Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1891-09-26
THE ENCAMPMENT.
Custer, Lead City and Central CoDtri.
butte to the Success of
the Affair.
Deadwood and Hot Springs Betray.the
Generosity of the Custer Order
Knights Of Pythias.

their friends, the coming OF whOm she
had every reason to anticipate. The
members of the Custer order X. % p,
and the citizens Of Custer. had labored
untiringly and spent hundreds Of dollars
in making the preparations for success
full encampmcnt complete, and but for
the tIeachery of Deadwood and Hot
Springs, the event would have surpassed
anything of the character ever held in
the Hills.
Thursday morning the train from the
Springs arrived, bringing two gentlemen
from that place, and that is the extent
of its representation. At two in the af-
ternoon the excursion train from the
Northern Hills pulled INTO the Custer
depot with the Lead and Central X. p.
delegation, the Central X. p. band, and
very fair representation of the other
citizens of those towns. But that was
the extent Of it. Custer was surprised.
She had been given no warning, and
language would fail us were we to at
tempt to say how fully our people and
our visitors appreciate the treachery,
the baseness. the littleness Of those per-
sons of Deadwood and the Springs who
joined in the conspiracy against Custer,
and the success of the Py.hian encamp.
ment of 1891. II was plan born of
envy, low-lived jealousy, hatched and
put into execution by unprincipled men
after Custer had un.elfshly conceded a
division Of the honors she had won in a
fair and square contest We under
stand the situation perfectly, no explain
atoms are necessary, and the attempts
to explain and excuse are wholly un-
available, the true inwardness of the
matter is apparent. Last June Custer
entertained the Black Hills Pioneers.
Our visitors were given the freedom OF
the city. Everything was as plenty and
as free as generous hearts and hospital
ity could make it. Responding to the
entreaties of Hot Springs, Custer gave
up her Fourth of July festivities, and
sent large delegation to that place.
Custer vent into the X. =. encamp-
ment at Deadwood few weeks ago, and
by majority of votes cast by the dele
gates present, she was selected No Tho
place for the holding of the X. p. en-
campment. She made no special effort
to secure it, engendered no bitter feel
ing by disparaging the other contestants.
Our beautiful city and our readiness to
do all in our power to make the en-
campment a social success, were our
only inducements, and upon the strength
of these we won. Then in order to
conciliate and crafty few disaffect-
ed ones, the X. z. order of this city con-
sented to divide the honors with Hot
Springs We have received our reward.
It's bitter dose, and one that we can't
take with very good grace, but we will
swallow it just the same, and neither
forget or forgive the traitors. We have
no desire to abuse or reproach them,
but simply state facts. Their treatment
will be bread cast upon the waters chat
will return to them later, soured and
embittered a thousand fold. That the
abseuce of these people detracted from
the success Of sthe encampment
cannot be denied. 1t was not e
success at Custer in one sense,
and at the Springs it will be worse than
a farce. But that is not the half Of it.
1t has created division Of Interests in
the Hills, that it will take years to re-
unite. 1t has cast stigma upon one OF
the noblest of fraternal orders, and the
union or cooperation Of the different
sections of the Hills fof any purpose
whatsoever Will for long time to come
be out Of the question. These facts
might just as well be considered now
the results recognized as inevitable, and
the credit placed where it belongs.
Upon their arrival here the Lead and
Central delegations grasped the situation
They were neither discouraged or dis
heartened and went to work with will Il
unite with Custer and make the best oil
it. They we're met at the depot by the
Custer U. X. X. of p. and the corne
band, and were escorted to the encamp
ment grounds. The afternoon was spen
in getting the boys comfortably settled
in their quarters, and when by night
fall it was completed the campinl
ground with its white tent
and groups OF uniformed men
presented a martial appearance. A
8 80 in the evening the Terraville ant
Custer bands gave an open air concer
on Custer Avenue. and for half an hour
or more strains Of stirring music enter
tained the large audience that hat
gathered on the streets, or filed piazza
and windows of neighboring buildings
Later In the evening the Garlock oper,
house was crowded to Its utmost capa
city while the Chicago Fifth Avenu
Theatrical Company rendered the lates
dramatic success, The Banker
Daughter. Custer people appreciate
good thing in the theatrical line an,
their hearty applause and profuse com
pliments we're certainly merited. TIL,
leading members of this company mr.
stars in their profession and the sup
port was of the best. The nature o
the play and the manner of its rendition
J we're conclusive evidences that the stag
can be an institution in which refine
ment, intelligence and artistic abilit.
can be combined. Friday mornin
after dress parade, the Custer and Hill
City ball teams met at the park in
seven inning game. The first four in
nings were pretfily contested. then th'
cnster boys lost their grip and Hill Cit
walked away with the game, Score J
tfar