Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-12-02
DEDICATE THE ANNEX
WITH FORMAL EXERCISES AND
suMPTuous BANQUET ELKs
WILL CELEBRATE TO-DAY.
APPOINTMENTS OF NEW HOME
No Grand omcer., but Many Promi-
nent Men win Be Present.
GOVERNOR HEADS TOAST LIST.
After Dinner speeche. WIN he
Heard from Some of the Most De-
servedly Popular Speakers In shs
state-House win BE 4ab1aze with
Electricity and Filled win
BeautifuI Flowers.
HEADS TOAST LIST.
After Dinner spceche. VIII BE

beautiful Flowers.
The dedication OF the annex OF the cle-
CANT Home of Richmond Lodge. No. s,
Benevolent Protective Order OF Elks. fol-
lowed by q banquet in the new assembly
nall this evening" will be the greatest
occasion in the history OF the lodge ami
will attract the largest gathering OF vir-
ginia Elks ever assembled here.
The dedication exercises will be held in
the lodse-roon, beginning promptly at
O'Clock. The banquet will follow. begin,
ming at 2. NJ. The joint programme is
the formal celebration of the occupancy
of the annex to the home. just completed.
and will be in the nature OF house,
warming. Prominent members OF the
order from three States have been invited.
and there will be a full turnout of lsich-
mond's quota OF the Best People on
Earth
The dedication programme will not con-
sumo much time. Hon Samuel L. Kelley
will make the address. The only other
speech will be that by Rev. Edward N.
Calisch, who will also make the invoca-
ton. Both are among the most eloquent
and thoughtful public speakers in Vir-
Sinia. DR.. Calisch's theme will be 'The
Charities of the Order" These exercises
will occur in the lodge room. Music for
the occasion and for the banquet which
will follow is to be furnished by STEMS
Orchestra. The dedication exercises will
open with the formal delivery to the lodge
of the new annex, which will be made by
Mr.. Preston Belvin. chairman of the
building committee and rne of the most
enthusiastic and prominent members OF
the order in the State. Mr.. Belyin has
looked after the work the building
with a care and attention which few
could have devoted to it or been compe-
tent to perform.
Ablaxe With Electricity.
The banquet will be in the spacious and
elegant banquet hall or assembly hail,
as it will be known. This is the ground
floor OF the annex. and is admirably
adapted to the purpose it will subserve
this evening. 1t will blaze with electric
brilliancy-with flashes of wit and flames
of eloquence, too. when the toasts are
being responded to, for the list of speak
ers embraces some Of the most effective
! after-dinner speakers in Virginia, which
is equivalent to saying in the entire coun-
try, for Virginians are widely known for
their eloquence. At the banquet covers
will be laid for 500, and it is safe to say
there will be no vacant chairs.
Extending along the east side of the
hall from west to east is the table which
the speakers OF the evening At right
angles thereto are seven or eight other
tables running southWard from the head
table and extending the entire depth OF
the hall. Thus all the guests can readily
face the speakers during the responses
to the toasts. Mr.. Louis O. Wendenburg,
exalted ruler of the lodge, will be tho
postmaster, and happier selection couia
rot be made. There are perhaps dozen
toasts, but these will be specifically set
down on the programme. the others being
more or less impromptu
Some Of the ToastS.
Here are the leading toasts and the
names of those who will make the re-
sponses:
a. J. Montague. member of Richmond
Lodge.
''The City of Richmond" responded to
by Mayor Richard NJ. Taylor. a mem-
ber of Richmond Lodge.
The Eleven O'clock Toast" responded
to by Colonel George C. Cabei. Jr., OF
Danville Lodge. No. 227.
The Individual Elk" response by Hon.
Edward Lyle. of Roanoke LoGge.
The Elks OF Virginia. response by
Mr.. Phil. G. Kelly. District Deputy,
Grand Exalted Ruler of Virginia
Our Fraternity" response by Hon.
Harry NJ. Smith, Jr.. OF Richmond Lodge.
Other toasts will be drunk and respond
ed to by other members OF Richmond
Lodge and visiting members of the order.
Grand officers CAN'T Come.
1t was the hope of the committees a
charge of the celebration that some of the
grand officers would Se present, but LETT
ters Of regret have been received from all!
in every case the statement being made
that owing to engagements to make me-
mortal addresses all over the country
they viii be unable to be present. The
exalted rulers OF every lodge in the States
Of Virginia. North Carolina, and West
Virginia have been invited and many oe
these lodges will be represented around
the banquet board. Among the prominent
F.lks who will be present from distance
is Mr.. Fred c. Robinson of Dubuque
Iowa, a district deputy grand exalted
ruler, and perhaps the smallest Elk Ii :
statue and avoirdupos outside OF tho
museums OF dim.nutive height he
weighs but ninety-six pounds. but a largo
proportion of that is brain and heart.
which are both above normal. Mr.. Rob-
inson will arrive in the city this after
noon al $3.50 and viii be met at the sra
ton by District Deputy Grand Exalted
Ruler Phil. G. Kelly. and delegation
from Richmond Lodge, and escorted to
his hotel
Many prominent Elks from the Virginia
lodges will be present. among them Major
Theo Parker, exalted ruler of Danyi,le
Lodge. Major Parker is a West Point
graduate. former captain in the regular
army and major OF volunteers in the
spanish-American war. having re.ln-
CONTINUED ON SEVENTH PAGE.)