The record-union., 1898-10-09

| PITTSBURG, Oct. S.-Gorgeously
plumed Sir Knights, the first of the
| great body of Knights Templar which
| VIII virtually own Pittsburg for the
next six or eight days, arrived in
Plttsburg to-day. The vanguard was
the Sir Knights of the Golden State of
California.
! The party was made up of the Grand
Commandery, it's honorable escort, Cal
itornia Commandery, No. 1, of San
Francisco, and a score of members of
another commandery of that State.
They arrived about 10 o'clock this
morning and their arrival marked the
opening of the great round of festivi-
ties that are scheduled for the coming
week
| This famous contingent of Templars
from the Far West were met at the
| Union Depot and escorted to the head
quarters of California Commandery,
No. l, on the first floor of the Car
negie office building, by Pittsburg
Commandery, No. 1. and detachments
of the other local communicates. The
visitors were given most royal well
come and greeting. The party numbers
nearly 500 Sir Knights and a number
| of women. They left San Francisco
last Monday morning and have made
long pilgrimage in a special vestibuled
Pullman palace train.
They We're the first to leave their
homes and are the first to be welcomed
by the Trennial Conclave City of 1898
The most distinguished guest of the
Californians was the Very Eminent Sir
Reuben II. Lloyd, who will be promoted
at the Grand Encampment to the high
| est position within the gift of the as
sembled Knights-Grand Master of the
Grand Encampment of the United
States.
Grand Master Thomas will arrive
over the Baltimore and Ohio Railway
from Baltimore this evening. The Ex-
ecutive Committee will assemble at the
Baltimore and Ohio station with the
entire second division, including Pitts
burg Commandery, No. l, Allegheny,
No. 80, Ascalon, No. 80. and Duquesne.
No. -, and will escort the Grand
Master to his hotel.
Captain William r. Heckert, who has
charge of the commandery drills next
Wednesday, announces that there will
be no competitive exhibition, the late
war with Spain having called many
Knights into the volunteer service. This
fact comes as great disappointment
to the knights, as the competitive
drills have always been a feature Of
every conclave.
The program for the Schennly Park
exhibition will be as follows:
Drill by bicycle corps, Swift's
Brigade of Allegheny; Detroit, No. l;
St Bernard. No. 80. Chicago; Louis
vile, No. /; Handleman, No. u, Gin
cinnati; Damascus, No. 16, Detroit.
Two other drill corps may take part.
Three drill instructors from West Point
will act as judges. To each command
cry will be presented handsome badges.
The communicates are the most expert
of the order.
ST. Bernard of Chicago has captured
prize after prize in drills all over the
country, and has the reputation of be-
ing the most perfectly handled body
of Sir knights in the United States.
Boomers for Louisville as the meet
ing place of the twenty-eighth conclave
are perfecting plans for a vigorous
Pittsburg campaign. Two large rooms
in the City Hall will be devoted to the
use of the Bourbon State Knights as
"boom headquarters.
The Grand Commandery of Kentucky
will have the support of DeMolay and
Louisville Communicates jointly and
the assistance of other representatives
from all parts of the State.