Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-10-20
BOSTON KNIGHTS TENPLAR
.yMNrrr--vT7t Ymn ~ M,,,.
Department the Guests of ST.
Johns Commandery.
THEY HAD "A DELIGHTFUL VISIT
Excursioneon Delaware Was a
Memorable Feature.
The Visiting Ieutghts We're Royalty Enter
tanned During Their sojourn IN This city,
and Lett With n High Appreciation Of the
Hospitality of Wilmington.


and Left with high Appreciation Of the
Hospitality, of wilmington.
After enjoying the hospitality of st.
Johns Commandery, Knights Templar,
for "a hours, William Parkman Com
nandery Of Boston, Mass, left Will
inington at 5. q O'Clock Saturday after
noon, homeward bound, and the sir
knights and ladies in the visiting party
took with them many pleasant recol-
lections of their brief sojourn in Will
mington.
One of the most enjoyable features
of the visit was the excursion on the
Delaware River from 10 o'clock Satur-
day morning until between 8 and A in
the afternoon. st. Johns Com
mandery had chartered the steamboat
Brandywine for the occasion and every
detail in connection with the boat ride
had been carefully looked after before
hand, everything having been arranged
for that would add to the pleasure and
comfort of the visiting sir knights and
ladies. A fresh wind was blowing on
the river, but many had provided them
selves with overcoats and wraps and
nobody paid particular attention to the
cool weather, as the saloons and parlors
on the boat were warm and comfortable
and everything tended to make the trip
exceedingly enjoyable. Dinner was
served on the boat in good style by.
Caterer Golfer and q corps OF assistants,
and the guests were we'll taken care of
in this direction.
All of the Boston ladies participated
in the trip and there were also many
Of the ladies' of st. Johns Com
mandery, who entertained the visiting
ladies and made them feel perfectly at
home. The First Regiment Band,
which accompanied the party, rendered
an excellent programme of instrumental
music, and VIM. III. Robinson, Jr., j.
A. Magee and others gave several vocal
selections, A concert was also given by
a guitar and mandolin trio, consisting
OF r. G. Linville, A. s. Muhlhausen
and f. 8. Fowler. There were about
450 people In the party.
The boat went down the river to the
quarantine station and the people on
board were given an opportunity to
view the Notifications at Forts Della
ware and Mott and the Delaware bat
terry.
On the return trip a stop of about
three-q quarters Of an hour was made at
New Castle and the visitors were shown
through the jail and given an oppor-
tunity to converse with the prisoners
and make an inspection of tho build
ing and surroundings. Several of the
visitors made purchases from the
prisoners, securing at small cost articles
which they took home as souvenirs Of
| the trip. One member of the party
his name was not learned, but mem
Der of st. Johns Commandery said he
| thought it was Sir Knight Fred L.
Pigeon of Boston-while standing at
the whipping post in the position Of a
criminal about to be whipped, was
| photographed by companion, and the
latter will no doubt have much amuse-
ment at the expense of the person
| photographed The Bostoniaus were
delighted with the courtesy shown them
| by the jail officials and manifested
much interest in the things they saw
and heard while at the Jail.
| After the visit TO New Castle the trip
back to Wilmington was resumed, the
boat arriving at Fourth street wharf
at about 3. 80 clock. The ladies were
taken to the Clayton House in hacks
and the Wilmington and Boston sir
knights, headed by tho band, marched
to the hotel, from which place, after
an hours rest and after the visitors
had been given an opportunity to ar
range for their departure, the entire
party, hosts and guests, started for
Delaware avenue station. The Boston
ladies were escorted by the Wilmington
ladies, in two, handsomely decorated
street cars, to the station, while the
knights marched, by way of Market
and Eleventh streets and Delaware
avenue.
The streets along which the parade
passed were thronged with people, and
many favorable expressions were heard
concerning the marching of the mem
bers Of both COMMUNICATES. 1t was a
| pretty sight and the music of the First
Regiment Band was exceedingly enjoy
able.
When Delaware avenue station was
reached, after the usual parting saluta-
tions and many warm handshakes and
exchanges of greetings, the visitors
boarded three special cars, which we're
attached to the train leaving at 5.21
O'Clock, and were soon well on their
way to New York, where they were en-
| tertained on Saturday night by York
|
| left New York for Boston.
On Saturday morning the ladies and
many of the sir knights in the visiting
party were shown about the city in
carriages Brandywine Park, Old
Swedes Church and other places of
| interest were visited.
Before the visitors left Wilmington
they expressed themselves as being
unable to manifest their appreciation
for the extreme kindness which had
been show them and informed the Della
wareans that they expected st. Johns
Commandery to visit them on the occa-
sion of the dedication of the new Ma
sonic Temple, which is being built in
| Boston. They are TO send st. John S
Commandery an invitation to attend
the dedication, which will take place
in about yeealr, apd5 it is probable that
| 1T will be accepted.
| When the members Of Parkman Com
mandery left Boston on October 8th,
| they provided themselves with an earth
en- bean pot upon which was painted
Boston beans. T" This was carried at the
top of pole in the parade at Pitts
burg, Pa, and was also a conspicuous
| feature in the parades here, but before
the visitors took their departure, at
Delaware avenue station, the pot was
captured and retained by st. Johns
Commandery. and as the latter marched
back to the asylum after the visitors
had gone, Sir Knight Thomas b. Lewis,
who had obtained possession of the
bean pot, proudly marched at the head
of the column with 1t. In the future
it will be one of the most conspicuous
ornaments. in the asylum at the Ma
| sonic Tafn1iie and will be carefully