The age-herald., 1899-06-27
Arrived on a Special Amid the Screaming of Whistles ELKS AT STATION IN A BODY And Hundreds of Citizens Block
 ed the Streets. BAND STRUCK UP "A HOT TIME" And the Parade Moved Through the Streets-E,ks Rendered. Him 8
 Grand Reception at Their
 Hall Last Night.
BAND STRUCK UP "A HOT TIME

The welcome extended to Hon. B. M. AL | len, the newly elected Grand Exalted ruler l of the Benevolent and Protective Order of | Elks, on his return last night from St. | Louis was nothing short of an ovation. All Birmingham joined with local lodge l No. 79 in welcoming home the Chief Elk 1 in all Elkdom, and in extending to him the greetings befitting his high and exalted station.
 It was demonstration which would have l done honor to the president of these United States, and was a credit to the fraternal patriotism of the city
 Was Sidetracked at Blount MT. Allen, to use his own language, was
 sde-tracked at Blount Springs on Sunday afternoon. Preparations were at once be- gun for his reception, and at 4:30 o'clock yesterday afternoon delegation from local
 lodge Mo- 79 left for Blount Springs on a
 special train to meet the Exalted Ruler and
 bring him home. The train, which consist
 ed of a passenger coach and engine, was
 decorated with royal purple and white, the
 Elks' colors, and was in charge of Con
 ductor J. E. Beasley, and crew consisting
 of Engineer F. A. Woods, Flagman T. V.
 Small, and Fireman Bob Dean, colored.
 The delegation was composed of the fol-
 lowing gentlemen, in charge of Secretary
 w. P. McCrossin, of the local lodge; Mayor
 Drennen, Colonel J. J. Altman, Colonel Err
 win Schillinger, Henry B. Gray, John G.
 Housman, exalted ruler of No. 79; Rip
 Beasley, past exalted ruler John w.
 O'Neill, Captain E. c. Meglemery, w. A.
 Porter, A. L. Fullenwider, Henry Badham,
 A. J. Camp, c. s. Simmons Zel1e Solomon,
 Louis Saks, Ben $. Theiss S. S. West D.
 c. Reddington, Harry English, Joe Gerst,
 Walter O. Lindsay, R. J. Baker, Joe Me
 Crossin and M. B. Mayer, of The Age
 Herald and Baby Elks Carl Schillinger
 Geo. Housman and Ned and Dixie McCros-
 sin.
 The run to Blount Springs was made
 without incident, arriving there at 610
 o'clock. Grand Exalted Ruler Allen was
 at the station and was most heartily greet
 ed by the delegation After an exchange of
 greetings and congratulations the party im-
 mediately posed for picture, and after
 two snaps, wandered off to the spring to
 take fill of the famous sulphur water.
 Congressman Oscar W. Underwood
 Hon. Oscar w. Underwood and City
 Treasurer Geo. Eustis joined the party at blOQIl OpIiH6S duo WGlc ilieu0 lO lSSl dI home.
 After a short stay the party started on
 the return trip and soon were speeding to-
 wards the city.
 The decorations on the train attracted
 much attention and the natives no doubt thought that Dewey was on his way to
 Birmingham.
 Liquid refreshments and cigars furnished
 by the Louisville and Nashville Railroad company were freely dispensed and soon the crowd began to "warm up under the inspiration furnished by Joe Gerst who dis pensed champaigne with a lavish hand. After the train had started Captain Meglemery on behalf of the Birmingham Elks the lodges of the state and the 55 GOO Elks of the United States, welcomed the newly elected Grand Exalted ruler in a few appropriate remarks in which he con-
 graduated him upon his elevation to the office. and wished for him prosperous and successful administration. A short stop was made at Warrior to al- low the mayor to telegraph to the chief train dispatcher of the Louisville and Nash vilIe and to Chief of Police Austin that the | keys of the city had been turned over to | the Elks to do with them as they pleased. Screaming of Whistles The train sped along at "express" speed and soon the screaching of a hundred whis- ties gave notice of the approach to the city.
 It was just o'clock when the train pull ed into the Union station and a mighty l shout went up as the train came to stand- still The station and the streets for bloeLs around were crowded with people anxious to get glismpse of Judge Allan, who was deeply touched by the demonstra- ton.
 The members of No 79 were lined up un- der the car shed and as MT. Allen dis mounted he was met by Grand Marshal D. 1 J. McCrossin and at once there was grand rush to shake hands with him. | His appearance was the signal for an out | burst of applause. Hats were tossed in | the air, handkerchiefs were waved and 1t | was some minutes until order could be re- l stored When all was in readiness Mem | offs brass band struck up "A Hot Time | by way of introduction to the exercises to | follow.
 | Mr. Allen was escorted to a carriage in l waiting at the Twentieth street entrance, | which he entered with Mayor Drennen, | Congressman Underwood and Captain Me- | gIenlery.
 | The carriage was beautifully decorated | with the Elks co1ors, and was drawn by six sncw-white horses, driven by Tom May, | an enthusiastic horseman, as well as an | Elk. Colenel J. J. Altman, Henry B. Gray, l Hon. Frank V. Evans and John G. House.