The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-05-15
ODD FELLOWS FLOATS
Beautiful Allegories to Be Seen
i'm the Parade To- Morrow.
Eight Thousand Men Expected to Be in
the Line-The Diamond Ami
versary Exercises.

The floats to be used in the parade of the
/. o. o. F., on Wednesday afternoon, are,
with several exceptions, completed. They
are being kept in one of the buildings for
merly occupied by the Premier steel works,
on Merrill street, where they were built by
members of the order. There are fourteen
floats. eight of which were contributed by
the different lodges, whose members built
them. The remaining six were devised by
the special committee formed for that pur-
pose.
The float THE Sea of Life will be in
the first division. 1t is a likeness of the ship
used in the middle ages. 1t is thirty-three
and a half feet long and about seven feet
wide. 1t is the most elaborate of the floats,
and. as believed by many, the most beauti-
ful- The painting and the furnishings are
white. Extreme care has been used in the
construction. and there are no marks to
mar its beauty. In the apartment in the
stern there will be two characters-one a
young woman, dressed in pure white, repre-
senting purity, and one an old man, rep
resenting Father Time. with his scythe. In
the bow of the ship will be an altar, with
the symbols of friendship, love and truth
expressed upon it. Between this and the
apartment in the stern Is a smaller apart
ment, in which will appear two characters,
a youth and an old man, representing youth
and age and experience. The old man will
assume the attitude of directing the youth
to the altar. This float was contributed
by Center Lodge. No. IS, at a cost of
$500. 1t will be drawn by six white horses.
Float No. 2, preceding the second division,
will represent Jonathan before Saul. There
will be twelve characters. one the king on
a throne In the rear, and the remaining
eleven characters. including Jonathan, di-
rectly before him. The costuming will be
very rich. The total cost of this float will
reach $500. of which the greater part was
for the costumes. The float was contrib
uted by Philoxenian Lodge, No. A. Float
No. 8 will be a representation Of the biblical
story of The Good Samaritan" Beside the
character of the Good Samaritan there will
be three others. This float is being built at
a cost of $3.50 by Capital Lodge, No. 124.
fourth float will be the most suggestive
one In the parade. On a large white pyra-
mid will rest a goat, decorated in colors.
On the sides Of the float are these inscrip-
tons, "The Cause of All the Trouble The
committee built this float at a cost of 800.
1.-The Temple of ruth" is on the fifth
float. 1t is not completed, but will be fin
ished by tonight. 1t was contributed by
Meridian Lodge, No. $50. The temple is to
be square, with pillars and arches on each
side. 1t will be painted in pure white and
will be surmounted by a gilded dome. There
will be five characters, a priest and four
assistants. 1.-THE Altar of Odd Fellowship
the sixth float, is attracting widespread at
tention among the local members. In the
fore part of the float is the altar. The
stones are each labeled and painted in their
symbolical colors. The bottom stone will
represent purity, in white; the next friend
ship. in pink: the next love, in blue; the
truth, in scarlet; faith, In green; hope, in
old gold. and the top stone, charity. In
royal purple. Leading up to a second altar
In the rear of the float, upon which will
be placed an open Bible, are steps, the same
and corresponding in inscriptions and Color
Three pillars, for friendship, love and truth,
stand directly at the foot of these steps.
ors, pink, blue and scarlet, will sit beside
these pillars. This float was contributed by
Indianapolis Lodge. No. 49,
ford, of Danville, the oldest Odd Fellow
in the world. He is eighty-nine years of
order for sixty-five years. He will sit on a
pedestal In the rear part of the float. Dr.
rectly in front of him will stand Lewis A.
Steeg, of Greencastle, the tallest Odd Fell
low in the State, he being six feet and six
inches tall. Next to him will stand Frank
". Epply, or Anderson, the smallest men,
Der In the State. Mr.. Epply is four feet
and four inches in height. on the front
part of the float, in a chair made especially
for him, will sit p. c. Thurman, of Moores-
Vile, the heaviest member in the State. Mr..
Thurman weighs $50 pounds.
Charity will be represented by float
No. s. In the front part will be a kinder
home of the widows and orphans. This
float is indicative of the orders care for
the widows and orphans and charity work
In general. Float No. 8 will represent IRE
bekah at the Well" This is the contribu-
ton Of the Rebekah lodges of this city and
Vicinity. There will be fifteen persons on
the float, sixteen women and three men.
A representative queen, gorgeously dressed,
will occupy a throne in the rear of the
float, with her attendants, appropriately
dressed, before her. The Gavel'' will be
represented by the tenth float. On 1t will
TONS" This will precede the float bearing
the Hour Glass" Following this will be
The Pens" This float will bear the in
scription, Correct Records and Accounts"
This float is representative of the State Sec
retaries. Next will follow 9Th Keys rep
four floats were contributed by the COM
mittee, Each float was made OF wood and
afterwards gilded.
The last float will represent Peace and
Good Will" On it will be the forge, with
the blacksmith and his assistant making
swords, into implements used in times of
peace, such as farming implements and
tools used by tradesmen. At the other end
or the noat Will be a pyramid Of charac-
ters representing the nations Of the world.
On the float will be the inscription, MAX
ing scythes out of lances and plowshares
out of falchions." This float will be drawn
by six horses.