Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-10-10
COMING CONCLAVE.
The Great Knights Of Pythias
Encampment This Month.
A THousAID vIsrrons PRolnEED.

fAos TO- Deessetasns oespessAng Asytnan9
Ever Displayed - the rhrss Clesss-0sa.
ss.i Program Of the Ro.f Day. Obsssv.
ances Connsnces On the 3Oth.
The state encampment Of the
Knights of Pythias Of Illinois. to be
held in Rock Island Oct. 2O-2S inclu.
sive. will provide one of the most
important and interesting events in
the city's history. A week ago the
committee on arrangements sent out
615 badges to various parts Of the
state and since then 500 responses
have been received through the Har-
per and Rock Island houses and by
M. H. Sexton. secretary Of the COM
mittee. while advices have also been
received to the effect that an excursion
will come from Chicago over the c.,
M. & st. P. which alone will bring
400 people. The lowest limit Of
strangers the convention will bring
to Rock Island is loo. which means
at the least calculation $4,000 ex-
pended here. Pythians all over the
state are planning to make this one
OF the greatest and most successful
ever held. and Rock leland will not
be the one to occasion any disap-
Pointment in this respect. The
members. of the two lodges in the
city. st. Paul and Metropolitan. have
been Industrious in their endeavors
to insure an occasion which will set
the mark among state gatherings Of
secret orders.
Elaborate Plan Of Decoration.
Plans for decoration of the city
have been adopted on an elaborate
scale, and Capt. j. NJ Beardsley 10
now in Chicago purchasing the ma
terisl to carry out the adopted de-
sign. This provides for the trans.
formation Of Second avenue from the
Harper house corner at Nineteenth
street to Fifteenth street into one
continuous radiant arch. To in
-ures this the poles sustaining the
cross wires supporting the trolley
lines of the Tri-City Railway COM
pauy will be wound with gay col
ored bunting. while the cross wires
will be so tas:efully covered with
the same bright colored bunting as
to complete ths arch. This feature
together with flags and tho gay dec
GRAFTON that is antici pated Of all bus
mess houses will present . spectacle
OF brilliancy not before attained in
the three cities. 1t is urgently de-
sired-and the committee has reason
to anticipate that there will be no
disappointment in this respect-that
all people will join in the individual
decoration in all parts of the city.
Chfef Event OF the Convention.
The convention, which will open
Tuesday morning, Oct. 90, and con-
tinue for four days inclusive, will
hold its sessions at Harper's theatre.
which has been engaged for the en-
tire period. The grand reception
and ball will be held at Industrial
hall Wednesday evening, Oct. 81.
and this promises to be . brilliant
affair in all respects. The grand
parade occurs Tuesday morning and
it will be the great public. feature OF
the encampment week. In addition
to the delegates from all parts Of the
state the lodges, not only from Rock
Island. Moline and Davenport. but
from various towns and cities within
radius OF SO miles, will turn out in
bodies. Garfield division. Uniform
Rank. Of Davenport. one Of the best
drilled organizations Of the military
rank of the order in the country, will
serve for escort duty throughout the
encampment.
There have also been plans adopte d
for sight seeing. such as visits to the
Tower. Rock Island arsenal. etc..
throughout the time of the ho,diu 2
Of the conclave. 1t will be an event
in which ali our people should take
pride. and cooperate in making q
grand success. creditable to the
order and to the city which has been
honored by its coming here.