F street, marched to the
Ebbitt house. where 1t was to form the escort
for the grand encsmpmsnt Shortly after 10
O'Clock the grand encampment, escorted by
this division, moved to the capitol The other
eleven divisions Of the parade were formed
near the capitol at IL o'clock ready to fall
NV AAhV ohh hini VI Past Nuc " ute Llou>b,
TO be reviewed. by the president, and past the
reviewing stand of the eminent grand master
The Two Reviewing stands
A grand stand had been erected in front
Of the White House for the Use Of the presi-
dent and invited guests, AMI the eminent
grand master reviewed the procession from
the stand at the corner Of thirteenth and X
streets. The line Of march was from the
capitol up Pennsylvania avenue and past
the White House to X street and down K
street to Thirteenth On the stand with the
president were Secretary Window, Mrs
Harrison, Mrs HAlford, Secretary Noble.
Secretary Rush, Postmaster General Wana-
maker, Attorney General Miller, Assistant
Secretary Batcheller, Walker Blaine. Gen.
Schofield, Miss Sanger, Assistant Adjt Gen
Vincent and a number Of Indiana friends.
Marching Past the President
few moments after the presidents ar
rival the head Of the procession filed around
the corner Of Fifteenth street, and marched
with measured tread IN front Of the review
ing stand, where President Harrison stood.
dofing his hat in response to the salutes
with which he was constantly greeted. EN-
inent Sir Myron Parker, with forty-five
aides on horseback, SIX or eight abreast, fol-
lowed 10y the Washington comman ieries.
l-
panied by the Marine band, which was the
recipient OF many cheers as it passed the
stand. Secretary Blaine, who entered the
stano at THIS unomeut -ssa tso as
sembled multitude, was enthusiastically
welcomed De Molay commandery, of the
District, escorted carriages containing
Grand Commander Roome and other OH
GERS. The grand commander bowed defer
eniially TO the president as he passed, and
this bow was as deferentially responded to.
The Procession Described.
Steadily, silently, the picturesque process
sion passed the reviewing stand, every hat
lifted N honor of the chief magistrate, the
white plumes nodding till, looking down the
line one involuntarily thought of white Ill
les bowling before a blast; thea continuing
westward up the avenue to Twenty third
street ashington circle-and thence Wheel
ing eastward into the magnificent boulevard
of h street This broad street, straight as
an arrow, without n break for more than
three miles, packed on each side with people
and lined with IA double row Of trees gave
the knights superb welcome. 1t is the
home If wealth and fashion, and wealth and
fashion poured out with heartiest enthusi-
ssm to greet the knights
n Beautiful Spectacle.
The column passed steadily on, stretching
IL platoons from curb to curb, and giving
a beauty to the grand old street IL had never
worn before, superb as have been the spec
tscles 1t has seen The luxuriant foliage OF
the street is fast disappearing and much of
what is left is spotted and specksd with the
thousand dyes Of October; but through the
partly denuded branches, looking eastward
from the circle, the grand procession seemed
to writhe in and out with picturesque grace,
marvel Of musical motion, a wave OF light,
q flash Of color, till the eye grew weary in
watching, and the fancy reverted to knights
of other days and other chimes
Reviewed by Grand Commander Roome.
When the head Of the procession reached