Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-08-24
PYTHIANS In COUNCIL.
The Supreme Lodge of the World
Begins Its Biennial Work.
GREAT GROWTH OF THE ORDER.
Figures Presented by officers Show .
Marvellous Increase.
KNIGHTS MEET wITHA WARM RECEPTION

KANSAS CITY, Mo-, Aug. 23-The seven
teenth biennial meeting of the Supreme
Lodge Knights of Pythias of the world
commenced this morning and will continue
in session ten days or until all the business
before it is completed. A public reception
was rendered the members of the Supreme
lodge at 9 o'clock this morning. The hour
was fixed thus early on account of the
necessity imposed by the rules of the lodge
to dispose of a certain amount of business
at its first days session.
The reception was held in the Grand
Opera House. The auditorium was appro-
priately decorated in honor of the occasion.
Suspended from the center of tine
proscenium arch hung huge shield bear
ing the Pythisu coat of arms. Festoons of
the orders colors were draped about the
balconies, and from the chandeliers to the
balcony pillars were stretched folds of blue,
yellow and red bunting.
The stage was occupied by the members
of the local Reception Committee, the Gov
ernor of the State, the Mayor of the city,
several prominent citizens and these officers
of the Supreme Lodge: Supreme Chancel-
lor, George B. Shaw, of Eau Claire, Wis. !;
Supreme Vice Chancellor, William Worth
Blackwell, Henderson, Kx; Supreme
PreIate, Eli T. Blackmer, San Diego Cal :;
Supreme Master of Exchequer, Stansbury
J. Wiley, Wilmington, Del; Supreme
Keeper of Records and Seal, Robert Loney
Caruthers White, Nashville, Tenn; Su-
preme Secretary of Endowment Rank, Will
lam b. Kennedy, Chicago; Major General,
James Richard Carnahan, indianapolis Ind. I;
Supreme Master at Arms, George II. Morri-
son, San Francisco, Cal; Supreme Inner
Guard, NJ. c. Barkwell, Cheyenne, Wyo.
Supreme Outer Guard, John Wesley Thomp-
son. Washington, d. c.
Welcomed in Neat Addresses
The exercises consisted merely of ad-
dresses of welcome and response Governor
Francis welcomed the visiting knights on
behalf of the commonwealth of Missouri
Mayor Cowherd extended to them the free
dom of the city and E. NJ. Harder, Grand
Chancellor knights of Pythias of Missouri,
welcomed them In the name of the local
Pythiars and of the great West. Supreme
Chancellor Shaw, in an eloquent speech
concluded the ceremonies by responding to
each of the addresses of welcome. The
Supreme Lodge then adjourned to Masonic
Hall, where il went into secret session,
The proceedings of the lodge to-day con-
sisted of the initiation of new members and
the hearing of the reports of the Credentials
Committee and the various Supreme officers.
After the initiation of members Supreme
Chancellor Shaw presented his report
In his report to the Grand Lodge the Su-
preme Chancellor congratulated the order
upon its steadily increasing progress and
its continued prosperity and upon the har-
mony which universally prevails The
ho a. 81
existence, says the report, with splendid
army of more than 300, 900 men marching
steadily forward under the try-colored BAN
ner OF Pythiansm. One year ago 263, 900
name were enrolled upon the roster of men,
bership throughout the Supreme iurisdic-
tion. Within the past II months this num-
Der has been increased to 30S, 000 making
an increase during the year of A, 600, or
about one-sixth. No frsternal organization
in the twenty-seventh year of its existence
has ever been able to attain such percent
age of increase.
Marvellous Growth OF the Order.
The development of the Uniform Rank is
a marvel The record shows an increase of
153 new divisions during the past wear, with
a total membership exceeding 35, 900, being
an increase during the year of 6, 900 MEM
bers, or over one-ffth.
Is i
condition, and has safely weathered the
storm of mortality which, during the past
six months, has caused many of the older
and longer established associations to
shorten sail, and is entering a year of un-
paralleled prosperity When the Pythian
Congress was last in session in July, 1890,
the numerical strength of the order as
shown hy the official reports tor the year
ending December 81. 1889, was as follows:
Number of grand lodges, AZ; number of
subordinate lodges, 3.724; membership of
the order, 263, S47. Official reports July /,
1892 show: Number of grand lodges. "a:
number of subordinate lodges, 8, 366; MEM
bership of the order, 393, 716, or an increase
in the two years ending July 1, 1892, of
110,11 being at the rate of SO per cent.
Major General Carnahan presented a re-
port on the management and condition of
the Uniform Rank The report of the Major |
General covers in detail all matters pertain
ing to the Uniform Ranks The report
shows the rank to have made splendid prog
ress during the past two years, and to be |
now in a most fiourishing condition. The
rank has grown beyond the fondest expecta-
tions of even General Carnahan, its founder
1t can no longer be considered an expert
ment, says the report, but must be regarded
as an accomplished fact, and as a most i'm
portant branch of the Pythian order.
Flattering Figures of the Ranks.
Illustrative of the growth of the rank, the
report saws, February 19, 1890, the rank con-
sisted of 698 divisions, a year later of S5S
divisions, and on February 10, 1892, of 9S5
divisions, with 80 divisions for the institu-
tion of which applications have been ap-
proved since the date last named above,
making a total to date of LOGS divisions.
with an aggregate membership of more than
40, 900, and with brigade and regimental
organizations in nearly every important
grand jurisdiction.
The report of the Board of Trustees
of the Endowment Rank was presented BY |
VIM. D. Kennedy, Supreme Secretary of |
the rank. The report states that on July /,
1892, the Endowment Rank consisted of |
], All active sections, comprising 29,4O7 |
with endowments in force amount |
ing to S62, 952 600 and an increase since the |
last biennial report of 500 sections, 5000 |
and s17, 600. 600 endowments
The resources of the rank are stated to be |
S87, ,S61 900 and the liabilities representing |
death losses accruing before July 1, 1892. |
S1S7, 200. Much, of this liability is repre- |
sented by proofs in process of completion |
and adjusted and which will be met by the |
usual assessment The report recommends
a thorough revision of the constitution of |
the rank by which the maximum limit of |
the age of new members NAV be decreased
and by which the rank may be freed of liza |
biity in cases of suicide
The reports were referred to the proper
committees and the lodge adjourned for the !
day.