The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-08-28
SIR KNIGHTS PARADE
THEY FORMED THE GRANDEST
PAGEANT EVER SEEN IN
THE HUB CITY.
OVER $4,000 or THEM IN LINE

Buildings Were ThrOnged with
SpectatOrs-Llnes of Parade Were
Formed in Thirteen Divisions in a
Column of Double ScctiOns-The
Evening Given UP to Merry Making,
Banquets and Receptions.
BOSTON, Mass, Aug. 27.-Seven hun
dred and fifty thousand people saw the
parade of over 25, 900 Sir Knights Temp
lars to-day and with one accord pro
nounced it the grandest pageant ever
witnessed in Boston.
People were everywhere, in streets, on
sidewalks, on the roofs Of buildings and
street cars, clinging to tops of telegraph
poles, whenever the vigilance of the
police and linemen was relaxed for
moment; in wagons and drays filed with
seats in the side streets, and on hundreds
of grand-stands, large and small, along
the route,
The clear skies and hot sun of the past
two days had given way to heavy clouds,
but finally the sun broke through the
clouds vigorously endeaVoring to drive
the mists away.
Trains from every direction brought
thousands of uniformed Templars and
their friends to swell the host. At the
depots the crowds were of almost suffo-
eating density. From every State, COM
manderies began to arrive at an early
hour, and thousands of spectators came
with them. The streets near the depots
echoed with the din of scores of bands
and the tramp of arriving Knights and
their escorts. The railroad men were
completely overwhelmed by the magni
tude of the crowd.
The police appointments were we'll
nigh perfect. Shortly before the parade
started, patoons Of officers cleared every
street through which the Sir Knights
were to pass and roped them off, and
until the last division had passed, no
traffic of any kind was allowed on those
thoroughfares. The lines of the parade
were formed in thirteen divisions in a
column of double sections.
At Enine o'clock the Communicates
of the first division began to gather
on the south side of Commonwealth
avenue, near Berkley street, and at
about the same hour the other divisions
began to take up their positions in the
avenue of the back bay district. There
was the usual delay consequent to the
formation of great professions, but all
was in readiness shortly after 10 o'clock,
and by 1886 the long line was in mo-
ton, the signal for the start being
greeted by the cheers and salutes of
| 10000 people gathered near the start.
As the great body of Knights moved
| down Commonwealth avenue, the spec
tacle was an inspiring one. The music
of 100 bands and the applause of thou
sands of people filled the air. Gaily-
bedecked horses pranced at the head of
each division, while the contrast of the
dignifed black cloth of the uniforms, the
waving of the rich plumes, the silver and
gold emblems, conspicuous in the
Templar uniform, presented a scene that
was pleasing and impressive.
The first division, which was led by
Right Eminent Sir Samuel O. Lawrence,
Grand Commander of the Grand Com
mandery of Massachusetts and Rohode
| Island, as Chief Marshal, with Right
Eminent Sir Charles @. Fry, as his chief
of staff and fifty four of the prominent
Knights of the Boston commandery as
aides, including the representatives. Of the
grand Communicates of the United
States, as escort to the Grand Marshal,
with ninety three aids from the more
prominent Communicates of America;
Boston commandery. Detroit command
cry, as special secorts to the most Emin-
| ent Grand Master Hugh kcOurdy; the
officers of the Grand ERcampment in
carriages, and subordinate command
cries
Communicates from Massachusetts,
Rhode Island, Maine, New Hampshire
and Vermont, comprised the second,
Third, and fourth divisions.
New York, Virginia and Vermont
were represented in the fifth division.
Eminent Sir Arthur AcAfthur, Grand
Captain General of the Grand Command
cry of New York, rode at the head as
Chief. Eminent John Sisson acted as
chief of staff, with twenty-four aides from
the Communicates of New York City.
The succeeding divisions were made
up of commanderies from the Western
and Southern States Michigan led in
numbers, the entire Ninth division being
composed of Communicates from that
State. Tennessee and Georgia comman
deries were in the eleventh division with
California and New Jersey, while Ala
bamasaud Louisiana marched with Iowa
and Minnesota in the twelfth. West
Virginia and North Carolina, with com
manderies from Kansas, Colorado, Mon
Uana and Wyoming, constituted the
thirteenth division.
The head of the line reached the re-
viewing stand at Blackstone Square at
1145. AT this point the carriages con-
veying most Eminent Sir McCurdy,
Grand Master, and the officers of the
grand eneampment, dropped out of line
and the occupants joined Gov. Green
halge in the reviewing stand, where for
five hours they viewed the marching
Knights.
The day was intensely hot Many
women and children were overcome in
the dense throngs and scores of Knights
who had started on four and a half
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