The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-08-23
PRIZE WINNERS
RETURN HOME
GEORGIA COMPANY NO. l.
NARROW MARGIN SEPARATED MEN
FROM HIGHEST HONOR.

ming and Stand Pat on the Result.
Considering Inexperience in such
Affairs, Showing Is Regarded as
RemarkabIe-Time Record Was
Best of AII-Members Held in High
Esteem and Were Given Social
HOnOrs.
Flushed with the sweets of victory
and the happy possessors of the second
prize of $500 offered for the Glass A
contest, Capt. r. j. Davant and twen-
ty-five members of Georgia Company,
No l, Uniform Rank, knights of Pyth-
las, returned yesterday morning from
Louisville The other members of the
company will return via St. Louis,
where they will visit the Worlds Fair.
1t was only by the exceedingly mar
row margin of 81 of l per cent. that
the Georgia Company missed the first
prize. On Saturday it was currently
reported at the bureau of information
a few hours before the prize winners
were announced that the Georgia
Company had secured the first prize.
There were fourteen companies act
ped out. The company which won the
first prize had participated in twelve
such events, nine times having won
prize, while the Georgia Company
had never participated in, or made a
study of any of the contests heretofore
carried on.
Went There to Win.
I'VE went there to win," said Capt.
Davant. Our idea was to put up a
winning drill and place our case in
drill which we put up, and with the
experience which this one contest has
given us, 1 am confident that we
could win in a similar contest.
The Georgia company was sure
ly a dark horse. at first, though we
got under the public eye soon after
our arrival. One of the papers used
our pictures twice, once when we re-
ported in heavy marching order to the
adjutant This was the only COM
pany which did so.
The drill was given Thursday aft
ernoon at the Jockey Club track.
Three captains of the United States
army, one OF them from Fort Nc
Pherson, acted as judges.
Our grade was 1856. while that
of the Kansas company, which was
awarded first prize was 9S. 80. 1t was
at first reported that we had won the
big prize, and then that it was a
tie, and that another drill would be
held between the two companies
Our men were expecting and were
prepared for such an order.
Three Hours in Line.
I'm the parade our company was last,
having been brigaded under the junior
brigadier general. We stood in line for
three hours waiting for the parade to
pass so that we could fall in. There
were 900 men in line, and 125, 900 Wis
itors in the city.
Il think our company got more ap-
plause than any other on the grounds.
This was due largely to the fact that
we were brigaded with the Nashville
company, that city making a strong
effort for the next encampment.
1T was very gratifying to note the
high regard in which the members of
the Georgia company were held We
were in camp next to the St. Joe COM
pany. where there were several ladies
with the officers. Before we left the
boys purchased a number of small sill
yer souvenirs and presented them to
| the ladies of that company. Mrs. Be
cole, wife of Capt. Bicycle of the same
| company, presented our company with
a handsome cut glass service. On the
day that the prizes were to be awarded
the company requested and were grant
ed the privilege of occupying position
next our company in front of the grand
stand.
Our very pleasant associations were
formed and the members of the COM
pany were entertained in the city
| number of times.
Scored in Time Record.
Another point scored over the win
ners was in the time of the drill. 1t
required the Georgia Company just
thirty-two minutes for the drill, while
! the winning company required forty
| one minutes. The time allowance was
| fortv-fve minutes.
The city of Louisville treated the
visitors royalty. Houses were deco
rated, and the merchants used wrap
| ping paper especially designed for the
occasion. Candy dealers had their
boxes embellished with the coat-of-
| arms of the order and the date of. the
meeting.
"A number of requests have been
made since we returned that the drill
! be given here. l feel sure that if the
people took sufficient interest in the
matter that the boys would readily
consent to give an exhibition in the
Park Extension some afternoon.
Ont for Next Contest.
Next time we'll go out for the first
| prize again, and If hard work can win,
we will be right in it,
There were five officers and twenty
| four men in the company drill. The
prize for the largest number of men
went to the Jeffersonvile company
| just across the river from Louisville,
which sent 1O5 men. The prize for
having come the longest distance was
awarded to the Colorado company
"All of the fourteen companies came
there with the firm determination to
win. We didn't know anything about
the competition. but went there to do
our best. and the results show how
well we carried out that purpose"
The company left Louisville at an
early hour Sunday morning. At the
| station it was met by a band and
marched to the x. of p Hail. where ic
was disbanded by Capt. Davant.