Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-11-05
THF KNIGHTS TEMPLAR.
Triennial Conclaye to Be Held il
Pittsburg, Pa.
Tsiaity commaadery Of Augusta Preparing to
Go-How Maine will Be Represented

The trtenniaI cOnclave of the grand
encampment of knights Templar of the
United States will be held in Pittsburg
next October, and already the Sir
Knights all over the Union are making
their preparations for attending it. TIE
committees for the celebration appointed
by the knights Templar and the citizens
of Pittsburg are hard at work and al
ready the plans for the great task of en-
tertaining the vast bodies of men which
will undoubtedly be present are begin
ming to shape themselves into tangible
form.
Maps, descriptive matter regarding the
city and bulletins of advance particulars
and information have already been dis
;ributed to the Sir Knights throughout
ley, commander of Trinity Commandery
of this city. recently received a letter
stating that if the commandery had al
ready engaged it's hotel accommodations
it was to be congratulated. but if it had
not, it should do SO at once. The COM
mandery has already large list of men,
bers who will go and there is no question
but that large party of Sir knights and
ladies will make the trip with the Angus
ia Templars. The trip of the Maine Sir
knights will include visit to Washing
ton. via the White Mountains and up the
Hudson river.
For two years GO members of Trinity
have been paying $500 monthly. into a
Pittsburg fund to be used in defraying
their expenses to the triennial The COM
manderies in Gardiner, Skowhegaa, Wa
terville. Houlton and other cities in East
ern Maine will probably make the trip
with Trinity. Hon. Frank E. Sleeper
who will be grand commander of the
grand commandery of Maine next year.
will visit Pittsburg this month for the
purpose of securing quarters for the
grand commandery.
The grand encampment, having juris
diction over all the grand communicates
of the various states and over all the
subordinate Communicates under them, has
legislative duties of great Importance to
perform, especially as it convenes only
every third year. It's membership is made
up of the past grand commanders of the
grand communicates, and of the four
derry The most eminent grand master
who will preside at the next session is |
Sir Warren Larue Thomas of Baltimore.
who was elected in Boston in 1895.
Maine is represented in the offices of
the grand eneampment by Sir Joseph A. |
Locke of Portland, " E. grand warden.
Pttsburg has always been commonly |
regarded as a dirty, smoky little city |
black with the smoke of soft COAL and |
with nothing much about it to make. it |
attractive. There have been many who |
have questioned the wisdom of appoint |
ing it as the next meeting place for the |
knights Templar bodies. Indeed. it used |
to be just such. a place, but it has made |
some wonderful strides during the last |
few years. One of the most important |
changes of recent times has been the |
abandonment of soft coal as fuel and |
the substitution of natural gas. This has |
taken away the SCOT and given the city a |
chance to become clean. Then too, Pitts |
burg has made some wonderful strides of
late The little descriptive book sent out
to the communicates tends to open the
eyes Of its readers.
If consolidation with the cities and |
on her immediate borders, all |
within a dozen miles of her corporate |
limits Pittsburg would have more than |
half million population. The population |
of the city proper at present is nearly |
800, 0CO. There are nearly or quite 1000 |
firms and individuals engaged in manu- |
featuring and in commercial business |
connected Herewith, and the aggregate of |
business of these concerns approaches |
closely to $500, 900 900 per annum. Pitts |
burg is the best lighted city in the Union |
and uses 1900 arc lights, each of 1000 can |
die power, 2416 gasolene lamps, each of Is
candle power. and 1856 incandescent lamps |
each Of Is candle power, for illuminating |
her streets and 1O5 miles Of sewers |
There are nearly 500 acres of parks.
Pittsburg has many fine buildings and
picturesque natural views, while gas
wells, oil wells, coal mines and other
things of interest, including some of the
greatest manufacturing plants In the
country, are within easy reach. |
The plans for the entertainment of the
many thousands of visiting Templars are
as yet very incomplete, but Pittsburg
promises an entertainment second to none
that has yet been given at any concalve.
One of the features of the gathering will
be the great parade, which is expected to
be fully as large as that at Boston two
years ago.