Waterbury Democrat., 1901-04-10
ORDER OF GOLDEN CROSS.
The Annual Meeting Held in Ansonia Yesterday.


 Yesterday.
 The annual meeting of the Connect- cut commandery of the United Order of the Golden Cross was held in An sonia yesterday. The two lodges in this city were represented. The ses- sion was called to order at 10:43, and at roll call every one or the Grand commandery officers answered, While most of the communicates were repre- sented by delegates. The officers or the Grand commandery are Grand Commander Howard G. Doty, Nor walk; G. V. Commander Mary E. Dick enson. Mystic; Grand Prelate Hattie NJ. Somerville, Watertown; Grand Keeper of Records. James N. Booth, Bridgeport; Grand Treasurer, George F. Barber, Derby; Grand Herald, George r. Clapp, Waterbury; Grand War1er of Gate John Evans, Water town; Grand Warder of Outer Gate Thomas AIcsyhinney, Noank.
 fr his report, Grand Keeper of Rec ords Booth reviewed the conditions leading to and resulting from the cla1Se ia the method of assessment. Among other things, he said:
 .syieTed from many points the past year was the most important one thus far in the history Of our order. For 2 period covering four or five years past the relationship of members to the order llas been marked by conduct ranging from loyalty to obligations and a keen interest in its welfare down to selfishneSs. apathy and the extreme of Indifference. With large majority Of our members governed by the latter part of the definitions 1t Is no wonder that in less than two months after this grand conimandery had placed itself on record as opposed to any change in the assessment plan. 1t became neces- xary for the supreme commandery to take heroic measures to bring about q better condition to place our order up on a better business foundation and thus enable it to retain it's place among the leaders of fraternitIes.r
 He then told of the attempts of grumblers and dissatisfied ones to in- ffuenee members to leave the order and of the efforts needed by the grand lodge officials to keep some of the lodg- es in the state from actually being stampeded Tn several cases 1t had been necessary to visit lodges four or five times to keep them in line. "Hab- itual absentees" and "chronic gruin- blers." as he styled them, had never fheIess dropped out in many cases, but under the circumstances he did not think 1t any loss
 CNote-The change in the basis of assessment referred to by Mir Booth increased the individual payments slightly. It allowed. however. of the establishment of a reserve fund. This has already been started and amounts to sJ0OO0. invested in bonds. It was due to this somewhat radical change in the laws that the larger part of the net loss of 219 during the past year Is due.)
 During the year fifteen members of this jurisdiction had died. Two of them. Lady Sarah D. Griffin. of Morn ing Star commandery. and Knight Will lard NJ. Tucker. of Willimantic com mandery. were members of the grand commandery Mir Booths report in- cluded the following summaries: Number of members, Jan l,
 1900 Il ,9oJ Number initiated during
 1900 59 Admitted by card ......-.. F Reinstated ........--...... It
 2.o4e Withdrawn by card during
 1900 -.......y.. a22 Suspended .-...-..----.... 269 Died ..-................ 10
 BOG Number of members Jan 1. '01 1.740 Net loss during 1900 ....... 219 Total tax for term ending June
 
 Total tax for term ending Dec
 31. 1900 694-60 Received from sale of supplies,
 etc ............ss.-. Sz.3f Received from supreme com
 mandery, account of rebates. 33.50 Total receipts .......... -S1, ,5T2.64 The grand trcasurer's statement shows disbursements amounting to Sl,- S945ss.
 The various committees also made their reports, which were accepted
 There were twenty three candidates admitted. on whom were conferred inc grand commandery degree. They are as follows: LnuisaA. Goss. Mar tha F. Bergason. Lena Garnsey, Car rie s. Wheeler. Ella l.. Weston. Bur ion s. Hall. Nellie M Cranford, Frank C. Jennings, r. E. Brotherton. Mary F. Rowland, Fl. s. Johnson. George 5. Rfsbee, Elaore Bisbee. Charlotte Clark, Lewis II. Helm, Anna F. Hein- Sarah Schofeld, Sarah Wheeler. J. IT. Day- idSon. A. !. Earney. W. NJ. Buckman, Oifve G. Lyman and Jennie D. Clark. Many scarcely know what kind of an organization the United Order of the G0i,lan Cross is. It is T social or der. combined with fraternity insur- ance. It was organized in Knoxville, rem. July l. 1876, and is now twenty five years of age. It is licensed to do business by the insurance departments Tn many states.
 There are 552 communicates in the United States. andr the order has q membership of 1000. There are thir- ty-fivc communicates in this state, with n membership of 2004.
 The order admits men and women on equal terms and is a temperance insurance organization, which has paid out over S6.000.000 in benefits. During the year 1900 it paid death claims to the amount of S581 ,000.
 BOWLING GAMES.