The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-24
X. OF P. PRIZE DRILLS. .
Something About the Winners of Ma
tiOnaI HOnOrs.

1T is an interesting fact in connection with
this years prize drills to take place during
the biennial encampment of the Uniform
Rank, knights Of Pythias, week of Aug %,
that none of the prize winners of late en-
campments are entered. This is no doubt
due to the fact that the companies which
won prizes at former encampments have not
kept up the hard work they found was
necessary to keep to the front in tactics
and ma1ieuvers. The training and the
straining necessary to become proficient
enough to take first or second prize in the
big contests is more than a company cares
to keep up.
Perhaps the best record ever made by a
company was thatrmade by Lafayette Com
pany No. /, of Lafayette, Ind. 1t was or
ganized in 1877, with James r. Carnahan,
the present major general Of the Uniform
Rank, as captain. 1t made it's first appear
ance, in general competition at Cleveland in
that year and easily won first place. Again,
in 1878, during the session of the Supreme
Lodge in this city, it won first place in the
prize drill competition In 1879 it won first
prize at Dayton, o., and at Bloomington,
ILL.,, at the latter place getting first prize
also for appearance In all these contests
Captain Carnahan was awarded first cap
tain's prize. The company won first prize
at st. Louis in 1880, and at Detroit in 1882,
and continued a victorious career until it
had eight first prizes to it's credit. Since
then the company has not entered COMPETE
tive drills, it having at least temporarily
withdrawn from the lists
The international tournament in 1886, at
Toronto, brought out all the crack drill
teams, and among them was a company
from Kokomo. The company had made its
first appearance at the state tournament in
Lafayette several years before. where it
won third prize and received its nickname
The Kokomo Kids" on account of the
had won a first prize at the Detroit tourna-
n ent, and first prize at a tournament held
at st Louis in connection with the meeting
of the Grand Lodge of Missouri. When
the company appeared at Toronto 1t was
invincible. Every movement was executed
with almost exact precision. When it be-
came apparent that the company. could not
be beaten the judges kept it on the field
considerable length of time after 1t had ex-
ecuted all the movements in order that the
crowd might witness it's work further.
At the next national encampment the
"Kokomo Kids" were compelled to give
This was at Cincinnati in 1888. This COM
pany had remarkable career. winning
first prize. at three national encampments--
Washington. in 1894
Erie Company, No. 16, of Erie, Kan, Slip
pea IN ana won urSJ place at the Kansas
City encampment in 1892 Two years ago
there was no national encampnent. and
during the four years there has been time
for many changes.
1t is known that none OF the former prize
winners will take part in the competition
here next month. They have not entered.
One of the strongest candidates for the
first honors will be John Barr Glenn Com
pany, No 10. of Eau Claire. Mich, of which
Con Feige is captain This company won
the interstate contest at Minneapolis in
1885, and it is said to be composed of q fine
lot of young men. From the company six
ty members will be selected to go to the
Paris exposition in 1900, to meet foreign
society military organizations in the inter-
national tournament.
1t is believed now that the strongest OPP
ponents of this company will be Hart Conn
pany, of Clinton Ia: Terre Haute Com
pany, No. 2. of Terre Haute. Ind, and New
Albany Company, No. 5, of New Albany,
Ind