The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1897-08-12

he was ready. As Commander of the Iowa
Division his administration stands out as
bright star in the zenith. Not alone in Iowa
does the name Of Lewis A. Dilley stand as one
of the bright workers of tho Sons of Veterans,
bnt throughout the Union he is known and
loved as one with record of which any sol
der who wore the blue might we'll be proud"
Brother Dilley has been connected with the
Masonic Order since he was 90 years Of age.
He is member Of Trinity Lodge. No. G06. A.
F. and A. NJ; the r. A. NJ. Chapter st. Simon
of Cyrenc. Commandery, No. 9, and Kaaba Tenn.
pie. A. A. O. N. NJ. s.
MOVEMENT TO REFLECT GEN. RAKE.
James Lewis Rake Commander-in-Chiefo of
the Sons of Veterans, was born in Pottsville,
Pa, Nov. 90, 1856, and with the exception Of
few years of infancy has resided at Reading,
Pa, ever SINCE He began his career in the
office of the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad
Co.'S Rolling Mill AS student in teiegTaphy.
He rose to the position of Manager in 1889,
when the plant was leased to the Reading Roll
ing Mill Co., and was engaged by tho new
corporation as Office Manager, and the follow
ing year was elected General Manager. He
reinquished this position in order to devote
his energies to his private interests.
Commanderin.C Chief Rake was mustered into
Gen. George G. Meade Camp l6, Reading, the
mem bership of which is nearly $50, early in
1882 and in 1884 he elected Captain. He
was appointed Aid de. Camp ON the staff of
CENT? rank p. Merrill, Commander-in-Chief, in
| 1885, and was elected Deiegate-at- Large to the
| Commandery- in. Chief Encampment at uffalo,
| n Y in 1886. AT that Encampment he was
| elected Lieutenant General (Senior Vice Com
| mander. in. Chief, and subsequently served for
| two terms on the Council-in.Chief.
| In 1888 when the Pennsylvania Division
became seriously involved through the mall
| administration of its then Division Com
mander. aud when the Division was in arrears
in its obligations to the extent of over 81 700 in
cash, several hundred dollars for supplies to
| Camps. COMMANDMENT Chief Abbott appointed
| Mr. Rake to the provisional command. By
| the hardest kind of labor aud constant applca.
| tion system was again created out OF chaos,
and he was unanimously elected Division
| Commander At the end Of his term tho en-
tire indebted ness OF the Division was wiped
out there was surplus of over $500 in the
treasury, and over 5000 worth of supplies on
hand In appreciation of his management
| and services the Division Encampment unan
mously recommended that he be awarded the
Gold Cross, the special decoration of the Order
This action WAS ratified by the COmmandery
in Chief Encampment at Wheeling, w. Va, in
1883, and was the first time the Gold Gross
was ever conferred. fag
At the Comm andery. in Chief Encampmen
at Paterson. N. j.. in 1889 Mr. Rake was pre-
sented for Commander in Chief. and Withdrew
in favor of Gen. Charles f. Griffin. of Indiana
who was there elected After that Encamp
ment he continued his activity in the Order
serving for several years as First Sergeant o
his Camp. His activity and interest in tn
affairs of the Division have never lapsed, ant
at its Encampments his counsel and advice ar,
eagerly sought on all questions of importance
Commander in Chief Rake is PROMINENT!
known in the Benevolent and Protective Orde
of Elks, through servicenin several of its Ma
} tional Offices He is a Mason of high standing
being the present District Deputy Gran,
Master for the Seventh District OF Pennsyl
vania; Past Master of Reading Lodge, Nc
J $40, +. & A. NJ; member of Reading Chapter
No. l52 K. A. NJ; DeMoay Commandery, Nc
8, X. T., and Harrisburg Gonsistory, 32o, A.
S. r. Masons. and is personally entrusted witt
tho ritualistic work Of the 15o in the latte
body He is serving as Potentate of Raja
Temple. A. A. o. N. Mystic Shrine, for tn
, fourth successive term.
AS Commander in Chief he has established
business administration from the start. II
daily devotes himself to the duties OF his office
gives the correspondence his personal item ton
and is in constant touch with every detail il
the supervision and management of the Order
; The proposition to re.elect him did not orig
nate ia Pennsylvania Division. Those advo
, + eating his re election use the argument that
f is not good policy to swap horses in cr0ssin
r the stream" and when good officer is j
charge, he should be- retained for time q
, least. They urge that Commander in Chic
Rake flied the term in the worst year of tn
. history of the Order, the result of the Pres
Dental campaign of last Fall and the gener,
= Asxas