The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-02-27
WILL Be A VAST THRONC
Thousands to Attend the Grand Com.
mandery COnclave in May.
ALL THE HOTELS ARE ENGAGED
Sir knights and Their Ladies' Will Over.
run the City from May 2S to %.
To Utiiize the Frothing-
ham Thcater.

The fact that the grand commandery
of knights Templar of the state will
meet here May 26 and q does not really
suggest the peculiar Importance at
tached to the event. 1t Is said of these
grand commandery meetings that they
bring together a brainier and more in
fluential class of men than does any
other state gathering of IA secret order
Together with the foregoing should be
observed the fact that the occasion will
bring to the city vast throngS of
strangers whose number is pre-esti-
mated at from 1000 to $4,000 persons.
The grand commandery membership
is made up of eminent commanders of
63 Communicates and past eminent
commanders These number over 100
and 1t is anticipated that half of them
will be in this city. The conclave will
also attract possibly 5000 Sir knights,
the majority OF whom will be accom-
panied by their wives, 1t being an un-
written knights Templar custom to
share with the gentler sex the round of
festivities which always attend the
Grand commandery sessions. Add to
these figures the number Of Masons
and others who will be attracted here
by the event, and the total number of
anticipated visitors will approach 5000.
AFTER HOTEL ACCOMMODATION
The strife of the different visiting
communicates to obtain hotel accom-
modations Is Illustrated in their action
on the day that last years conclave in
Reading selected Scranton for this
years gathering. That meeting was
no sooner adjourned than many tele-
grams were hurried over the wires ad-
dressed to Scranton hotels and engag
ing a certain number of rooms for cer-
tain communicates. The Wyoming
r,n,, N,n % hot
within three days after the decision at
Reading and the same Is almost true of
the Lackawanna Valley House, the
Westminster. the Hotel Terrace and
the st. Charles hotel. AS soon as 1t be-
came known that the big Hotel Jer-
myn was being erected, that house was
completely engaged excepting only a
few rooms for boarders and other per-
manent guests. This accounts for the
strenuous efforts to have the hotel open
and ready for business during the lat
ter part of April.
Although Tuesday and Wednesday,
the 26th and eth of May, are the two
formal days of the conclave. Monday
and Thursday of that week will also
witness the presence of many strangers,
as on the former day, especially in the
afternoon and evening, many hundreds
of Sir Knights will reach here, and
during Thursday there will remain a
large number who will be housed with
friends and relatives. So almost the
whole week will be given over to the
great throng of plumed and uniformed
men.
RECEPTION TUESDAY MORNING.
Tuesday morning in the Hotel Jer-
myn Right Eminent Grand Commander
Edward B. Spencer. of Philadelphia,
will be given reception. On the same
morning will occur the parade in which
will be seen about forty-five comman-
deries and almost as many friends and
which will include the famous mounted
organization the Corinthian Chasseurs,
of Philadelphia. The parade will un-
seen in this city or region.
During Tuesday afternoon and all of
Wednesday will take place the business
meetings and Grand commandery cleo
tiOn In the rockingham theater. On
Tuesday night the knights Templar
ball will be given i'm the theater and on
Wednesday night the installation of the
newly elected officers will take place.
The ball Is always an elaborate affair.
The installation ceremony Is a very
impressive function and will be semi
public, admission being by invitation.
The work of arranging the details
for the meetings, entertainment, par
ade, ball and all else that go with such
a. big event, entail vast amount Of
laboriOus work.
THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
This is being performed by the fol-