St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1906-11-10
B. P. Q. E. ORGANIZE
OPELOUSAS NO. Io48.
Mayor Behrman, Congressman Brous-
sard, and other Prominent Men,
Confer Degrees.

GerrupGed, tWln-screW, automatic de.
gree in the Elks) the candidates were
taken by fours and put through, anG
notwithstanding that this plan made
it easier on the candidates, we have
met none of them who were not
thoroughly satisfied with the abbre-
waited form, and who desired any
change back.
The visitors were much impressed
by the splendid personnel of the
bunch Of candidates. 1t was com
posed Of 0pelousas' very best men,
taken from, and representatives Of,
every walk Of life. In fact it may be
saidand the visitors said it-that
the 0pelousas Elks Lodge is one Of
the most representative body Of men
composing secret organization in
the State.
The candidates who went through
Saturday night were: j. J. Perrodin,
cashier Of the Peoples State Bank; L.
II. Mornhinveg, jeweler;; Lawrence
Mornhinveg, manager of the 0pe-
lousas Compress; A. Moresi, proprie-
tor of the 0pelousas Ice and Bottling
Works; B. Bennett, merchant; T. F.
Mckinney, contractor; Jonas Jacobs,
cashier Of the st. Landry State Bank;
Fred. Z. sandoz, merchant; Adolph
Jacobs, wholesale merchant; r. NJ.
Coltrin, engineer; v. H. Sibille, pro-
prietor Of the Sibille telephone lines
and large saw mill operator; R. Lee
Bourgeois, planter; D. L. Guilbeau,
lawyer; ]. R. Pavy, lawyer; Patt Wolff,
merchant Washington; Arthur Vel
tin, merchant; R. M. Littell, physician;
]. Fl. Harmanson, real estate agent;
G. F. Boagni, capitalist and physician.
The officers Of the Opelousas Lodge,
elected that night, are: Phil. L. Asher,
Exalted Ruler; 1. j. Dossmann, Es-
teemed Leading knight; ]. J. Thomp-
son, Esteemed Loyal Knight; D. l..
Guilbeau, Esteemed Lecturing Knight;
E. NJ. Woodall. Secretary; ]. A. Budd,
Treasurer; R. NJ. Littell, Trustee three
years; G. F. Boagni, Trustee two
years; B. Bennett, Trustee one year;
R. M. Coltrin, Tyler.
The appointive officers, appointed
by the Exalted Ruler, are as follows:
Jonas Roos, Esquire; R. L. Walker,
Inner Guard; {. IL Mornhinveg, Chap
lain.
The initiation fee for charter MEM
bers was S25, and it is believed that
this will be made the regular fee by
the lodge. These details were not
gone into by the meeting of Saturday
night, but were left to a committee,
who viii draft bylaws and suggest
the fees and dues and fix meeting
nights. This committee, composed of
&. II. Mornhinveg, Jonas Jacobs and
B. M. Woodall, will report at the next
when their suggestions will
be acted upon.
After the initiation ceremonies the
membership and the visitors partook
Of d boufet luncheon in the lunch
room Of Fraternity Hall, where all
had a pleasant time until 1890 o'clock.
The B. P. @. D. ranks to-day with
the topmost societies of the kind in
The United States. It easily heads
the list as social body, and as dis
tributors Of sunshine in the homes of
distressed members the Elks have,
perhaps, no rival-certain it is that it
is not excelled by any other organi-
zation. It pays no fixed benefits, this
being regulated by circumstances and
The want of the afflicted brother or
family. Its charity is not confined to
Of the order wherever there
IS distress the benefeent hand of the
Elks is extended. In New Orleans
over a thousand baskets are dis
tributed among the poor On Thanks
giving day every year, each basket
containing sumptuous dinner, IN
cluding turkey. Indeed, the name
Of Elks is synonymous with charity,
good fellowship and love of mankind
throughout the land.
1t is the custom of the Elks to
erect their own home as soon as prac-
ticable after organization, and follow
ing this custom, the local lodge has
already taken steps to erect one.
The building, of course, will not be
merely a home for the Elks. 1t will
be built so that it will be a revenue
producer, as is done everywhere, and
the advisability of having the build
ing contain an opera house is being
actively discussed. In nearly every
city in the State having an Elk build
ing an opera house is included.
Several sites are being discussed,
prominent among them the site of
the Elk Saloon, the hook and ladder
lot and the Bennett property at the
corner OF Market and Landry street.
We understand that at the next
meeting committee will be appointed
TO rush this feature through with all
speed possible.