River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1897-03-11
Banquet of the A. o. U. w.

INTERESTS ana principles or the order
with social enjoyment, as they excel /
lently eyinced by their banquet of |
last Friday night. Deeming it emil !
nently proper that an order, whose
growth both locally and at large has
been phenomenal, should have its OBJ
jects made known TO others, the men,
bers of the lodge Of this city issued in
yitations to large number of their
friends to attend reception on that
night.
The meeting was held at the Opera
Hall and the guests began to gather
at about eight O'Clock in the evening,
though it was much later before
those who had outside matters to
command their attent ton had arrived.
About nine o'clock Mr.. John Chin
mock, acting in behalf of the lodge,
called the large Assem- blage to order.
At this time the aspect was decidedly
pleasing one. Through the long
area of the floor of the house tables
were extended loaded with promise of
good cheer. At one side places had
been left for seating the guests while
the literary and musical program was
being performed.
The first on the list was instru
mental music by Dodge's orchestra,
especially imported for the occasion;
following this was an address OF
welcome by Mr.. Chinook, after which
he introduced Hon. +. NJ. Lloyd,
Grand Master of the order for the
State of Minnesota. The address of
this high official of the order was
direct, forcible and interesting. His
theme, was mainly to elucidate the
new departure Of the order in chang
ing from the level premium" plan to
that of assessments graded according
to age, the amount OF premium or
assessments increasing by gradual
steps at each decade.
That an order instituted solely upon
level premium plan must ultimate
ly come into insolvency was forcibly
illustrated by the speaker by reference
to other societies whose example
seems to prove the theory, that in
| time the assessments in such orders
become so burdensome that the
younger members drop out, leaving
| only advanced lives to receive the
| losses or pay the assessments. Thus
| the death rate is increasing every
year with corresponding increase of
cost of insurance until the time comes
when no new members can be induced
to join, and the society must cease 10
do business.
That the address met the approba-
tion of the larger portion OF the
members present, was shown by the
applause which followed its conclusion.
Following this came a song by the
Sappho Quartette OF this city, whose
rendering of Wide Awake song was
so much enjoyed that they were
called back and, as an encore, sung a
lullaby song to soothe the excited
audience. Addresses followed by
Messrs. White, Haugen and Weld,
after which supper was announced
Mine host Thelander spread an ex-
cellent table, well served, and the
viands were excellently cooked.
That it was fully appreciated was
proved by the rapidity with which the
good things disappeared, but the
| nf hnnca f11lu
adequate to the demand, for as fast as
any plate was empty it was refilled by
prompt and attentive walters.
The supper completed, the chairs
and tables vanished as if removed by
magic power, under the quick and
willing hands of the young people
present. Tables were stripped of
furniture ana taken down, chairs
packed away with remarkable speed,
"the band oegan to play" and the
stentorian tones of Brother Kaler
announcing that zone more couple is
wanted" reSounded at frequent
intervals through the hall, until the
floor was filled with eager young men
and maidens, TO say nothing OF a
sprinkling of gray heads, whose feet
seemed to be troubled with slight
fever of expectancy. The quadrille3
formed, the music struck up, and for
several hours the dance went merrily
on. The whole occasion was one of
much enjoyment to all.
1t is an open question which enjoy
ed the evening most, the guests who
partoOk Of the bounteous supplies of
good things intellectual, physical and
theoretical, or the hosts who gave so
freely of their bounty to their friends.
And all must have carried away the
thought, that after years of trial, af-
ter experiments of many kinds, some
partially successful, Others more or
less disastrous, the time is near at
hand when fraternal societies organic
ed upon basis similar 10 that now
adopted by this organization must
prove the cheapest and the most
popular mediums of life insurance.
A few statistics may serve to show
the remarkable growth of this order.
Organized in 1858 with thirteen mem
bers, increasing to so by the end of
the year, it numbered at the close of
1895, 35l, 9s9 members. 1t paid out in
that year for death claims over seven
millions of dollars, or an average of
thousand dollars per hour. 1t has
never litigated a claim for death
loss. 1t paid for sick benefits in ad-
dition to losses by death in 1895 the
sum of $l54, S9036. Since the date of
organization it has paid for claims for
losses by death $4,000, 900 dollars.
A Valuable Prescription.
Editor Morrison of Worthington,
Ind, "Sun," writes: you have a
valuable prescription in Electric Bit