Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-08-13
THE KNIGHTS AT DENVER.
How the Pilgrimage to the West Wa
Made From Wellington.


SCENES WITNESSED ALONG THE ROUTE BIT THE
PILGRrMs-RIcH CROPS IN KANSAS. But A
DIFFERENT STATE OF THINGS IN COLORADO
PIXIES PEAK VISITED.
Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.
DENVER, August 9. 1892
The parade today was not so large as those
Of previous triennial conclaves, but il was
| nevertheless. a magnificent pageant. 1t could
hardly be expected that this far western city
would attract such an assemblage as that which
graced Washington three years ago. or those of
former years in cities located in the east but it
was undoubtedly the largest gathering Of
knights ever witnessed in this section of the
country. Had the railroads announced their
cut ra,es at an earlier date there would have
been much greater crowd, perhaps; but Den
yer would have been overwhelmed. As it is the
city is taxed TO its utmost in caring
for the multitude within its gates. Evil
dence of the rush noticeable when
the various communicates from Wash
ington reached st. Louis. Washington Com
mandery reached that city on schedule time as
told you in former letter. but when it came 10
leave the trouble began. The train was booked
to leave at o'clock. but il was 10 before it got
away. Train after train pulled ont Of the big
depot. each bearing legends on canvas indicat-
ing the name OF some commandery or other.
DE Molay, No. of, Washington had arrived at
St. Louis early on Saturday and was among the
number of those which the boys of No. l
watched as they started one after another
toward the setting sun. 1t was rather singular
that these two Communicates frequently en-
countered each other on the way. They met
again ut Kansas City on Sunday morning. and
on Monday, during the journey from Pueblo TO
Denver they passed and repassed each other
two or three times. They were travelling on
rival railroads in sight of each other and first
one would stop at a station and then the other.
THE FIRST TO REACH DENVER.
Washington Commandery was the first to
reach Denver, though the last to leave home. 1t
did not make so many stops as the others; the
committee in arranging for the trip concluded
that II would be wiser to come through without
consuming much more time than absolutely
needed, and then arrange for excursions to
various points of interest after the parade of
today.
At Kansas City there was a tremendous jam.
A stop was made for breakfast and it was then
found impossible to extricate the train from the
great number that had been backed into the
railroad yard to make room for incoming pill
grims. The time was improved in riding about
the city on the various cable lines. Up and
down the steepest hillsides the grips wendell
their way. After surmounting such difficulties
concluded that there was nothing in the way Of
success when a Kansas City street railway set
out to do anything. There were cable cars in
every part Of Kansas City and they intersect
every section of Denver also.
There was great commotion on the train
when 1t was found, Just the party got on
board to leave, that Julius" the chief adjunct
Of Commissary General Wardle was missing
Jesse Grants band was called out Immediately
and circuit made of the depot grounds. The
music was so peculiar that no one who had once
heard it could fail to recognize il afterward.
II it could make the pet monkey at Terre Haute
take to his hole it was rightly reasoned that
| Julius" could not mistake it when the sound
reached his ears. Sure enough. Julius was
soon found. He had been looking here and
there, elbowing his way in a bewildered man
ner in vain effort to find the Washingtonian
train. He thought himself deserted until the
music of that band greeted his ear. and it was
sweeter music than he had heard efore in
many day. There was loud shout when the
rescuing party returned successful, and the
commissary car was once more in operation.
MAGNIFICENT CROPS EVERYWHERE.
All day long the train bore US over the vast
agricultural plains Of Kansas. Mile after mile
of cornfields were passed. 1t was hardly doubted
that in some seasons the Weld was SO great that
the farmers used the flinty produce for fuel
Abundant crops were visible everywhere. The
rich black soil-darker in color than many OF
the excursionists had ever before Witnessed
produced everything planted on a magnificent
scale, while herds were seen grazing here and
there. Wonder was expressed that with such re-
markable yields even greater attention has not
been paid to the industry of stock raising In
speaking of crops it might be mentioned that
everywhere along the route the excursionists
saw evidence of a most abundant Weld and
farmers were kept busy from early morn till
dewy eve.
sc lob H.
| fact accounts for the terrific cyclones that
| sometimes visits the state. Scarcely hill or
| even tree could be seen at times for miles,
and strong wind would have free play. There
was one stretch of railway twenty miles in
length constructed on air line. When the
party reached Colorado on Monday morning
there was the same level stretch of country
though no longer the black, loamy soil. but in
stead a parched and sandy desert, relieved,
however, here and there by the science of irri-
CATION. which in many places made the earth a
| Seritable garden when compared with land
where no improvements had been made.
While farms were large they were not nc arly
so well kept as those of the east-in the state
of Pennsylvania, for instance. The farther
west we Travelled the poorer the habitations
seemed to grow. In Colorado people lived in
! "dug-outs, in one-storv frames" and in small
brick and mud houses. Towns which appear on
the maps as large cities. and whose fame has
been extended by liberal Use of printers ink
proved to be in reality but small collection of
frame houses.
DIFFERENCE IN COLORADO.
The vegetation in Colorado was different from
| any previously encountered. Alfalfa grass two
or three crops of which are raised each season.
serves for hay, but by the aid Of irrigation al
most anything in the way of farm produce may
be cultivated. As the system of bitches and
water conduits is extended the world may ex-
pect wonderful strides in the agriculture of the
arid regions. The results already obtained
more than justify this prediction.
! The pilgrims of Washington Commandery
were not unmindful of the Sabbath. Early
Sunday evening many as could gather to-
gether assembled in car No. 4. where the pre-
late, DIR. Daniel McFarlan. led In a service of
prayer and the singing of HYMNS.
At every station crowds had gathered to see
the trains go through. The average Kansan
who thus appeared, however. had a mission
This mission was to il. he could sample the
.'wet groceries which he supposed might be
| found on the trains of the Templars. The fire.
quent inquiries we're explained when it was
stated that the ''majors. the Judges and the
| 'cOlonels" do not often see an "original pack
age" in any other way.
There was much to see that interested the
pilgrims. just west of Cameron Junction. in
Missouri. the conductor of the train pointed
out clump Of trees. in the midst of which lies
beneath the sod all that is mortal of Jesse
James, the once famous bandit For miles and