Albuquerque weekly citizen. (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1891-19??, 1903-07-04
ORDER OF ELKS.
BENEVOLENT AND PROTECTIVE.


der of Elks had It's origin IN social
club OF actors. newspaper men and
artists that in 1867 held IT. social ses.
sions at - be-. dinr iCLse of Mrs.
Geisman, No. 1888 Elm street. New
York. Charles Algernon Sidney vi.
Wan. an accomplished AMI popular
English actor originated and carried
into effect the iden of forming the
little club Of brilliant and conviyial
bohemians into benevolent protect
i've order, originally styled the Jolly
Corks' The organization grew so rap.
idly In popularity and membership
that II had to rent large hall. On
Sunday, February 10, 1868, the order
was organized as the Benevolent and
Protective Order OF Elks.
The selection OF the new name was
left TO a committee of five. Vivian
and Vandermark were members OF
the committee. Vivian suggested the
name "Bufaloes." but three Americans
Oh the committee insisted that the
new order should be thoroughly Ameri.
can. number of members OF this
committee, happening to meet at
Barnum's old museum were favorably
struck by the appearance of a fine elk
head. which was suspended In n con.
Ia, IA, al
tory OF the elk. the chairman became
deeply impressed by the description
OF the animal in Goldsmith's Animal.
ed Nature" and Buttons Natural His.
tory" where II Is described as Fleet
OF foot and t!morous OF doing wrong
avoiding all combat except in fighting
for the female and in defense of the
young and helpless and weak" His
researches and report confirmed the
committee in their choice Of the name
of "Elks" for the organization.
The preamble of the constitution
recites that The undersigned. mem.
beers of the theatrical, minstrel, must.
;al. equestrian and literary profes.
sions, and those who sympathize with
and approve of the object In view
thereafter stated In the constitution,
do hereby organize an order to pro.
mote. protect and enhance the wei.
fare and happiness OF each other"
The constitution contains fifteen ar.
ticles and is brief. but Is the founda
ton OF all subsequent ones. aud its
principal features are still retained
| II provides 70. two degrees. and con
didate can only be proposed by mem
bers who have taken the second de
gree.
Vivian was an actor. gifted with a
wonderful voice of cheerful, sunny
nature. and was one Of the most YER
satile men In his profession He died
of pneumonia at the age OF - years,
at Leadville, Colo. March 90. 1880,
when It was the center of the gold ex.
element. The funeral took place on
the following Sunday. the Knights OF
Pythlas taking charge OF the ceremo-
niles. The funeral was a splendid af-
fair for the region. and no expense
was spared. The casket containing
the remains was the most expensive
that could be obtained. and cost over
5000 TIE whole population of the
town turned GU. with band Of music
and accompanied the remains TO the
cemetery. On March L.. 1889, IL was
brought to tho attention OF the Boston
Lodge by Brother w. c. Vanderbilt.
chairman OF the board OF grand trust.
ees, that Vivian. the founder OF the
order, was buried at Leadviile. and
that his grave was neglected and un.
marked save by slab OF wood on
which his name was scratched with a
nail. Arrangements were Immediately
made to have the body removed TO a
more appropriate resting place. and
through the efforts OF brothers Of the
order the remains OF Charles Vivian
were removed to Boston and renter
red in the beautiful Elks' Rest OF Bos
ton Lodge in Mount Hope cemetery
April 2s, 1889. and soon after a suit
able monument was erected to his
memory.
The fame OF the good work OF the
order. soon after It's institution, began
20 spread. and our sister cities found
ed branches from the parent stem. In
,s74 there were but two lodges. with
a combined membership OF 200; In
1881. there were fourteen lodges, witt
a membership OF 1906; in 1892. the or
der was composed OF 222 lodges. with
a membership OF IS, 424. In 1900. there
were $50 lodges with membership
OF $4,000. Now in 1908 the fraterna
chain has about 300 links. each repre-
senting city or town OF Importance
and the chain extends from the Allan
tic to the Pacific coast and from tn,