Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-01
ENCOURAGING LETTERS
Things Getting in Shape For the Pythian
Encampment.
The Prise Drllls-FlOral Decorations
to he Placed I'm the Parks
and Circles.

Knight N. Bunch. past grand chancellor,
Knights Of Pythias. and the editor of The
Pythfan World of this city, has received an
encouraging letter from Knight Charles
McGregor of Fort Custer, Mont, which in
d1cates how things are looking in that sec
ton of the country with reference to the
great and coming convention and encamp-
ment- In this letter Mr.. McGregor says:
The boys out in the wild and woolly west
are wide awake. The excitement caused by
Indian outbreaks, riotous railroad strikers
uprising. cowboy encounters and stealing of
trains by the contingents of Coxey's army,
&c. all subsde and soon become monoto-
nous and disinteresting, but Pythianism and
Pythian interests never die"
This Is only a specimen of the many let
lers winch are being received daily by iadi-
vidual knights and the various Committees
Ihere is a proposition that one or more of
| the District knights shall enter the lists for
the competitive drill. Heretofore there has
Eeen tacit understanding that the local
Pythians should not cross swords with their
guests. not only for reasons of courtesy but
because OF the admirable drill which the
local men can set up. At the drill held In
hansas city two years ago one of the
main prizes was captured by a Kansas CITY
DIVISION and although there was no dissatis-
iaction expressed, yet 1t was thought to
nave been In somewhat bad taste There
are IN Washington several divisions that
could make 1t decidedly entertaining for the
strangers. but it Is not thought that they
VIII enter. Joseph T. Caldwell division.
however. iii enter the contest
AT special meeting and drill of los r.
EoidWeli Division, No. 7, Uniform Rank.
n. OF r., held at Arion Hall last evening
the sir knight captain, A. C. Columbus.
was 50 well pleased at the skill they dis.
played In their maneuvres that he teio-
graphed Maj. Jas. r. Carnahan to enter
Jcs. 1. Coidwell Division for the competi-
i've drills In the coming encampment next
august. Three recruits were added at the
meeting.
Floral Decorations.
Col. John M. Wilson, commissioner Of
| public buildings and grounds, although not
member of the order has taken an. in
terest In the coming meeting OF the
knights of Pythias in this city, and will
DO what he can to make 1t a success To
that end he has given Instructions that the
emblems and insignia Of the order be repre-
scented In flowers In the various parks of
the city. This will necessitate a change in
the present plan of horticultural and arbor-
cultural decoration of the parks, but will
entail very little additional expense. and
will undoubtedly be much appreciated by
the hosts and the guests in whose honor
the change is made.
Plants and bulbs are now being placed in
the varie US parks in accordance with this
Idea, and the flowers will be in bloom and
the leaves will have assumed the desired
hue to properly develop the intended de-
sign by the time fixed for the reunion
These floral evidences of recognition will be
one of the pleasa ntest features of the occa-
sion. and the local committee can be con-
graduated on securing the cooperation of
Col Wilson in this matter.
Raising Funds.
The gentlemen who are canvassing the
city for subscriptions to help swell the en-
campment fund reported today that they
had noticed very remarkable awakening
of the merchants to this subject. They
were beginning to realize that the prom
ises OF the executive committee in this mat
ter meant something, and were giving up
their funds accordingly. In the beginning
OF the campaign they had experienced
great difficulty in getting money, but that
all they had to do now was to reach out
and take it. 1t was estimated that 1t would
require $4,000 to insure the success of the
encampment. OF this sum, the citizens had
been expected to contribute s25,0O0, and
they had already put up $4,000, and the
canvass of the city was not complete
No merchant need feel sighted that he has
not been visited yet. because the collectors
promise to get there In due time.
The balance of $4,000 remaining to be
pledged by the people 1t is expected will
soon be in hand, and then the preparations
Will go forward with even greater rush
than now. The difference between the So
600 and $4,000 had been pledged by the To-
cal Knights of Pythias. This showed how
earnest they were in their desire for vic
tory. They were determined to make it the
gratest event of its kind in the history of
Pythianism and one of the biggest celebra-
tions ever held in Washington The indica-
tons pointed that way now. These are
only few of the encouraging remarks
which can be heard around headquarters
every hour in the day.
There Is to be a meeting, tonight Of the
committee on horses and carriages The
committee on camp and camp ground is
hard at work. and will announce the result
of its labors at the next meeting of the ex-
ecutive committee, to be held on Monday
night.