Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-10-01
KNIGHTS TEMPLAR
Pittsburg Busy With the Coming
Triennal Conclave.
PRESIDENT M'KINLEY Is EXPECTED
Gorgeous Electrical Illumination
Promised.
GRAND PARADE AND BALL

Special Correspondence of The Evening Star
PITTSBURG, September 20, 1898.
This city is busily preparing for a mill
tary display which, in far the exhi-
bitten of gold lace and the other decorative
insignia of such gatherings are concerned,
will cause the entire equipment field and
staff. of the American and Spanish armies
engaged in the late war to seem pale by
comparison. The occasion of this outbreak
of swords and plumes and gorgeous trap
pings is the twenty-seventh triennial con-
clave of the Knights Templar of the United
States, which is to be held here on October
II. II and ID. The fact that many of the
returned heroes Of the war are sir knights
who will attend in that capacity, and that
the officers who have the affair in charge
have decided to invite others in the en-
deavor to make the gathering a grand
peace jubilee, will give the meeting wide
spread general interest, aside from its i'm
portance in the annals of Masonry. 1t is
estimated by the members of the committee
OF arrangements that no less than 25,0O
knights will be in attendance, and that the
number of friends whom they will bring
with them will test the hospitality of the
city to its limits.
President Mckinley, who is himself a
sir knight, will probably be one of the
visitors. He has announced to the Pitts
burg committee on invitation that he Will
be present on Tuesday and Wednesday,
October II and II, unless his presence Is
required in Washington. So certain are the
entertainers that the chief magistrate Will
be participator i'll the festivities that one
of the city communicates has been appoint
ed as his special escort, and arrangements
are being made for an exclusive reviewing
stand for him. Vice President Hobart, also
,;rht to IIa,- I1t~ a.,
and all the members of the Presidents
cabinet have been invited.
But the greatest drawing card so FAR
the attendance of outsiders is concerned.
is the announcement by Grand Marshal
Gen. j. P. s. Goblin that he is negotiating
through the Secretaries of War and Navy
for leaves of absence for prominent mill
tary and naval officers who can reach Pitts
burg in time for the meeting. These lead
ers, with their laurels fresh upon them.
are to be on tina staff Of the grand marshal.
Among those who have been invited to be
present in this capacity are Gen. Miles,
Gen. Joe Wheeler, Col. Roosevelt, Capt.
Sigsbee and a large number of other mill
tary and naval officers.
Magnificent Decorations.
To do fitting honor to this assemblage,
the city will decorate itself in gorgeous
attire, and the decorations will be the
most elaborate scale. Betting its positi On
electricity will play the leading part in the
scheme of decoration. Already the 5000
horse power which forms the limit of the
citys ordinary supply has been far exceed
ed in the demands for extra power to sup
ply the display designs which will be erect
ed on almost every block.
According to the present plans. Masonic
emblems formed by thousands of electric
lights will be visible everywhere, on the
roofs of high buildings and on the sur
ahah ha lor of
these will be cross 100 feet high, with a
crossbar sixty feet long, which is to be
placed on the tower of the county court
house.
1t is expected that the city will resound
with the music of martial and national airs,
as the committee has already secured the
attendance of the 9th Cavalry Band
(mounted), the Marine Band of Washing
ton, the Annapolis Cadet Band Of the
Naval Academy, and regmental bands
from San Francisco, New York, Chicago,
St Louis, Cincinnati, Detroit and other
cities.
The grand parade of the meeting will be
held on Tuesday, October II, and it is ex-
pected that 25,ooo swords and piumes will
be on exhibition afoot, on horseback or in
carriages. The knights will be reviewed
by the President and the other distinguish
ed visitors. The line of march will extend
to Schenly Park, where a formal welcome
to the grand encampment will be given by
the most eminent grand master. w. La
Rue Thomas Mayor Ford of PittSburg and
Mayor Geyer of Allegheny. Thereupon the
encampment will go into session in Carne-
gle Music Hall, where the business meet
ings will be held.
Reception and Ball.
Another important feature of the meeting
will be the grand reception and ball to be
held in the Duque-ne summer garden
Grand Marshal Goblin will deliver the ad-
dress of welcome on this occasion, and Gov
Hastings who Is wit ctaff
probably will extend welcome on behalf
of the state of Pennsylvania As a mark
of courtesy, the committee has invited Sir
knight William Mckinley and Mrs. Ho-
bart to lead the grand march at the ball.
During the three days over which the
meeting extends the grand commandery,
state grand Communicates and local grand
communicates will be constantly receiving
and entertaining guests, and the Pittsburg
communicates will keep open house
throughout the entire week The head
quarters of the grand commandery will be
in the Monongahela House; those of the ex-
ecutive committee in the department of
public safety building on 9th avenue, and
those of the escort committee and of the
reception committee in old city hall on Mar
ket street
The first-class hotels down town are all
filled up already for conclave week But
members of. the executive committee say
that while these hotels will hold only u 900
guests, there are 2l5 other hotels with ac-
commOdations for 1900 more; 10 900 more
can be taken care of in private boarding
and rooming houses. 1900 in sleeping cars.
while 5000 are to be received as guests in
private families The railroad companies
have assured the executive committee that
they can take care of 1870 sleeping cars
without putting down additional side
tracks, and some of them will run special
accommodation trains every half hour dur
ing the day and night to transport visiting
knights and their ladies to and from their
without