Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-10-22
My MASON CRY In
5Indianela's and Jsasrsoa's Blister
Struggle and tho Final %.
feat Of Both.
.Dubuqus's Kick Against the Asses.
mont One o. tho Reasons For
Sudden Action.


Manson, Oct. 22.-The action OF the
grand lodge OF the Independent Order
of Odd Fellows In IT. recent session at
Keokuk In locating the orphans home.
at Mason City marks the amicable set
Element Of q contest that has tor years
agitated the order in Iowa. This con-
test. which began as far back as 1895,
was the bitter fight between Jefferson,
in Greene county. and fndianola. in
Warren county. for the aocat ion ~ the
institution which it 81 now decided
shall go to Mason City.
The Jefferson and fndianola hight
became so heated for q time as to di-
vide the order in the state along fac
itional lines. Back in 1895, at the meet
ing Of the grand lodge, committee
was appointed to locate q site for an
orphans home. The order had never
had an institution Of this kind, burt 1t
was felt there was need OF one and
the Daughters Of Rebekah, the wo-
mems auxiliary to the Odd Fellows.
We're much enthused over 1t. After
studying various proposed locations
the committee finally settled down to
two places where the home ought to be
located. A resolution of the grand
lodge empowered the committee to To-
cate the home at Jefferson, provided
the committee could make suitable
contract with Jefferson. This the COM.
mittee could not do, and under the
terms OF the grand lodge resolution
nothing was left to be done but locate
the home at Indianola. The committee
did so.
The fight then began to wax hot.
The Odd Fellows OF Jefferson went
into court and, an injunction was OBJ
tanned restraining the locating OF the
home at Indianola. Not only were
there legal complications, but the mat
ter was finally carried to the grand
lodge Of the United States. That tribu-
nal said Indianola had a valid right TO
the home, but even this holding failed
to bring an assurance of peace. The
question was SO much discussed and
wrangled about, and there was so
much danger that the fight might
break out afresh. that the grand lodge
OF the state a year ago determined TO
bring the matter to an end 9n the most
effective way possible. At the instance
OF the state grand lodge both JEFFERSON
and Indianola agreed to release all
claims to the home on condition that
the grand lodge would reimburse them
in full for their outlay in attempting to
secure the new institution. The grand
lodge paid the expenses Of the. lodges
Of both places and in this way peace
fully and for all time ended the con-
troyersy.
In all this time, the home existed only
on paper. The nearest approach there
had been to an orphans place OF refuge
was to be found in options on property
and surveys made at Indianola and
Jefferson. After the pacification of
Jefferson and Indianola last year, In
October, 1892 the grand lodge appointed
a committee OF four members headed
by Judge q. A.-Church Of Jefferson. to
select another location for home. The
committee was to report at this ses-
sion OF the grand lodge. The commit
tee examined locations at Cedar Falls.
Waterloo, Sac City, Storm Lake and
Mason City Cedar Falls and Waterloo
had location between themselves, on
the electric car line connecting the two
places. But the Mason City location was
favored.
1t is probable the grand lodge would
not have decided to proceed to build a
home at once, and would have let the
matter lapse a few years, had not the
Dubuque lodge precipitated some feel
ing by sending out circular. objecting
to the per capita assessment for the
orphans home. Dubuque was unwill-
ing to turn this money over to the grand
lodge until the building Of the home
should have begun. It was suggested
the money raised for this purpose be
restored to the lodges. This suggestion
found 80 little favor thatit had the eff
ect to cause the grand lodge to act at
once on the proposition for an orhans'
home. The movement was helped along
by the Rebekahs. who had themselves
raised 81, 800 for the purpose and were
very anxious to see the home erecteds
Under these circumstances the grand
lodge this week at keokuk, by an over
whelming vote, decided to locate the
home at Mason City, and leave the
building Of 1t in the hands Of the trus-
tees. who are expected to proceed
without needlees delay.
Eighty acres OF ground near Mason
City have been bought for the orphans
home for 5000 cash. Attic the term
orphans home IL employed, the institu-
ltiOn will be for the use and care of In
digent Odd Fellows and their widows,
as we'll az orphans. The needy from all
parts Of the state will be admitted. 1t
is expected $25, 900 to 100000 will be ex-
pended IN erecting and eQuipping the