Evening star., 1898-03-19
MUCH FRIENDLY RIVALRY
Masonic Bodies Each Anxious to Make Best
;-os4 81
Showing at the Fair.
Masons Throughout u the Country
Favor Making This city the
Fraternity's Central Home.
Country

As the time draws nearer for the opening
Of the fair and exposition in aid of the
fund for the erection Of a. National Masonic
Temple in Washington the activity among
Mesons, both individually and as bodies.
and OF the ladies who are working for
them. becomes moro vigorous. A very
warm, but friendly, rivalry has sprung un
among the various commanderiss. chan
ters and lodges for the honor of making
the best appearance at the fair and expo
sition, and this has stirred Masons and
their wives, sisters, mothers and sweet
hearts to newer effort and energy. Meet
ings that are largely attended are now the
order, and every day three or four such
gatherings meet to Consider the plans and
projects for the big svent. The interest be-
ing shown in the fair among Masons
ready indicated by the substantial dona,.
tions sent in reply to the circular of the
board of control, Is scarcely less ardent
than that Of the local Masons thems elves.
The Temple Plan Approved.
The project to establish national Ma
sonic temple i'll the capital of the nation
Las met with universal approval, and sug-
gesttons are already being received which
point to the future position of Washington
as the actual central home of the frater-
nity, where the tr1ennial conclaves might
of the great body of Masons transacted.
Some of the letters being received contain
expressions Of belief that Washington
which is already becoming the city where
educational and religious ORGANIZATIONS are
centering, will become the home of ali fra
ternal organizations. and urge that the
Masons should be the first to become in
trenched at the capital.
Inc committee on decorations will meet
at 4:3O o'clock this afternoon at headouar-
ters to consider further features of the
general scheme of the adornment and beau
tifying of Convention Hall and the Armory
puliding. The board of control will meet
tonight and transact considerable business
of Importance.
Columbia COmmandery.
Columbia Commandery, No. 2, Knights
Templar. is determined that no other Ma
sonic body In the District will outdo it at
the fair in point of novel features. The
ladies' auxiliary now numbers 800 ladies
and Is officered as follows: Carrie B. Al
len. chairman; Miriam Small, vice chair
man; Maggie Klcpfer, treasurer; Alice
Thomas. secretary. The chairmen of the
ladies' auxiliary and committee of twen-
ty-1ve ladies were appointed at the last
meeting to look after the interests of Co.
noon and evening during the fair. The
lady chairmen are as follows: Mesdames
Hattie Narrower, Decker, Klopfer, F. P,
Morgan. Parkhurst, Small. Auer Costi-
Hetee: burns, van DeuSen and the Misses
Lynch and Small.
1t was decided that. so far as practica-
BILE, the ladies attending the booth should
be dressed as "Columbias." and also de-
clded to hold matinee euchre on the
afternoon of March o.
The executive committee of the commit
Tee OF forty Of Columbia Cornmandery is
considering many attractive schemes,
Chairmen of the gentlemen's committee to
act In conjunction with the ladies' commit
Zee during each day and evening of the fair
nave been named as follows: Sir knights
klopfer, Pettus, Grant, tWilber, T. B.
walker. Ryder, F. H.. Thomas, H. F. Riley,
narrower. Geo. Gibson, Parkhurst and
Chaney. Each chairman has presented the
name of vice chairman, and a committee
or twenty-five sir knights for each day
OK the fair has been appointed
Columbia r. A. Chanter Mo hoe ,
ladies' auxiliary that Is accomplishing
wonders to be developed at the fair The
Mrs. E. A. Gooding, secretary. and Mrs. L.
Heilbrun. treasurer.