The record-union., 1898-10-11
brilliant Opening Of the TrienniaI
ConcIave at the Smoky City.
Upward Of Fifty Thousand Pilgrims ReveI in
Each Others Hospitality.
. Fire in One of the Leading Ho-
tells Threatened to Cast a Gloom
Over the First Day of the Con-
clave, but Fortunately None of
the Many Sir Knights Who
Were Guests at the Hostelry
Were Injured.

Were injured.
PITTSBURG, Oct. 1O.-Within the
brilliance of incandescents, emanating
from nearly half a million electric
lights, the conclave of the Knights
Templar has now fairly started, and
at to-night's close upward of $4,000
pilgrims are reveling in each others
hospitality.
The day was chiefly spent by the diff
ferent Communicates in arranging their
headquarters and getting ready to re-
ceive their guests and visitors. In this
respect the various delegations We'd
with each other in the matter of put
ting up the most inviting refreshments,
ranging from the glass of ice water up
to Kentucky Bourbon, California wines
and even champagne. Souvenirs of all
shapes. sizes and designs are in
abundant evidence, and most of the
Knights are bedecked with decorations
not unlike Major General and veteran
OF at least twenty wars
Although the business meetings Of
the gatherings have not yet COM
menced. electioneering for the honor of
holding the next conclave is in active
progress. In this respect, the Louisville
people are apparently in the lead This
afternoon the members from the Min
nesota communicates virtually gave up
the contest they had expected to make
in favor Of ST. Paul. Northern New
York delegations are plugging" for all
they are worth to have the next con-
clave held at Niagara Falls in 1901.
The foremost event of to-day's pro-
gram undoubtedly has been the recep-
ton and ball of Tancred COmmandery
No 4S of this city, at their headquar-
ters in the Courthouse, which COM
menced at . o'clock this afternoon, and
it is expected that dancing. with una
bated musical accompaniment, is to
continue until u o'clock tonight.
The sights on the streets have never
been equaled in this city, as far as the
crowds are concerned. Street car traft1c
is at a standstill. and vehicles of all
kinds are banished from down town
thoroughfares, while every inch OF
ground is monopolized by tens of thou
sands of pedestrians who. move along
like an immense wave of humanity
There are those on the sidewalks
shouting and applauding the paradlng
Knights as they pass In an apparently
never-ending column through the
streets.
AN INAUSPICIOUS INCIDENT.
PITTSBURG. Oct 10-Fire threat
ened early this morning to throw
mantle of gloom over the first day of
the trienniaI conclave of Knights
Templar. The Richelieu Hotel, four
story structure, on Liberty street, OPP
posite the Union Depot. caught fire at
s o'clock, and for a time the entire
block was in danger of destruction.
The guests of the hotel included num-
ber of Knights, but, fortunately, none
of them were hurt
G. NJ. Yohe of Pittsburg was narrow
" saved from suffocation, and George
Rupp. Sergeant of Company A, Sew
enth United States Infantry, fell from
the second story while making his es-
cape from a third-fioor window on
rope Neither will die. The fire was
confined to the cellar and first floor
of the hotel and the loss will not be
heavy.
The conclave is to-day we'll under
way, and the streets are fairly alive
with white-plumed Knights. Over a
hundred communicates came in from
North, South, East and West during
the day, and the men on the Pittsburg
Reception Committee arose before the
dawn to be in waiting at the va
riouS railroad stations to act as escorts
to their guests.
Following is a list of the commander
les that arrived to-day:
Grand Commandery, Colorado: Or
lent, No. 3, Washington, D. c.; Sutton
No 16, New Bedford; Stomer. No. y,
South Boston; Woonsocket, No %
Woonsocket, r. l.; st. Paul, No 40
North Adams, Mass; Berkshire, No %,
Pittsfield, Mass; Grand Commandery,
New York; Central City, No 30, SYRIA
cuse; Palestine, No. 33. Springfield, o.;
Shawnee, No. IA. Lima, o.; Grand
Commandery, Kentucky; De Molay,
No. II, Louisville; Coeur d'Leon, No.
81, Boston; Boston, No. ,. Boston;
Hugh De Payne, No. 20, Melrose, Mass.
VIM. Parkham, Boston: Grand Com
mandery, Maine: Portland. No. ., Port
land, Me-; Grand Commandery, Wis
consin: Grand Commandery, Nebraska;
Englewood No -, Englewood, ILL.,:
Grand Commandery. Texas: Galesburg,
No. 8, Galesburg, ILL.,; Trinity, No. Z,
Augusta, Me; Huntington, No. 81,
Huntington, Ind; Palestine. No. ;, St
Johnsbury. VT; Hamilton, No. 3.
Bridgeport Conn. Lewiston. No. 6.
Lewiston. Me; Everett, No. IS, Rock
Island, H.; Joliet, No 4, Joliet. ILL.,:
Allen. No 20. Allentown, Pa: Kansas
City, No. 10. Kansas City, Gethsemane.
No. ,. Newtonville. Mass: Grand Com
mandery, Iowa: st. Louis. No. l, st.
Louis: st. Aldemar No. 1S. South
Louisville; Fndlay, No. 40. Findlay.
o.; Grand Commandery, New Jersey;
Ivanhoe. No. IL, Bordentown, n. j.;
Grand Commandery, Kansas; Grand
Commandery, Illinois: Chevalier Bay
ard. No. .. Chicago; Montjoine, No 53,
Chicago: I5lgrim. No 5, East Liver
pool; St Bernard, No 35. Chicago;
Mountain, No. 10, Altoona: Talbot. No.
43, Oil City; Massillon Massillon, O.:
Cache. No. 2, Conneaut, o. Erie. No.
2, Sandusky, O.; Eagle, No 30, Barnes
vile, o.: Oriental, No 81, Johnstown;
New Haven, No. 3 New Haven: Clar-
ence, No. 81, Cory, Pa: Poughkeepsie,
No. 43. Poughkeepsie, n. Y: ST. Johns,
Wilmington, Del; st. Palestine. No. 2.
Martinsburg, w. Va; Franklin, No. Al.