The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-04-05
ANCIENT ORDER
Of THE UNITED
WORKMEN MEETS
Representatives From
All Sections.
GRAND LODGE DEGREE GIVEN
AMENDMENTS OFFERED AND
REJECTED.
GRAND LODGE DEGREE GIVEN
Those Who Commit Suicide Within
a Certain Period to Lose Fixed
Rights-The Competi-
ton for a Prize.

The delegates to the Grand Lodge OF the
Ancient Order of United Workmen OF the
State of California, who represent nearly
20 800 of the citizens of this state, met
Yesterday in Native Sons Hall in TWEEN
ty-second annual session. These repre-
sentatives numbered nearly three nun
bred and they and the grand officers were
called to order by Grand Master Judge
George H. Bahrs, after which the Grand
Lodge degree was conferred on one hun
dred and fifty past masters, who had be-
come such since the previous session of
the grand body.
The greater portion of the forenoon ses-
sion was taken up in the seating of the
members upon the reading of the report
of the committee on credentials, after
which the reports of the grand officers
were presented and submitted to the COM
mittee on distribution.
The report of the grand master shows
that during the year 3405 application for
membership were received of which 2404
were initiated, and that with 379 deaths
and a number of suspensions the order
had a net gain of 373 Ten new lodges
solidated with other lodges. Eleven
lodges surrendered their charters. There
were but three appeals to the grand mas
ter in the year.
During the year 1898 it appears from the
report of Grand Recorder Poland there
were presented 300 death claims at $4,000
{
gregate of $734 900 for the benefit of
widows and orphans.
j. Wells was appointed grand over
seer, vice j. H. Flint, who is in the Klon-
dixie country.
During the past two months a member
of the order, who will be a candidate for
one of the grand Offices, distributed q
circular announcing his candidacy, and
that brought forth a resolution which was
adopted by large vote denOuncing such
practice. Several other resolutions were
tod
mittees.
In the matter of several lodges that
were delinquent as to per capita tax
pledges for the payment of the same were
accepted and the representatives seated
while in two cases the tax was RENTED
because of the membership having on &C
count of the drought been in financial
straits Three lodges had representatives
debarred because they had not been elect
ed according to law.
At the afternoon session the report of
the committee on laws and amendments
took up great deal of time in the con-
sideratiOn of amendments. One, reducing
the time from three to one month when
suspended member could be reinstated
without examination by the medical eX-
aminer. was lost; one providing for the
payment by the lodges of the dues and
assessments of members who had passed
the age of 80 and had been in the order
ten years or more, If they were in indi-
gent circumstances, upon pledgtng their
certificate with the recorder of the lodge,
was lost; one to allow the grand master
workman three deputy grand master
workmen instead of one was indefinitely
postponed; one providing that if a mem
Der commits suicide within two years af-
ter joining, except in delirium caused by
disease or while under treatment for in
sanity, or after judicial declaration of
insanity, his beneficiaries shall receive
only the amount he paid into the benefi-
cary fund, was carried; one to make the
State Lodge constitution conform TO the
Supreme constitution as to liquor dealers
was carried; and one to increase the fee
of the grand medical examiner from rs to
so cents for certificates was lost.
The consideration of the other amend
ments was postponed until this morning
and the Grand Lodge adjourned to the
corner of Post and Mason streets, where
the members were photographed in
body.
In the evening there were many of the
representatives present to witness the
contest for q prize Of 800 offered to the
lodge team that made the greatest aggre-
gate of points in the ritualistic work Sc
cret work and floor work. The competing
teams were Mount Hamilton of San Jose
Prosperity of San Francisco. Fresno of
Fresno and Capitol of Sacramento. Each
did good work. but the prize went to the
Sacramento team, which won with 2S7
points, beating Mount Hamilton by three
points; Prosperity made 272 and Fresno
269
The Past Masters Association enter
tanned a number of the representatives in
Shiels building by giving a number Of
candidates the Mogullian degree and then
presenting a varied programme.