The San Francisco call., 1899-04-12
The Report of the
Chief Officials.
STRENGTH OF THE SOCIETY
NOMINATING CANDIDATES FOR
HIGH HoNoRS.
The Per Capita Tax Fixed at One Dol
lar-Reception to Grand OFF,
GERS and Represen-
tatives.

The first session of the Grand Council
of the Order of Chosen Friends was held
yesterday in Memorial Hall, Odd Eel
lows building. All the grand officers were
present and nearly all the representatives
from the several sections of the State
were in attendance.
The Grand Council degree was conferred
upon forty past councillors, and then the
presiding officer, Grand Councillor Max
Boehm, read his biennial report, an inter-
esting document. giving a clear resume OF
the work Of the order in the past two
years and offering a number of valuable
suggestions.
Grand Recorder Willis also read his re-
port cal fully arranged and detailed ac-
count of the condition of the order. From
this 1t appears that by a combination Of
causes. failure TO comprehend the change
in the laws and many deaths, there was
for q time a decrease in the membership,
but Of late, by reason of a better under
standing OF the principles OF the order
ana renewed confidence, there has been
noted addition. The membership at the
close OF 1898 was 5095, distributed in lSS
lodges. During the last term number OF
weak lodges were consolidated with
stronger councils with beneficial results.
The finance committees account shows
receipts in the past two years, including
balance on hand, $l74u 32 disbursements,
Sl3,O5g 80. leaving balance Of S454S 81, an
excess OF $2355 50 over the amount at the
close of the previous Grand Council.
A resolution offered by A. @. Baker that
hereafter, out of respect to the Grand
Army Of the Republic, the Women's Re
lief Corps, the Ladies Of the Grand Army
OF the Republic and the memories of the
soldiers of the civil war and the war with
Spain that no excursion. picnic or enter
tainment in the name of the order be
given on Decoration Day, was adopted by
q rising vote.
At the afternoon session the recon-
mendations OF the grand councillor that
there should be more fraternity among
the members and that there ought to be
continued visits by grand officers, were
adopted.
A Recommendation to levy additional as
sessments if necessary in order 10 meet
obligations was, after a lengthy discus
sion, referred to the supreme representa-
tive.
The following nominations were then
made: For grand councillor, W. II. Saw
age of San Pedro; assistant councillor D.
J: Hartley of Sacramento; vice coun-
cilOrS, J. 3. Coates of Stockton and DR..
r. S; Markell of Cloverdale;. recorder, S.
c. Wallis; treasurer, Miss Clara McDon-
aid; prelates. Mrs. Lizzie Morse of Marys-
vile and Mary J. Smith of Virginia City;
1narshals. Jennie Pratt of San Francisco
and Lemuel Biddle of San Francisco:
guard, Mrs. Minnie Lakin of San Rafael ;
sentry. Mrs A. Boehm of San Francisco;
grand trustees, short term F. W. Day of
Sacramento and A. f. Weber of San
Jose; long term, J. A. Mcdowell of Sac
Tamento; supreme representatives, +. d.
Brandon, NJ. Boehm w. L. Gibson, Z. I.
Wolfe D. NJ Mcneil, A. B. Sanborn,
Mrs, Clara J. Sweeney, D. Sewell and
Tell of Sacramento, T. II. Selvege of Eu-
reka, A. Q. Carpenter and Mrs. Z. c. Cor
man of Sacramento.
The recommendation OF the grand coun-
Cilor that the sessions of the grand coun-
ell be held biennially was adopted, as
was also his recommendation that ef-
forts be made to properly celebrate the
twentieth anniversary of the order.
The committee on the state of the or
der presented q fiattering- report on the
work Of the grand recorder, which was
adopted by rising vote The per capita
tax was fixed at 81
The salary Of each member of the ex-
ecutive council was fixed at 81 50, except
s to salaried officers.
A proposition to have the financial of
hcers remit money within ten days in
stead OF twenty days, as at present, was
discussed at length and action was de-
ferred until this morning.
Mrs. c. j. Sweeney, nominated for su-
preme trustee, is the first lady who has
been accorded that honor. The election
will be held to-day.
Last evening the grand officers and the
representatives were the guests of the
Progressive Councils Of San Francisco at
q reception rendered them in the large
hall of the Odd Fellows building There
was, besidaS the members of the order. a
great number of strangers, who, We're en-
-tertained with a programme as follows:
Opening remarks. G. NJ. Arnold. p. S.
C; vocal solo. Miss Levison; recitation,
THE Legend Of the Organ Builder" Miss
Grace Hale; vocal solo, "Friars of Orders
Gray" J. K. Miller; vocal solo, Mrs Win
ters; address. Hon. Edward L Wolfe
The affair was conducted under the su-
pervision Of the following named: c. NJ.
Cunningham, Mrs. r. Davidson, Miss H.
NJ. Atkinson, Mrs T. B. Cunningham.
Mrs. ?. Dunzweiler. Mrs. Lottie Letter,
Mrs. c. Morrison, Miss A E. McCreery,
Mrs. /. NJ. Pfaendler, Miss NJ Under
wood, Mrs. NJ J. J. Baccus, Mrs A.
,Boehm. Miss d. Finnen. Mrs. A. Ege-
berg, Mrs. NJ. II. Myers, Mrs. NJ Seidner.
Mrs. NJ. Schafer, Mrs. c. Whittock.