The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-09-05
LODGE NEWS.
Railroads Won't Cut for Odd
Fellow State Meeting.
Three Link Delegates Fail of
the Usual Reductions.
LOOKS LIKE COMBINE.
Conner Davies Comes Down to
Learn Official Duties.
OhiOans Attend Picnic of the
Ottawa Association.

The Kansas railroads have decided
not to give the usual reduction on rail-
road rates for the grand lodge meeting
of the Odd Fellows in Wichita on Oc-
tober 1914 and Is and the prospective
delegates to the gathering are regard
ing the situation with unconceaIed in
dignation. In the past the Odd Fellows
have been given one fare rate for
their state meetings. The grand lodge
is attended by between 1,50O and 1000
people, which makes considerable traffic.
This year the railroads got together
and agreed upon a rate which was an
nounced in circulars sent to the various
odd Fellow lodges.
The circular said that a rate of one
and one third fares for the round trip
had been made for all points in the
state except where the one third fare
was less than fifty cents. From all the
principal towns in the northeast corner
of the state the rate is also to be one
fare plus fifty cents. While from any
given point this increase makes no
great difference with individual fares
the aggregate will make considerable.
1t means between five hundred and seven
hundred dollars increase in the cost of
holding the grand lodge meeting.
No business of unusual importance
is expected to come up at the grand
lodge meeting aside from the selection
of three of the grand officials of the
order. whose election was undecided at
the balloting this spring. In the cleo
ton. which was participated in by all
the Odd Fellows who had held or were
then holding office, no election resulted
from the balloting on grand warden.
secretary or representative.
Conner Davies of Concordia. grand
master elect of the Odd Fellows OF
Kansas, was in Topeka last week to
visit the office of grand secretary and
to make himself familiar with the du-
ties of the office to which he has been
chosen. As Mr. Davies expressed it he
simply was trying to get in line" for
his new work. He will be installed as
grand master at the annual meeting at
Wichita in October
A car load of so members of the To-
peka Ohio association went down TO Otta-
wa Thursday over the Santa Fe to ot-
tend the annual picnic of the Ohio asso-
citation of that town. Diplomatic relations
looking toward the ultimate establis hment
of a state organization 0f old Ohio peo-
pie now resident in Kansas have esen
opened between Topeka and Ottawa The
week was a very successful one A. that
time the invitation from ottawa was iead
and approved The Santa Fe made special
inducements for the excursion The Ohio
ans car was attached to the 4:3o O'Clock
plug in the morning 11r and gna 5 5y th ss
same train in the evening" A very pleas
ant day was spent in Ottawa
The Odd Fellows in the United States
have been growing considerably during the
past year statement recently issued
by Grand Sire John B: Goodwin at At
lanta, Ga, gives the following figures on
the membership of the order:
Net increase m subordinate lodges IN
membership for the year 1902 s G5.9o0 This
is only in North America and does not IN
cIude the jurisdictions in the other parts
of the world.
Net increase in Rebekah lodge member
ship. So 1856, with New York state yet to
hear from.
Net increase in encampment member
ship, 9s42. with six jurisdictions YET to
hear from. 80,
Total net increase. 11o57S, which will
probably reach 1850 when complete re-
turns come in.
This report shows how wonderful are
the strides which Odd Fellowship is max
ing.
H c. Stevens, editor of the Western Odd
Fellow and his wife, will attend the meet
ing of the sovereign grand lodge OF Odd
Fellows in Baltimore during the week be-
ginning September Il