The Portland daily press., 1897-09-10
Secretary Coffin.

Hall. Inc OIuCofS VI Gnls OrQer are.
H. G. R.-Rev. G. f. Andrews, Old
Town.
H. V. G. R.-A. K. P. Meserve,M. D.,
II. Seo'y-E. p Coffin, ESQ.,, Skowhe-
II. Treas.-Geo. L. Spaulding, Orono.
H. Phys.-L. A. Merritt, M. D., Pitts
field.
gusta.
M. A. johnson, ESQ.,, Rockland.
a.. Chaplain-Rev. J. W. Sparks,
Waterville.
Fl. Journal Sec.-Geo. E. Ames, Rich
Fl. S. w.-F.sO.s Smith, Houlton.
II. j. W.-R. @. Lancaster, Rowland.
H. S. B.-G. W. McClain, Henderson.
III. J. B.-J. J. Campbell, Henderson.
Falls.
Fl. Conductor-J. W. Dobson, Port
land.
Ell. Messenger-John e. Roberts, Milo
All these officers arrived here Thursday
afternoon except A. NJ Goddard, of Au-
gusta, J. W. Sparks, Of Waterville and
Geo. E. Ames, of Richmond.
The Supreme Chief Ranger, DR..
Oronhyatekha, will arrive this forenoon.
He is full blooded Iroquois Indian who
has been well educated, and is gentle
man of ability and culture.
The officers for the coming year will be
elected this forenoon. Mr.. Andrews will
retire, becoming Past High Chief Ranger
and new High Chief Ranger will be
elected, probably from the ranks of the
junior officers.
This afternoon there will be an excur-
sion to Long Island and clam bake,
and this evening at Sp. m. a public
meeting in Congress Hall to be addressed
by Oronhyatekha and others.
The High Chief Ranger and High Sec
Rotary have submitted their annual re-
ports. The High Chief Ranger congratu-
Iates the members on the increase of
membership in the last two years. The
last High Court was held in Bangor in
June 1885, Circumstances prevented the
assembling of the court last year, and in
Mr.. Andrews's opinion biennial sessions
would be preferable to annual ones. The
organizing work of the order has been
carried on successfully through State
Deputies Frank f. Flagg, of Dexter, and
L 6. Keith, of Bangor, and District
Deputies John Johnston of Montague,
T. S. Dickinson, of Houlton, and A. S.
Leonard, of Milo. Mr.. Andrews recon-
mends that in future the High Chief
Ranger and the High Secretaries receive
salaries to recompense them for the large
amount of work which they have to do.
Since the last High Court the High
Treasurer has removed from the state,
and George L. Spaulding, of Orono, was
elected to fill the vacancy.
High Secretary Edward p. Coffin, of
Skowhegan, gives the figures of the gains
made by the order:
When we met in Bangor, in June, 1895,
we had thirty-five courts in the state,
with total membership of 1898, and /
then called attention to the remarkable
growth in membership during the For
estric year then just closed. 1t is CRAFTY
ing to know that since that time we have
been steadily increasing our membership.
1 submit the following statistics showing
the changes in number of courts and
total membership:
Number of courts under the juris-
diction of the High Court of
Maine, June a. 1898, 81
Number of new courts instituted be-
tween June "a, 1896 and Sept. Q,
1897, 46
81
Less number suspended between
same date, -
Number courts in good standing
Sept. 9, 1887, SO
Net gain in number Of courts, "a
Total embership June "a, 1895, 1898
Total membership July l, 1897, 1885
Gain. 1887
/ know unofficially that there have been
substantial gains in the membership of
several courts since July l, 1897, but am
not able to give the figures.
The increase in memberships of some of
the older courts has been in most cases
a steady and healthy growth and in some
instances almost phenomenal. Follow
ing IL; a list of courts having fifty men,
bers or more on July /, 1897, together
with the number of members, July i,
1897, membership at time of last High
Court meeting, or of organization, and
the gain made.
1897 1896 Gain
PenobscOt OldtOWD 1877 rs So