Birmingham age-herald., 1894-08-28
CAPTURED BY PYTHlANS. The Beautiful Capital oVerrun With Plumed Knights. AN ADDRESS OF WELCOME
 s9frH By Vice-President Stevenson
IN ADDRESS OF WELCOME
By Vice-President Stevenson the First Days Feature-A
 Great Throng Present.

WASHINGTON, Aug. N.-EXpectatlon with regard to the biennial encampment of tho Knights of Pythias is beginning to be. realized, and everything indicates not only a magnificent gathering of the Uniform Rank, but visitors many thousands in ex- cess of the number predicted.
 So great is the influx of people that the reception committees have been kept busy securing quarters for all of them. The knights are coming in numbers so greatly in excess of the estimated strength that 300 additional tents have been erected at Camp George Washington, on the Washington monument grounds, making 2OO0 In all, and all are occupied. The representation of knights so far includes contingents from Tennessee, Ohio, New Jersey, Missouri, West Virginia, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Arkansas, Texas, Kentucky, Wisconsin, Illinois, New Hampshire, Mas sach usetts, Kansas and Connecticut.
 Tonight was to witness the formal opening of the encampment by reception at Con vention hall, at which Vice President Ste- venson was to be the central figure, but the death of Congressman Shaw of Wisconsin, past supreme chancellor of the order, at his home in Eau Claire this morning, caused 8 change in the programme. A meeting of the supreme lodge was held to take action on MT. Shaw's death, ana IL was decided that the reception should not take place, as mark of esteem to his mem- ory.
 A general order to this effect was issued, but later the supreme lodge amended It's decision by agreeing that the reception might be held, but without the sanction of the supreme officers. The reception was therefore held and very brilliant affair it proved to be. Addresses of welcome were made by Vice. President Stevenson and President Ross of the board of district commissioners. MT. Steven son's speech was the event of the evening, although it was very brief. He spoke as follows:
 "The pleasing duty has been assigned me of extending to the representatives, pf the order of Knights of Pythias welcome to the nation s capital.
 s'I may be pardoned for detainiug you for moment before this formal welcome is extended. Your com mmittee did we'll in selecting the city of Washington as the place for this great con vocation. In this selection you have honored yourselves, as we'll as the great city in which you are as- sembled.
 "This is DO ordinary gathering. It is literally the coming together of honored representatives of great brotherhood | from every state and section of the Ameri- | can union. It is indeed an honor to any l city to claim as it's guests the knightliest representatives of an order whose mem- 1 bership falls little short of half million, whose living faith-the beautiful legend of 1 Damon and Pythias-whose shibboleth is 1 friendship, benevolence and charity and | the greatest of these is charity.
 "As it is not my good fortune to be q 1 member of this great fraternity, cannot l know 10 whom future ages will do honor as l it's founder, but that he sbuilded wiser 1 than he knew is evidenced by the fact that 1 what our eyes now behold is the growth of 1 less than third of century. l trust 1 divulge no secrets, which would bring upon l my poor head the dread penalty, when l say that have heard that at each regular | assemblage of the Knights of Pythias the l official inquiry is made, Does any one 1 know of a sick brother or of q brothers 8 I family in distress3'
 ii man may know whence came the inspira- | tion that formulated the ritual and founded l the order. l cannot but believe that in | illustrating in deeds the sublime tenets of your order, your inspiration is that of the l new commandment, That ye love one an- l other.' It is too much to say that truly l this is religion in action.' A
 l "I repeat, you did well to select for your 1 biennial conyocation the nation's capital, | the city that bears tue honored naiue of the l father of his country.
 1 "Coming from and representing every
 state, 1t is meet that your assembling be at
 the political center of this great nation.
 tIt boots that not your abiding places | be southland, near the great cnafn or iaEeS,
 or where rolls the ocean, yon owe al-
 legiance to but one flag; you are citizens of 1 a common country. In your beautiful rit-
 usl there is no place for aught that savore
 of sectionaiism or of strife. Whatever
 troublous times years may bring to the l nation who can doubt that the knighily men
 of this great brotherhood will stand ada
 mant for the preservation and perpetuation
 of all that Is best in our civilization and 1 all it has cost centuries of tireless eudeavor
 to achieve. Representing every portion ol
 the republic, every vocation aud calling h
 life. it is yours to bind by yet stron ger
 cords every section and state in one ind-
 visible indestructible union.
 1 "And it now but remains 10 welcome
 you, Knights of Pythias, to Washington
 I cordially bid you welcome 10 the mos'
 beautiful city in the world. Here is tn,
 symbol of the authority, the grandeur, the
 power of the greatest government knowr
 to men. You will find it, indeed, no near
 city. You are not strangers, but sfellov
 citizens.' It is your capitol, and you art
 welcome to your father's house.
 "Your arrival is timely. The congress
 has adjourned, and the right of way Il
 yours. The public buildings are open Itt
 you. Upon every lintrl is the Eratefu
 welcome Upon your long line of marci
 thousand times your hearts will be glat