Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1895-08-29
GALLANT SIR KNIGHTS
Enjoy Themselves to Their Hearts
IN Content at the Hub.
A Splendid Exhibition Drill
by Crack Commanderies.
Two Sessions Of Delegates and Numerous
Reception: Keep Al! Busy.


rade thing OF the past, the knights Tenn
plar arc taking all their time for pleasure
such, ut loast, as are not attending the
triennial conclaye. A great many of the
communicates are keeping "open house
the drill at tho baseball grounds held the
close attention OF thousands yesterday; all
the harbor excursions were well patron
nized, and, all In all, 1t was very happy
occasion for the visitors.
The weather all day Yesterday was
clear. IL was warm, to bo sure, and most
N the western contingent had something
to say about humidity, rs thcy wiped tho
Perspration from their faces. but II was IA
line day, nevertheless, and was especially
enjoyed by those who participated in the
many excursions
a new feature has come into notice. 1t
has become the proper thing for tho COM
mandery that happens To have fine band
to visit the various headquarters and
screnade It's fellow Sir Knights, and all
day and all evening music filled the air.
1t ranged from grand opera selections to
1.-TWO Little Girls In Blue" and "On tho
bowery" Owing perhaps to the general
holiday spirit. the popular songs seem TO
excite the most enthusiasm.
Another source OF amusement Is 10 visit
chinatown, and the Celestial restaurants
are dispensing an immense amount of
Nchop suey" and other delectablo dishes.
The gods at the joss house are also becom-
Ing enriched by tho knights Templar
conclave, as hundreds OF visitors crowd
the place every day, and each ono rs ex-
pected TO offer small snm OF money to
propitiate the powers that control tho
destiny Of every good Chinaman.
The members OF the grand encampment
are all busy preparing for the election Of
officers, and private meetings for consulta-
tion are frequent. Wherever half dozen
members come together they are seen con-
versing for few minutes and then they
invariably disappear as IL by magic. When
they become visible again there Is lively
nOdding Of heads and each ono walks
away, apparently lost In deep thought.
The streets are still thyonged with peo-
pie, and this, together with the. fact that
Boston returned to business yesterday,
shows the numerous number of visitors
that have come to the cOnclave besides the
Knights and their families. The crowds
arc so great as to interfere seriously with
the progress Of the street cars and In the
city proper one can make much better
progress by Joining the multitpde and let
ting 10 propel him along, than by patron
izing tho trolley cars.
The black and white plumes are every
where on the streets, In the hotel, in the
theaters, and aboard the suburban trains.
Beautiful Sight.
Never In the history OF the Boston base
ball grounds had such an immense throng
Of people crowded through the gates Of the
enclosure as were gathered there yester-
day forenoon to witness the exhibition
drill by six visiting commanderies. The
drill was announced to begin at 10
o'clock, and before there was line OF
trolley cars on fremont street mile long,
every one loaded TO It's utmost capacity,
and most of the passengers even then
reached the grounds too lato to secure
anything but standing room, while after
the drill commenced hundreds were
turned away from the gatea-
Introductory music was rendered by the
Salem Cadet band, and a few minutes
after 10 o'clock Columbia commandery OF
Washington marched on to the field,
headed by the Germania band The
knights marched and countermarched,
wheeled by company and platoons, and
then executed many maneuvers which
have no military significance, but are ar
ranged with n view to effect and complica-
ton. The climax Of Columbia's exhi-
bition was superb Coming down the
field In perfect alignment, the men sud-
denly broke ranks and formed three
simultaneous tableaux, representing eat
tack" Defense" and Defeat"
Apollo commandery of Troy, NJ Y,
then took the field. The feature of this
exhibition was the formation Of words on
the ground by arrangement OF swords. In
their different maneuvers the words
"Apollo, Troy, N. Y.," and Boston"
were shown.
"The Little Commandery" from the.
Masonic Widows and Orphans Home OF
Louisville furnished unique drill. AL
though small boys, they marched per
fectly, and performed series Of maneu-
vers In circle around their standards
which were extremely difficult. Not a
single mistake was made and the little
fellows received storm OF applause.
st. Bernard commandery Of Chicago
made magnificent display. This com
mandery holds the banner which was
awarded mt the last competitive drill sew
eral years ago. and their magnificent work
and discipline showed them TO be able 10
defend it strongly whenever challenged.
The Minneapolis Knights Templar drill
corps i. followed the Chicago men and
aroused great enthusiasm, executing SOW
eral original figures.
The last on the fold was Detroit com
mandery. Their exhibition was one Of the
features Of the day. Their alignment was
perfect and every movement was made
with precision which showed careful
practice and perfect knowledge OF tactics.
At Mechanics HALL
Vest numbers Of the Knights and their
ladies turned toward Mechanics hall last
evening To attend reception rendered
Grand Master Most Eminent Sir Hugh
McCurdy by the grand oommandery of
Massachusetts, and Rhode Island Fully
600 couples were presented by General
Samuel G. Lawrence, grand master Of the
commandery, to the honorcd guest. Tho
hall presented brilliant spectacle, tho
elaborate and many-hued costumes Of the