The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-03-22
Official Reports Are
Satisfactory.
ORDERS BRIGHT PROSPECTS
GRADED ASSESSMENTS WORK
BENEFICIALLY.
The Delegates Elect Grand Officers
and Then Enjoy the Play "La
Belle Marie" at the AL
hambra Theater.

The Grand Lodge of the Knights of
Honor held its first session yesterday in
the Alcazar building There were pres
ent all the grand officers and representa-
lives, and Grand Dictator Prescott L.
Archibald called the meeting to order.
After the committee on credentials had
presented its report the reports of Grand
Dictator Archibald Grand Reporter John
stone, Grand Treasurer Zehfuss and those
Of the other officers and Grand Lodge
committees were presented and referred
10 appropriate committees.
The report of the grand dictator gave
3 review of the work during the past two
years He called attention to the fact that
he instituted a series of fraternal visits
by the lodges which had proved bene-
fetal in arousing an interest in the work
Of the order. During the two years one
past grand dictator, twelve past dictators
who were members of the Grand Lodge
and eleven past dictators who had not
received the degree of old age passed over
the dark river. He said that the change
from level to graded assessment worked
a hardship for time, but that now the
order had emerged from the difficulties
which surrounded 1t for time, and that
there is a bright prospect before it.
The report of the grand reporter shows
that the membership on the 1st Of Janu-
airy, 1897, was 4054 but that by with
0raWdl b4s suspensions Ills anu OSdlHS 4Ol
the number was reduced on December 81.
1898, to 2720. In regard TO the changes in
the laws he says that they have been
most beneficial as evinced by the finan-
cial status of the order, which enables it
10 pay claims more promptly than before.
At the afternoon session several COM
mittees were named, and the following
we're appointed q special committee to
devise ways and means TO extend the in
fuence and increase the membership of
the order in California: Charles Lampe,
Z. z. JOY, A. NJ. Mcpherson, B. l. Sal
onion. a. Carl, J. S. Alexander and Willis
Paris with instructions 10 report at
half-paSt 10 O'Clock this morning
The honor of past dictator was con-
ferTed on J. D. Martin of Occidental
Lodge, J. J. IbbotsOn of COnhdence, Aug
ust WernQuist OF Yerba Buena. John +.
Dwyer OF Yerba Buena, w. J. Thompson
of Far West. c. r. Brown of Tahoe, Paul
O'Connell of Tahoe, A. Strohman of Lee
land Stanford and John J. Beran of Lee
land Stanford for valuable services rem
Cered the order.
Several tables of rates of assessment
were presented and referred to the SUI
preme representatives for presentation TO
the Supreme Lodge for action
The grand dictator called upon the rep
resentatiVes from the several sections OF
the State to give their ideas tor the good
OF the order, and considerable time was
taken. up in this. but many Naluaoie
thoughts were expressed
This afternoon the grand officers viii be
elected. Ihere Will De contests OI4ly d. ~
supreme representatives. Two are to be
chosen and there are four prominent can
didates. These are c. F. Curry, Score
tary of State; W. J. Rourke, w h.
Barnes and a. H. VOigt of Los Angeles.
There will be a strong fight for repre-
sentative from the southern part of the
Last night the grand officers and
large number of the representatives were
The guests Of the Past Dictators' Assocla-
ffOn at a dinner at 116 Turk street A
very fine menu was served in the dining
room. which was profusely decorated with
the tri-colors and American flags. Before
partaking of the bounteous repast NJ. l.
Grove chairman of the committee OF ar
welcome and after the menu had been
tTisoussed there was a violin solo by
Henry Larsen, accompanied by William
Cellarius A NJ. Mcpherson, president Of
the host association, called on Grand Re
porter tombstone to respond TO the toast,
THE knights Of Honor, which he did in
a sensible and interesting speech. William
J. Cleary entertained with a recitation
then The Grand Lodge of California"
was responded to by Grand Dictator P.
L. Archibald A. NJ. Mcpherson respond
ed to The Past Dictators' Association, -
after which Past Dictator ]. P. Dryer
amused the company with ventriloquism
Our Sister Societies was responded to
by z. +. Joy, past grand dictator, and
after a recitation Ben / Solomon re-
sponded to the Ladies'" The last toast
on the regular programme was Our
Country" by Past Grand Dictator W. H.
Barnes Then followed songs by NJ. L.