The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-01-23

planned In the following extract from
the grand master workman's annual
report:
Pennsylvania, West Virginia was 70
pay Si.AOO In full as her portion OF all
claims against the PENNSYLVANIA 1uris-
diction up 10 December !. 1894, and was
TO pay her proportion OF the deaths oc-
curing during the month OF December,
1891. Under date OF February 18th re-
ceived a statement from the grand
muster workman OF Pennsylvania
showing an Indebtedness OF Wost Vir-
ginin TO Pennsylvania OF S6,505 90.
Immediately answered this, denying
any auch liability and insisted on q
credit OF S4,O5s Chat being the amount
paid on assessments numbers and TO
Pennsylvania). Under date OF Feoru..
airy 9TH ] received q reply from granu
master workman Anderson, VINO ~.
sisted that his statement was correct
and asked for conference, suggesting
that his finance committee would meet
in Pittsburgh on the following Monday,
and asked us 10 meet with them. I'M
medlatcly wrote Grand Master Work
man Anderson that II he would adjourn
the committee untll Tuesday We would
meet with them and adjust their claim.
saying that In case received no reply
would infer that the change IN the date
had been made and would be there. no
reply being received. In company
with Brother p. G. NJ. Cruise, the chair
man OF the finance committee Of West
V,rginla. / wen. u p ttSburRh, only 70
be informed that the Pennsylvania
committee on finances had met on the
preceding Friday, and our trip was
fruitless SO far as adjusting our difer-
. ences with Pennsylvania. However,
month later the grand master workman
informed me that the credit OF A05s de-
mnnded by west Virginia had been al
lowed and asked for an immediate set
Element of the balance. This was I'M
possible. as the fund derived from the
first special assessment was practically
exhausted In paying the bills OF the
committed on extension OF the order
(precedlng the institution OF the grand
lodge), in paying mileage and per diem
OF the representatives and the various
printing and fixtures for the grand
lodge Office. while the extraordinary
number OF death claims on hand render
cd Il impracticable to levy nnother'spec-
ial assessment TO close the account.
Later on, however. from the amount
realized from special assessment No. 2:
1890 was paid on account 10 the grind
lodge OF Pennsylvania, leaving q pal
amount than this Is claimed. but a cor
rect adjustment Of the account Will
show West VirginIa's figures TO he cor
rect. This amount Is still due Pennsyl-
vnnia, us the extraordinary number OF
deaths that accumulated In the hands
OF the financial committee made II i'm
nossible 10 levy another special nssess-
ment to pay this claim. Since the last
meeting OF the grand lodge OF Pennsyl-
vanIa the grand master work
man has written me asking for
the prompt payment OF this
balance. and this feel should now be
done without further delay. and sug-
gest that this grand lodge order n spec
inl assessment on the first day OF Feb
runr,' OF one dollar. and that out OF the
amount realized Pennsylvania be paid.
as I feel that to delay the payment
longer would be very unjust TO the 1ur-
isdiction that has been SO lenlent to US
In this matter"
Al the AFTERNOON session OF the grand
lodge Il was addressed by Supreme Re-
corder NJ. W. Sackett, Of Meadville. Pa.
He spoke OF the work OF the order IN
general, and complimcnted the west
Virginia Jurisdiction upon Its very pros
porous condition. He was here last
. year when the separate Jurisdiction was
established and then remarked on the
esFnslve enthusiasm. Much OF this eff
f,islveness is now gone hut In its place
no finds n more satisfactory business
like enthusiasm that viii accomplish
moro for the good OF the order. He pre-
dicted for the West Virginia 1urisdIc-
ton great and prosperous future.
The portion OF Grand Muster Work.
man McCluskey's report dealing with
the loss in membership during the past
year. Is OF interest and Is reprinted be-
low:
Los. In Membership.
ION January LIST, 1895, at the time of
our institution. we numbered 2,ol7 mem
hers. on December S1st. 1895, we num-
bered but 1869 members-n net loss Of
IS :nerb rs during the term.
ION January LIST. 1894. we numbered
about 1,25O members in West Virginia.
That these members have been secured
by the combined efforts OF individual
members and organizers. and that every
applicant secured thoroughly UNDER
stood the principles of the a. o. U. w,
its highest cost in any one year, and en-
tered with a thorough knowledge OF the
organization, there can be no doubt.
'Fraternity' has been the watchword
ali along the line, and fraternity admit
ted OF no instrumentation. And while
ii, Is absolutely true that all members
who were admitted prior 20 january
LIST, 1894, Ind been invited TO join a Fra
ternal Brotherhood 1t Is equally true
that after the membership started on
the road 10 separate jurisdiction, that
gradually the word fraternity was lost
sight OF and the cold business PROPOSE
lion that under separate Jurisdiction
tba cost would be much less was
brought to the front, md the member
shin and organizers, In our zeal to gain
the required two thousand members.
lost sight OF the fraternal side OF the
order-the power that had steadily
built up the membership and made them
strong in the falkland men were
pressed TO join and Insure their lives.
with the word spread broadcast that
from $40 to SIC per year would cover the
Insurance Of $1,000 In the A. o. U. W.
"As the months OF lS9Iwent by and but
slight gains in the membership were
made, still greater cxertion was mnde
10 secure the coveted 1000 and during
the last few months, under whirl OF
excitement, rlen were almost pushed
into the organization. many with but
little II any knowledge of Its grand
principles, hut all with belief that UNI
der a separate jurisdiction the A. o. U.
NJ. would cost but n 1.-THE OF what Il had
formerly cost under the Pennsylvania
jurisdiction.
'"The membership themselves became
tnbued with this Idea, and the work
went swImmIngly along on these lines.
The number was secured. The interest
and enthusiasm continued for month
or two after the Institution OF the grand
lodge. until 2,l20 was our number. A
reaction came. The cost was greater
than we had anticipated Death enter.