Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-08-05
THE THREE LINKS.
GRAND GATHERING OF ODD FELLOWS IN
CHICAGO
Formal Opening Of the CantonmeHt-Ths City Gay
with Flags and lnsignia-Some Of the
Contests and the Prizes
The Arrivals.

eflng OF the GatrlarCnS Militant ana the
Independent Order Of Odd Fellows. for
which preparations have been in pro-
greSS for nearly a year was formally in
augurated this morning. The prelim-
nary hustle began last evening.
A great many business houses were
decorated with flags and banners bear
ing Odd Fellows emblemS and insignia.
Men i'm the gorgeous uniform OF the
order were numerous ON the streets.
Everything indicates that this cele-
bration will be the largest gathering of
the members of any order ever held any
where. The estimate made some time
ago 10y Gen. Underwood, that the cele-
bratiou would bring lOO,O strangers
to the city, seems likely to fall short of
the actual facts. 1t is probable that
the number Of Odd Fellows and mem
bers OF Cdd Fellows families here during
the week will be nearer 200, 900 than
100000. At the hotels preparations
have been made to entertain great
crowds of guests. With scarcely an
exception the down town hotels are put
ting up large quantities of cots.
Among the prominent officers and
members of the order here are Brig.
Gen. Louis Van Noordem, General
Patriarch of the Order in Ohio; Maj.
Gen. George Mutt, of Trenton, y. j., of
the Lieutenant Generals staff; Gen.
Russell and Gen. Black, both Of the
staff corps; Mai Otis Humphrey, Past
Grand Master of Illinois; Gen. Alfred
Orendortf. Commander OF the PatriarchS
Militant of Illinois: Gen. +. +. Merriam,
e n H. of ha Vi
Theodore Ross, Secretary OF the SOver-
eign Grand Lodge: Gen. \. c. Gable. of
Coyiugton. O., and Grand Representa-
tive J. I. Porter, of Cedar Rapids.
TRAIN LOADS OF ODD FEILLOwS.
All the incoming trains to-day from
an directions were packed with Patri-
archs and odd Fellows, many of them
bringing their entire families. Recep-
tion committees were on hand at all the
dep0tS. and the visitors on their arrival
were at once conducted without any
trouble or anxiety of their own To the
quarters which had been reserved for
their use.
Among the arrivals this morning were
Cantoumcnt Marion, No. Is, OF Marion,
Ind. 80 swords; Cantonment Scranton,
of Scranton, PaN-3O swords; Canton
mont Van Wcrte, No. -, OF Van Wertc,
. O.. 80 swords; Cantonment LoganSport.
No. Is, LoSanSport, Ind, 30
swords: Grand Cantonment, Ohio,
Columbus. Ohio. 80 swords;
Cautonmcnt London No. l.,
London. Ontario, 80 swords; Canton
mcnt No. 80, Buffalo, y. Y. 30 swords;
+ Grand Cautonment New Bedford. New
/ Bedford, Mass, 80 swords; Grand Cam
/ tonmeut Atkins. OF Padukah, KY. -
swords: Cautonment 7. w. Riser, No.
rs Winchester, Ind. - swords; Cam
tonment SannS No. G3, GalliopoliS, Ohio,
- swords; Cantonment Mexican No. 2S.
/ Terre Hautc. Ind, 80 swords: Second
/ Regiment OF New Hampshire, 2jO
swords: Fifth Regiment of MasSachu-
SettS. $50 swords; First Regiment Of
/ PENNSYLVANIA. go swords; Second Regi-
ment. 300 swords \ cantonment of
/ l.ancers from Denver. Col. and OF lluS-
sars. from Boston and Columbus. Ohio,
were among the late arrivals this after
noon.
The great attendance of PatriarchS
I Militant iSthe more remarkable in view
of the fact that is an organization they
are but five years old. aud that this is
their first trienuial gathering. In lsS6,
when they reached their first birthday
there was celebration in Boston i'm
which 1000 PatriarchS were in line.
/ This week the lowest estimates OF those
who will parade ON Thursday put the
numbers at $1,000. They are the mil
itarv branch OF odd Fellowship, and
are TO the order a good deal like the
/ knights TcmplarS are 20 Masonry. In
their organization they follow very
closely that of the United States army.
I Theunit is the cantOnmcnt. correspond
ing 10 the company, and these canton
mentS are combined into brigadeS, di-
visions and corps. The manual OF arms
and the company and battalion are mod
lelled on the French army.
TIE CONTESTS AND PRIZES.
The prizes 10 be offered during the
weel, aggregate over $4,000 There is
good round prize for cantonmentS
which have travelled long distance, and
the Pacific coast brethren are liable to
capture il. There are also special prizes
of flags. and many for combined and in
dividual manual drill. The largest
command of over 900 members present
from a point further than 1000 miles
from Chicago will receive $1,000. The
largest lodge in line, and making the
best display in parade. VIII put $500 In
IN It's treasury.
The greatest interest will center IN
the prize drilling contests. Grand Can
tonmcnt Excelsior No 1. of Chicago, Is
slightly the favorite, but the race be.
tween 10 and CantOument Occidental, oil
Chicago. and Cantonment Marion, No..
;. OF Marion, Ind, will be very close.
Excelsior has hitherto the best record,
and moreover, it has 80 members from
which 10 select its drill corps, while the
others have but 80 men. The Canton
ment will drill 2i men and officers.
! Col. Crabb will command Excelsior
cant +. Switzer, Occidental, and Capt
Daniel Sunder. Marion. In this con-
test Cantonments from Ohio, Kansas
and Kentucky will take part, making
about 10 that will try for the first prize
of ST. 500. In the several contests some
~ Cantonmcnts will take part. a per
sonal interest will be given by the indi-
yiJual contests Of officers. Illinois
New Hampshire and Indiana Will be
rcpresentel i'm this division.