The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-06-14
Head Camp Of Modern Woodmen
Of America Will Open To-Morrow

Head Camp of the Modern Woodmen OF
America. Delegates to the Head Camp
have been arriving IN the city since Friday
last, the first arrivals being scattered dele
cations from the far West and far East.
The mass of delegates will begin arriving
to-day, and during the day and night and
up to noon tomorrow special trains and
special cars will carry parties to this, mo
mean city," the scene of the biennial con-
vention of the leading fraternal organiza-
ton of the country.
Hon. William A. Northcott Lieutenant
Governor of Illinois, head consul of the Mod
ern Woodmen, who was among the earliest
arrivals, came in last evening and has TAX
en- apartments at the Hotel Claypool, the
official headquarters of the Head Camp.
Mr.. Northcott is enthusiastic over the pros
poets for an immense attendance at the
meeting which opens tomorrow. Said he:
81 have no hesitancy in predicting that
the Head Camp, which opens with to-mor-
row mornings session at Tomlinson Hall.
will be the biggest event of the kind ever
held by the Woodmen, or any other frater-
nal organization. From reports received at
the head office in Rock Island, and by me
personally L can say that. while the basis
Of representation in the Head Camp has
been materially reduced since the last Head
| Camp at st. Paul, two years ago, the
growth of the society has been such in the
interval that there will be, If anything,
larger attendance of official delegates than
at that Head Camp. Besides this official at
tendance we have received notification in
an official way. to the effect that every
State within the jurisdiction, from Maine to
California, will send crowds of visitors to
Indiana polls.
"As you are doubtless aware, the question
| of rate adjustment will be up for settlement
at the present Head Camp, and this ques-
| ton will overshadow all other business be-
! fore the camp. L have been the advocate of
| a form of readjustment that has not, SEEM
| ingly, met the approval of the majority of
| our members It is certain, however. that
| our rates will be readjusted-on just what
plan nobody can say. Our rates have been
| for some years, too low for safety and the
| necessity for advance has been apparent
| for a long time. The whole structure of fra
| ternalism-ts safety and perpetuity-is at
stake and il is TO be hoped-indeed, / have
| no hesitancy in declarng-that the safe,
| conservative element of membership
| will, after mature elaboration. adopt the
plan that seems most fitting and that prom
| Uses the best and most permanent results"
The New York delegation. headed by that
| of Saratoga Springs, arrived in the city last
| evening, and the Saratoga Springs conting-
| ent will open their headquarters on the first
| floor of the Claypool Hotel tomorrow morn
| ing. Saratoga Springs is hot after the next
| Head Camp, TO be held in 1906, and the town
| has sent a hustling lot of delegates to In
| dianapolis TO boom their home CITY, The
| headquarters will be open day and night
| during the Head Camp, and if push and
| hard work can land the next biennial con-
vention for the Eastern members Sara toga
/ Springs will win in a walk. There are other
cities after the Head Camp in 1906 however,
and the Fasteners will have to work if
| they land the prize Los Angeles, Cal, Den
yer. Salt Lake City and Milwaukee are all
after the next Head Camp and all the dele
gates coming prepared to do the hust-
| ling stunts of their lives. Milwaukee is at
present outside the jurisdiction. but is max
| ing a hard fight for admission If their eff
| forts are crowned with success 1t is the in
| tention of the Cream City crowd to make
every effort to land the next Head Camp
| for that city. Denver, Salt Lake City and
Los Angeles are also making hard fights for
the next Head Camp, and the fight is. as
yet, anybody's battle.
| XXX
| Most of the Head Camp officers are al
| ready in the city and have established per-
| manent headquarters. The official head
/ quarters will. has been announced, be in
| the Hotel Claypool. Major G. w. Halves,
| head clerk; A. r. Talbot, of Lincoln Neb,
| at present member of the national board
| of directors and a candidate for the office
! of head consul, to succeed the present head
| consul, Hon. William a. Northcott, of ILL
| nois; ]. G. Johnson, general attorney for the
| society, whose home is at Peabody, Kan,
and who is also a candidate for the office
| of head consul; E. f. Murphy, of Leaven-
worth, Kan, the present chairman of the
| board of national directors and also a can
| didate for the head consulship, and r. r.
| Smith, of Brookfield, Mo-. head banker OF
/ the society. have already arrived in the
| city and are quartered at the Claypool. 9TH
| err head officers and national directors will
arrive during the day, and by tonight it is
| expected that the entire cabinet will be In
the city, ready for the opening session to-
| morrow
The reception committee expects to meet
from forty to fifty special trains within the
| next twenty-four hours They are coming
! from all over the West and Northwest and
the members of the committee who are to
| meet the incoming trains will have their
| hands full. The greater portion of the bust
ness from the West and Northwest will be
| handled through Chicago and ,lost OF the
| delegations both special trains and cars,
| and individual and party traffic. will be
routed to Indianapolis via the Monon road
| The Pennsylvania and Big Four will handle
| a portion of the Western business from St
Louis, and the Eastern business will be
handled almost entirely by these two roads.
Information booths have been established
| In the business portion of the city. One of
| the booths is in the point at Kentucky ave-
nue., Illinois and Washington streets; an
| other is located at the Union Station; a
| third at Huder's drug store: others at Tom
| linson Hall. 31S East Washington street
| AItlands hat store. in the ClaypooI Hotel
| and at Camp Reece. East Washington
street Persons having thorough knowl-
| edge of the streets and points of interest of
| the city will be stationed in these booths
| and will direct the footsteps Of stranger
| delegates who may become lost In the
| Hoosier capital
| The election of officers, which will II is
4 ha