Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-14
OPENS AUHPICIOUSLY
WASHINGTON CATION GREETED
By LARGECRoWD.
Odd Fellows FairBegins at Hall on
Seventh Street.-Mr. Mac
farlandiHa Address.

The Odd Fellows hair was opened at the
hall of the order ont7th street last night.
Ihere was an excellent attendance, not
withstanding the unpromising weather,
and the fair started off auspicously. The
different booths were; tastefully decorated
and SO grouped about the large hall as to
be very attractive
This fair is given by Canton Washington,
No. l. of the Patriarchs Militant, the uni
formed branch of Odd Fellowship. Its pur-
pose is to raise fund for the entertain
ment of visitors who win be here en- route
to and from the session of the Sovereign
Grand Lodge. l. 0. o. F., which meets at
Baltimore next September. While it is
given by the Canton. the lodges, encamp-
ments and Rebekah lodges are all working
industriously for the fair.
AT $3.50 p. m. Brigadier General E. w.
Bradford of the Patriarchs Militant. as
chairman of the executive committee of the
fair. called the assemblage to order. He
introduced Past Grand Edwin B. Hay of
Beacon Lodge, I. o. o. F., as presiding
officer for the evening, and he in turn
felicitously introduced Commissioner Henry
B. F. Mcfarland to formally open the
fair.
Mr.. Macfarland began by commenting on
the circumstance that the fair opened on
of the Declaration Of Independence. He
then said: "Eighty-four years ago the
18th of this month. the Independent Order
of Odd Fellows of the United States was
founded by five men from England, mem
bers of the Manchester Unity of Odd Eel
lows, then three quarters of a century old.
1t was in the city Of Baltimore, that i'm
portant suburb of Washington. that the
seed was planted which has grown into
such mighty tree. A million and quar-
ter of men now boast of their membership
in this great organization, while two hun
dred thousand women join in its work as
members of the auxiliary Rebekah degree,
organized at the instance of the late Vice
President Schuyler ColfaX. The order has
become not only national but international.
within six years after the American
order was founded, it's first lodge in the
District of Columbia was established.
Since then the order has been here the
same beneticent force that it has been else
where. 1t makes for Righteousness. 1t
as well as phlanthropic efforts. In all
its enterprises it merits the support of the
community"
Acts as Escort.
Canton Washington, No 1, under COM
mand of Capt. D. V. Chisholm, acted as es-
cort to the Commissioner. and will act in
the same capacity for the various organi-
cations which will visit the fair from day to
day during it's continuance.
Different lodges Of the order will visit the
fair each evening. Last evening Beacon
and Federal City Lodges We're guests of
honor. The sister fraternities will also all
be welcomed-the Pythians coming April
% and the Free Masons, April "a.
Much interest was displayed last night in
the many contests going on at the booths
among the most interesting being for an
autograph photograph of President Roose-
welt and handsome frame presented by
Mrs. Roosevelt.
The official program of the fair contains
large number of photographs of leading
Odd Fellows, and is literally patronzed by
advertisers. 1t is issued by a committee
consisting of Grand Representative William
p. Allan, D. D. Love, Philip Walker, Nor
man M. Vaughan H. W. Tippett and E. w.
Bradford
Canton Washington. has five different
booths, Ruth and DorcaS Rebekah Lodges
have each a booth, and Naomi Rebekah
Lodge conducts the lunch room.
The fair will continue for two weeks.