The Washington times., 1902-08-17
AT SAN FRANCISCO.

The electrical street illumiRation in
honor OF the visiting Knights of Pythias
at Frisco this week was the most elab-
crate affair of the kind ever attempted.
When the recent display for the Mystic
Shriners is taken into consideration, this
assertion seems exaggerated. but Chief
of the City Electrical Department Will
lam R. Hewitt is responsible for the
statement in the Chronicle
grand court of honor at the intersec-
tion of Market, Kearny, Geary, and Third
Streets was the principal work of the
electricians art, and served as CEN
terpiece to set off all the other illumi-
nations for Market and hearny Streets,
Twenty-Five pedestals were placed at
the street intersection. Standards TWEEN
ty-five feet in height were erected on top
of these pedestals, and the whole covered
with white stucco work. Frosted cleo
trio lamps were used in outlining these
colonnades, and line of the same kind
of lights connected the tops of all the
columns. making a complete circuit or
court. From the tops of ali the columns
a stringer of plain lights was stretched
to a circular iron ring twenty-five feet
in diameter. Festooned on the main
stringers were rows of eight candlepow-
er lamps in alternate colors of the order
red. blue and yellow. Surmounting
the whole, inside the big iron hoop, was
a shield in the same colors, emblematic
of the Pythians, in which 800 lights were
utilized. The frosted lamps softened the
general appearance of the coui: and the
bright colors above gave the structure a
gorgeous appearance. In excess of TO-,
600 lights were worked in to make the
great ensemble at this point.
In addition to the main court, seven
teen minor courts of honor were built in
the middle of each block on Market
Street, and one each on Kearny and
Montgomery Streets midway between
Market and California Streets. At the
apex Of the lights at each of these
points was an emblematic shield in col
ors. All this is in addition to the hori-
zontal spans of, lights stretched across
the streets In front of Mechanics Pa
yilion the grandest arch was construct
ed It was 20 feet in width, 5S feet in
height, and is feet in depth, and con-
tanned over 5000 colored lamps. He
witt used over 100000 candlepower. No
expense was spared in the work, and
the ten days lighting cost in the neigh
borhood of 100000.
Mai. Gen. J. r. Carnahan, who COM
mands the Uniform Rank, Knights of Py-
thias. which made such splendid show
ing at San Francisco this week. is a
lawyer by profession, but soldier by
instinct The commanding officer of the
Uniform Rank, knights of Pythias, bears
the weight of his sixty-two years as
lightly as many man ten years his
junior carries his age.
A native of Indiana. nc left college in
1861, and enlisted as private IN the
Eleventh Infantry. Four years later ne
was mustered out with the rank of cap
tain. AT the close of the war he re-
turned TO Wabash College, and was
graduated twelve months later. He then
entered the Indiana Law School, whence
he graduated in 1867. Meanwhile he wa>
in the army. but on ac-
count of ill-health was not mustered in.
His military instinct led him to join
the National Guard OF his native State,
" hich he was instrumental in organiZ-
ing, and he gradually received promo
tion, until in 1881 he was made brigadier
which rank he held until his re
tirement-
He nTSt lOlleQ pEutI VI nulth hN
is chief in 1874, and in May, 1884, he was
elected major general of that order,
which rank he has held continuously
since. He is the author of very sue
rinct history of the knights of Pythias, |
and also a handbook OF drill tactics, |
which has attracted wide attention |
wherever the order is known.
In an interview at San Francisco Cen
sral Carnahan said: THE Uniform |
Rank, Knights of Pythias. turned out |
over 5000 men in the various ranks OF
he American Army during our latest /
war. Four members of the order were |
1rigadier generals. namely, W. J. Nc |
Ree, formerly my adjutant general; J.
Il. BARLEY, of Illinois, and J. Rush Lin |
,oln. of Iowa. and last, but not least. |
Frederick Funston, OF Kansas. Besides
hese we had twenty eight eolonels |
scattered throughout the army, and in
other officers. The reason
or this was that our men were thor
,ughly qualified to take command OF
roops at short notice, and President
Mckinley. Secretary Alger. and General
Niles understood it thoroughly.
Among other incidents l desire to
MENTION the fact that the first flags
o be raised both at Santiago and Ma
MA were uduieu " NhS AhHSNiN"H ~
members of our order. and the first Of
icer killed at San Juan was the cap
ain of one Of our companies from Ari-
ona.
There seems to be an impression
.mong outsiders that the Uniform Rank
S a side issue of the knights of Pythias. /
desire to impress upon everybody the
act that ii is a very essential part of the
rider and not side issue. To be more
.mphatic. the knights of Pythias has
10 side issues whatever. II consists OF
I've ranks. of which the Uniform Rank
S The fifth, and 1t is the only fraternal
rganization which has received its
harter from the Congress of the United
tates."