Omaha daily bee., 1906-07-20
ELKS PARADE IN DENVER
Nearly Thirteen Thousand Join Procession
at Grand Lodge Session.
WOMEN AND CHILDREN IN LINE or MARCH
Delegations Are Unique and win Ap-
PIause--CoIOradO Has Largest
Number in the Dis
play on streets.

DENVER, July i9.-Festvites in con-
nection with the twentieth reunion OF tho
Benevolent Protective order of Elks cul-
minated today in the annual parade, which
was the finest pageant Denver has ever
Witnessed. Under clear sky, with light
breeze, all conditions were propitlous and
enormous crowds lined the streets through
which the procession passed.
There were l2,4OO persons in line,
representing 24s lodges, and many mag
niicent floats illustrative of the cities
whose lodges provided them. Every lodge
had a distinctive uniform gorgeous or
comical Interspersed in the procession
were twenty-eight bands, the Royal
Hawaiian Concert band holding the place
Of honor at the head of the line with the
Midland band of Colorado Springs.
Colorado Division Largest.
Denver lodge, 800 strong, and It's mounted
escort team all in blue serge suits with
purple cuffs and collars and white straw
hats with purple bands, acted as escort OF
honor to Grand Squire p. p. Christensen
and staff The Colorado division was the
largest in point of numbers. II was headed
by General Sherman NJ. Bell Closing the
procession was an automobile and carriage
division in which were 800 vehicles deco
rated with colors and Elk heads.
Women and children accompanying the
Elks generally rode in the carriages and
automobiles, consisting the seventh and last
division Of the parade. The first division
consisted OF police escort, officers and
members OF the grand lodge in decorated
carriages and the Denver lodge, acting as
escort Of honor.
Following this division, New York lodge
No. /, the parent organization of the order,
held the place Of honor. with other herds
from the Empire state trailing according
to the seniority. Philadelphia lodge No. 2,
with other Pennsylvania herds, came next,
followed by San Francisco No. and Cali
fo-nia lodges. The next position was as
signed to Chicago No. 4, other Illinois
lodges following.
The procession moved promptly at 10
o clock. On reaching the reviewing stand
the grand officers dropped out Of line and
with the judges of the various features for
which prizes were given reviewed the en-
tire procession.
Along Sixteenth street the marchers
were showered with flowers and snowballs,
several carloads of snow having been
brought from the continental divide by the
Moffat railroad to show the diversity OF
the Colorado climate. The temperature en-
the street while the snowballing was in
progress was about IS degrees.
Award of Prizes.
The following prizes were awarded In
connection with the parade:
Band marching contest; t. First, Cowboy
Collins. Colo. band. $780, third Hoo Hoo
band Houston. Tex. 800.
Best appearance in line: First, Detroit,
$500; second, Cleveland. $500; third Lead
Unique uniforms: First. Kansas City, $500;
second, Idaho Springs, $500; third, Pitts
Most attractive float: First. Central City.
Colo, $3.50: second, Davenport, Ia, $50;
third, Park City, Utah, 500.
punch bowl.
! J. s. Porteus of Paducah, KY won two
prizes, first for being the tallest Elk and
first for being the leanest.
Ponteus is six feet six and one-half inches
tall and weights 147 pounds.
George F. Caldwell of Flint, Mich, who
/ received second prize, is six feet six inches
and weighs 276 pounds.
| T. H. shute Of Leadville, Colo, six feet
four-and three-fourths inches was the win
ner of the third prize.
The shortest man, II. C. Kean OF Central
City, Colo, is four feet four and three
I fourths inches.
The fat mans prize was awarded to Aug
ust Gottwald of Defiance, o. whose weight
is AIS pounds.
Central Citys display which won first
prize. was a magnificent exposition of the
mining industry on several floats, showing
how ore is discovered. mined and smelted.
Davenport, Ia. won second place among
the floats by display of farming
Park City. Utah. was given third prize
on a representation of a Mormon patriarch
surrounded by his wives.
New Constitution Adopted,
This afternoon rapid progress was made
by the grand lodge on the new constitu-
tiOn and by $50 every clause had been con-
sidered and debated. AT that hour ballot
ing was begun. A count OF the votes
showed that the constitution had been
adopted by a large majority, 1t is a com.
plete change of the organic law of the
order and now goes back To subordinate
lodges for approval II they vote to adopt
It, II becomes law after the next conven-
ton.
The particular point that caused the most
debate was in regard 10 the judicial feature
OF the proposed reorganization. II pro-
vidss that a sort OF court shall be named
consisting OF fve members appointed by
the grand exalted ruler, 10 be known az
the grand forum. This is the court OF
last resort to which appeal may be taken
After considerable discussion IL was agreed
that the grand lodge may have the par.
doning power, Just as a governor or tn,
president has.
The board Of governors Of the national
home was abolished and the management
OF the home was vested in the board OF
trustees and the grand lodge officers.
State associations are recognized only
as social organizations and have no power,