The Wichita daily eagle., 1891-10-14
Special Dispatch to tb. Daily Eagle.

Special Dispatch to the Daily Eagle.
HUTCHNsoS, Kan, Oct 13.-The snnua
session Of the grand lodge of the Ode
Fellows Of Kansas opened here YESTERDAY
With the following officers in attendance
William Mathewson, Wichita, grand
master; NJ. B. Ward, Topeka, deputy
grand master; H. W Pond, Fort Scott
warden; George W. Jones, Topeka. grand
secretary; L. c. Stine, Ottawa, grand
treasurer; John A. Bright, Abilene, grand
chaplain; W A. Germany, Fort Scott,
grand represen ntative; A. p. Riddle, Min
neapolis, grand representative; j. y. Nc
Coy, Pratt, medical director,
Grand Master Me%thewson's report, sub
mitted yesterday, contains the following:
Tine year has been one of great pros
perty IN our order throughout bhe state,
and while the number of lodges instituted
has not been so great as in some former
years, our membership has been greatly
Increased. AT the first glance it would
seem that this unusual increase in MEM
bership was owing to the action of the
grand lodge at its last session, by which
subordinate lodges were enabled to reduce
their fees; but while this has undoubtedly
aided materially, yet the fact that lodges
that did not reduce their fees have also
clusiOn that it is principally due to the
growing confidence in the .worthlness of
our order"
The report of the secretary shows that
during the past year the membership has
increased 1901 and the number Of lodges
from 353 to 364 The number of members
relieved was 1,004; number of widowed
families relieved. I6l; number Of weeks
benefit paid 5.904; amount paid for the
relief of members, S1S,6lS.50; amount paid
for the relief of widowed families, 81 ,234 "a a;
amount paid for the education of orphans
e234 50 for special relief, So, 3,976.54; for
burying the dead, So. GO.
The receipts of the various subordinate
lodges for the year were Sl55, ,064 The re-
ceipts of the grand lodge for the year were
Sl7, 515. 53 and the disbursements Sl1 .66905,
leaving a balance on hand of s. 9O6 4S
The receipts of the Odd Fellow Funeral
Benefit association for the year were S31.-
02S.57, and the amount paid for death
losses, $50, 42I01, showing a balance of
81, COL so.
The report of the secretary further
shows that during the year eighty-six
members in various parts of the state furn-
ished satisfactory evidence of twenty-five
years continuous membership the order
and were accordingly furnished the 'Vet-
Grams Jewell" /" as prescribed by the Sover-
eign Grand lodge, free of charge. OF this
number Leavenworth alone furnished
twenty.
The Odd Fellows had fine weather to-
day for their parade. More than thou |
sand Odd Fellows were in line, while the |
Daughters of Rebekah followed in car |
riages. Vast crowds witnessed the process |
sion, which presented a pageant seldom |
equalled in the state of Kansas.
After the parade the following cantons |
gave exhibition drills; Leavenworth, No. |
I; Colfax canton, Fort Scott, No 2; Tope- |
ka, canton, No. 3; Wichita, canton No. 5; |
Sunflower ca On, Arkansas City, No. 13, |
and J. e. Vel canton, Kansas City, |
Kan, No. a.
At the session Of the grand lodge today |
over SIX hundred delegates were present. |
The work consisted chiefly of reports of |
officers and routine business. The election
Of officers occurs tomorrow. Tomorrow
night the degree staff of Capitol lodge, No
1872 of Topeka. will eXempify subordinate
lodge work All the prominent Odd Eel
lows of the state are here, and the session
gives the promise of being one of the best
ever held.