The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1895-05-17
ROYAL AROANUM GRAND
COUNCIL.

The officers and representatives
composing the Grand Council of
Penna, of the Royal Arcanum met in
the City of Reading May 9Th and 9th.
An informal reception was tender
ed to those present on the evening Of
the 9TH, in the beautiful hall of Mt.
Penn Council, which now numbers
nearly 400 members. AT 10 o'clock
Wednesday morning the Grand Coun-
Gil met in public session in Rajah
Temple, many ladies and visitors be-
ing present, when Daniel H. Wingeid
Esq, delivered the address Of well
come, responded to by Grand Orator
Cornelius of Pittsburg. Immediately
after this all, not members Of the
Grand Council, retired and DR.. E. ID.
Doolittle, Grand Regent took the
chair. The Grand Council occupied
all of Wednesday and until 7 o'clock
on Thursday evening with its business
sessions.
About $50 officers and representa-
tives were present from arg Councils,
representing membership Of over
1900 in this state alone. The entire
membership is now 10000 in over
1000 Councils and I'll Grand Councils.
This order was organized June 30,
1877 with 9 members and by Dec.
1873 had paid 50, 900 benefits in the
IS years of its existence it has paid
out to the widows and orphans of de-
ceased brothers over $3I,ooo,o 900.
This immense sum has been collected
and distributed without the loss or
misappropriation of one penny. The
average assessment per member In
1894 was $I.7I, the average age of
members 800 years, and the ratio of
expense to benefits paid about a4 per
cent. Highest number of assessments
in one year I6. Assessment No. I
realized $3,co4.6S; assessment No.
2cS over $272,ooo.oo.
Reading fairly surpassed herself in
her hospitality. Nothing that would
conduce to the comfort, pleasure and
happiness of the delegates was left
undone. Between SO and 60 of the
delegates had their wives with them.
A committee Of Reading ladies, with
Mrs. DIR. S. c. Ermentrout at the
head, took special care of these visit
ing ladies during the Sessions of the
Grand Council, taxing them on ex-
cursions to the various points Of inter.
est in and about Reading. The
Neversink Mountain, Klapperthal
Park, the Mt. Penn Gravity Railroad
and over the entire Trolley System Of
the City. On Wednesday evening
the ladies, Reception was held at Me-
tropolitan Hall, and address of vel
come was delivered by Ex-Mayor
James R. Kinney which was respond.
ed to by Past Grand Regent J. A,
Langhtt of Pittsburg. The music for
the occasion being furnished by the
celebrated Germania Orchestra, under
the leadership of Prof. M. Az Althouse
On Thursday evening public meet
ing was held in the Academy of Mu,
sic. This immense building was liter.
ally packed and the exercises were oi
so interesting a character that the
| audience remained in their seats until
after II o'clock At this meeting ad.
dresses were madeby Col. Chill Hazard
Supreme Regent; w. y. Robson ol
Boston Supreme Secy, Hon. VIM
Lorenstein of Richmond Va, and
Regent elect Rev. f. H. Leisenring
of Chambersburg. The music was
again in charge of the Germania
Orchestra. Mr.. and Mrs. James Nc
Cormick of Philadelphia rendered
several pleasing and humorous songs,
monologues and recitations. The
special feature of the music was, per
haps, the marvellous violin playing Of
Prof. Wittich's three boys, Leon, Car
and Otto, ranging, apparently, in age
from six to ten years. At the close
the entire audience joined in singing
two odes written especially for the oc
casion, one entitled Fraternity, the
other Auld Lang Syne.