The daily morning journal and courier., 1895-05-22
OUT IN FORCE
4 PROSPEROUs AND RAPIDLY GRoW-
 ING ORDER.

Reports-A Fine Time in Meriden Last
 Night-Parade Here To-day.
 The twelfth regular biennial session
 of the supreme conclave of the Im-
 proved Order of Heptasophs opened in
 Harmonic hall, Elm street, at p. m.
 yesterday, with Supreme Archon F. l..
 Brown in the chair.
 The session was taken up with the
 reading of reports of officers. All re-
 ports were referred to appropriate com
 mittees with instructions to report at
 to-day's session. The report of Su-
 preme Archon F. L. Brown opened as
 follows:
 "In submitting this my first report
 as supreme archon, in compliance with
 constitutional requirements, take oc-
 casion to congratulate you and the
 membership, generally, upon the aus
 picious circumstances under which we
 meet at this session
 ''The giant strides made by our oroer
 along the lines of progress during the
 past two years enable us to take ret
 respect with pardonable pride. From the tiny acorn planted some seventeen years ago, has grown hardy sapHng,
 which gives fattering promise Of de-
 velopng into a sturdy oak, assurance
 of which will be gratifying, mot only
 to the hearts of the revered founders
 of our order, but also bring joy to all
 those to whom its best interests have
 ever been and still are paramount to personal profit and aggrandizement.
 "At the time of the last session of
 the supreme conclave, there were 2l5
 conclaves in good standing, with a membership of 14,2SS. Since that time seventy-eight conclaves have been added, and three lost, making at this time, March 26, 1895 293 conclayes in good standing, with a membership or 20,917.
 q signed the first draft for death benefit, the End of June, 1893, 1t being the case of death No, 504. From that time up to the present (April 22 1S95), 245 deaths have occurred, on account of which we have paid nearly $500,000,- 0OO. With very few exceptions, the benefit has been paid within ten days after the brothers death-the princi- pal cause of delay being the appoint ment of guardian to minor children who were benet1ciaries. In a very few in- stances the claims have been held for 1 investigation or additional proofs" He then proceeded to make several l recommendations, the most important | of which is regarding representation | of the subordinate conclaves at the ses- sions of the supreme body. He recom- mends the formation of districts of | 1000 members each and would also | give the sitting archon the right to a seat in the supreme conclave. Under the present law the past archon Is eh- gible but the sitting archon is not. The supreme archon's report also gives a detailed history of contests that have arisen over the employment of death benefits and several decisions and he recommends several alterations in the bylaws of the order.
 OTHER REPORTS.
 The report of Dr. D. Eareckson, the |supreme secretary, shows that $50 dele .gates were appointed for the present conference, Dr. Benjamin J.Lamson and Henry w. Leete representing New Ha- 'yen. The supreme secretary then says: TT have the pleasure of again congrat- 'ulating the supreme conclave upon the | excellent record made by the order since the assembling of this supreme ] body In session at Atlantic City two , years ago. Its increase in membership ( has been about 50 per cent, whilst it's ( balls for assessments have been lessen len as compared with our earlier rec ( 'brd, and the prompt payment of benefit S tlaims has continued as heretofore. E These combined have deservedly gain ' ed for the Improved Order of Hepta- 1 Bophs the reputation of being among c ] he first in rank In organizations of C this kind In the country. During the S term of two years just ended there | have been nineteen benefit assessment | t balls. b The report further shows that there 0 re 346 conclaves in good standing, the o members being divided as to the a mount of benefits as follows: lt ' Nine thousand three hundred and h wenty-seven members, 1st rate, S1,000 Il 1S. S27,OOO; 7,292 members, 2d rate, $2,- h Foo, $14,5S40OO; 2,5S7 members, 3d rate; o 3, ,000, $7,761, 900; 254 members, 4th rate, fl 4 A4,000, $1 016000; 1,598 members, 9th v ate, $5,000, $7,990,000 Total $40,67S, ,000. e i Three conclaves have gone out of ex- + 4tence since the last supreme meeting, 1t these conclaves, when organized, were W feak in numbers and In an unhealthy n tate and their surrender was not tl #UEpTlS6. IL < Under the head of "The Uniform if anl1" the secretary says: "To the rethren of Eutaw conclave, No. 276 tl due the honor of inaugurating this pl Rteresting and attractive adjunct to eN IT order. Too much cannot be said to
 its favor as a strong incentive to A hthusiastic work, particularly among of e younger element in our fraternity" nt The supreme treasurer. Gustavus fiji rown, reported: al Paid in benefits, $492,000. dc Balance on hand, $35,50697. hc The general fund account shows @ SIance on hand of $16,565.27. fir Supreme Organizer John w. Cruett Aoorted as follows: Bl sIn commenting upon the work done ay
 the department of organization, al-
 pugh showing a handsome increase Inc Ter the preceding term, believe more Go lid have been accomplished had 1t al
 been for the great business depres- ca
 n existing all over our country for qu