Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-08-11
EZks Coming in
by Thousands.
Chairman Leasy Estimates That There VIII be Befaeen
1000 and 5000 SAembers of The Order Hese When
They c4re cM hn-Oficia program Begins 7omor-
gou, and Then he big Don's" as Planned VIII Be On

Tho big week Is on. Swathed and
boihed In a profuson OF purple and
u,bite Salt Lake Is doing honor TO
thousands of members Of the Beneyo-
liant and Protective order of Elks. by
fellcltlous turn of initial letters, these
members are known as the BEST Poo
ple on Earth" Their claim to this IL
Ne no one here In the City of the Saints
win dispute.
Great herds OF antlers, cheerful-Vis-
aged and wearing an EllSish look of
prosperity have poured into Salt Lake
from all points Of the compass today.
Great herds more will pour in tonight,
and still others viii swoop down upon
the city in the morning and all day to-
morrow.
such an influx Of prlncely good fell
lows Salt Lake does not remember OF
having entertained in decade, and
even the oldest inhabitant has scratch
Cd the three hairs from the center Of
his glistening dome In an effort TO re-
call a similar occasion. There mas Deen
nothing like IT, There are no people
that Salt Lake could have q better time
in entertaining than these Best People
On Earth"
As to Just how many will be here In
Salt Lake when they are all here and
the trains run regularly again, II Is not
safe even to estimate. Chairman Leary
OF the executive committee is the one
man who would know this II II was TO
be known to anyone. And he hesitated
before chranclng afi CURE.
How many visitors VIII there be
here during the week?' repeated Mr..
Leary, as he struck a calculating at
tltude. well. really | wouldn't dare
10 venture IT, As nearly as we can tell,
though there will be between 1000 and
5000 Elks, and they will be accompan-
led by numerous friends not members
Of the order
That is the figure given out by the
chairman Of the executive committee,
and lightning calculator Of no mean
ability himself Mr.. Leary says that
the Elks alone who will come here Will
total between 1000 and 5000, and the
Is more than likely the correct figure.
But there are many not Elks already
here and there Will be many more.
These people have taken Advantage of
the cheap excursion rate made to come
west or east as the case may be and 70
see one OF the prettiest cities In the
United States.
And still they come. All day they
have streamed IN, rather slowly this
morning and scatteringly, but this az
ternoon they have deluged the regis
tering headquarters on East Temple
street. Seventeen trains are due early
this afternoon. over the two roads-l7
trains all loaded down with Elks and
u sprlnkling OF few not among the
chosen.
Tomorrow morning the big doin's"
start. OF course. "doin's' have already
started, but they have been Informal
and were not slated Officially, the re-
union begins tomorrow morning. and
everything that is done before then viii
be upon the responsibility and accord
Ing TO the individual planning OF the
doer.
The big time starts with grand mill
itary and civic parade at $3.50 In the
morning, which Will include many mag
nihcent features The line Of march
will take In all the main streets OF the
business section OF town, and viii break
up In time for the opening exercises In
the Tabernacle.
The opening exercises begin at IL o.
clock, with Judge o. w. Powers as
master Of ceremonies. Prof. Mcclellan |
will preside at the organ and the adj
dress OF welcome will be made by Gov. !
Heber NJ. Wells. Grand Exalted Ruler |
Pickett will respond and make the an |
nual address.
The afternoon VIII be Informally |
spent at Saltair and the other resorts |
and In the evening there will be held |
the opening band contest at Liberty |
Park.
That IL all there is to the official pro-
gram tomorrow. In addition, there are
any number OF private amusement |
places on tap and the antlers VIII not |
depend entirely upon what is outlined |
for their amusement. They are here
for a good time-a Jolly good time They
do not desire TO paint the town red.
but they are lmbued with a laudable
desire TO smffuse II In purple that is
regal and royal and Elkish.
From what Salt Lake has seen OF the
Elks from the country over. II has man.
Tested no hesitation In saying to them
that the town is theirs TO use II as they
WILL II they Will only return 1t al the
end Of the week.