Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-07-16

Inc biennial banquet given by the.l
employees at the Woodmen head of
nee to the new and retiring head Off
GERS and directors was held Yesterday
evening at Grand Isle, and seldom has
there been more felicitous occasion
IN TINS vicinity. Ideal weather condi-
mons prevailed when at 1880 in the
afternoon the cohorts gathered at
the root of Seventeenth street and
boarded the y. j. Whitney. The boat
started at o'clock and the island was
reached before 6 o'clock. Once there
the crowd swarmed over the various
sections of the grounds, the bowling
alley bei:.g the center of attraction.
while there were overflow meetings
on the lawns, porches and pavilions.
vt o'clock the banquet call went
out and all reported at the interior
of the clubhouse
Notable Decorations.
The interior of the large hall pre-
scented a scene which will linger long
IN the minds Of those present. Great
tables formed wedge, the Woodmen
emblem, and on its interior was the
symbOlIcal log fire. The colors. red
white and green, were conspicuous in
gathered together at the center of
the ceiling, depending to the corners
and sides. y little further down
solid line of banners emblazoned with
the motto and emblcms, ran around
the entire length of the room. The
center piece at the south end of the
room was a large framed picture of
retiring Head Consul NCrthcott. \
substantial repast was served, con-
Guiding with coffee and ice cream and
cake. About 275 were seated.
Mcnamara PresIdes.
James Mcnamara, assistant clerk
of the society, arose at the conclus-
ion of the feasting and mad" a fe'~I
remarks introductory to calling on
the other speakers OF the T., .nin.
He told hCw the responsibility had
devolved on him. and then went on to
review the first of the gatherings
similar in nature to that of the even
ing. The first was held at Fulton in
1925, and of these there At that time
only five or six were present on this
occasion. He went back into history
and told how go years ago the first
intrepid explorers breasted in their
canoes the waters of the Mississippi.
He then spoke of that notable event
21O years later when MODERATE had
its inception on the banks of the |
same mighty stream and of the won |
derful progress which had been made, |
until the order now stood at the head |
of fraternalism IN numbers and |
strength. He concluded his remarks |
with n welcome to the honorable |
guests of the evening and called for
the audience TO rise and give the
grand salute To officers. This done: ne
introduced Maj. Charles W. Halves,
the head clerk.
Mai. Halves Speaks.
The head clerk, whose well-knOwn |
figure brought out an enthusiastic /
burst of applause. made a stirring |
talk, in which the history of Wood |
craft was reviewed. and how from
the tiny start made at Fulton a score |
or more years ago, the mightiest of
fraternal structures had been reared, |
was told. He said he believed that |
the Indians referred to by Neighbor |
Mcnamara as inhabiting the country |
at its discovery had not all disappear
ed up to few years ago, as he had |
very distinct recolIections of the
Indians" at Fulton when the head |
offices were besieged by an angry |
mob. The ma Or spoke Of the re-
markable growth and development of |
the country, telling how in 1855 he |
first saw locomotive at LaSalle. |
With the rema Tkable achievements IN |
the lines of science had also come the |
birth of fraternalism. and he regard |
ed il as one of the greatest develop |
meutS of the age The soldiers in the |