Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-03-08
SILVER TROWEL IN OMAHA
Reception q Great Event in the Annals Of
Local Masonry.
TARRltS IN JOURNEY AROUND THE WORLD
Receipt from Hands of sioux Falls
Brothers Occasion of Elaborate
Ceremonies and Attracts
q Great Crowd.

One of the most unique, interesting
and impressive Masonic ceremonies ever
taking place in Nebraska closed at
Masonic Temple Thursday night, being
the presentation of the celebrated silver
Masonic trowel to the care OF the Capitol
lodge Ancient Free and Accepted Masons
No. g. for the ensuing thirty
days, by its most recent Gus
todians, Minnehaha lodge. No. s. of
Sioux Falls, s. d. The ceremonies brought
together one of the largest and most rcp-
resentative body of Masons yet gathered
in Omaha not alone from Nebraska, but
from South Dakota, Iowa, Colorado and
Illinois. The ceremonies occupied nearly
all day Of Thursday. beginning with the
reception of the Sioux Falls Masonic dele
cation which had charge Of the trowel
by a delegation of Omaha Masons at
Council Bluffs early Thursday morning
the reception TO the visitors at Masonic
Temple during the forenoon, and the
formal transfer of the historic trowel to
the Nebraska Grand lodge jurisdiction
during the early afternoon, in which many
of the Grand lodge officers Of both South
Dakota and Nebraska participated. Fol-
lowing this came a visit to the TIininger
Art gallery, and dinner to the Grand lodge
officers and visitors in the early evening
and then the transfer of the custody Of
the trowel TO Capitol lodge in the evening
At both ceremonies Masonic Temple was
crowded to it's utmost capacity, and the
ceremonies will go into history as one
of the most important Masonic events
yet happening in Nebraska.
Emblem Arrives EARLY.
The trowel arrived at $50 a m. Thursday
in charge of the special escort committee
Of Mnnehaha lodge Ancient Free and Ac-
cepted Masons No. of Sioux Falls, g. d.
This committee consists Of Grand Secretary
George A. Pettigrew OF the South Dakota
grand lodge, Grand Lecturer B. F. Ives, A.
p Ayres C. r. Beattie. f. s. Knowles, E.
r. winans, c. A. Christopherson, M. r.
Brown, Eugene Saenger, II. F. Liebslee, l..
D. Manchester, Lad Bukvosky, H. II. Keith.
J. w. Jones, G. A. Ludlow. G. w. Fox and
]. Veitch, all members of the South Dakota
lodges, with one or two members of Iowa
lodges and also George ]. Charpeot, master
OF Oriental lodge No. 81 OF Denver f. r.
Moore and ]. f. Marcombe of Cedar Rapids
and r. J. Forbes OF Chicago
The escort committee was met at Council
Bluffs by the reception committee Of Cap
Masonic temple. where another large dele
cation Of Omaha MasonG was awaiting
them.
Reception in Morning.
Thursday morning was devoted to the
social reception of the visitors which was
participated in by o. j. King, deputy grand
master; w. a. DeBord, grand senior war
den; NJ. J. Bowling. grand junior warden
Francis F. White, grand secretary; Jacob
King. grand tyler OF the grand lodge of
Nebraska, and number OF the past grand
! officers Of Nebraska. including Past Grand
Masters c. J. Phelps, George H. Thummel
Martin Durham. G. w. Lininger, Bradner
D. Slaughter, sJohn A. Ehrhardt of Sutton,
]. ]. Mercer, F. E. Billiard of North Platte
and George d. France OF York.
delegation OK farty Masons from Te-
kamah and twenty from Blair arrived dur
| ing the forenoon to participate in the after
noon exercises. These were later aug
mented by delegations from Lincoln. Has
tings, Fremont and elsewhere throughout
| the state. 70
At 2 o'clock the formal presentation OF
| the travelling trowel was made to the Ne
braska lodge by Minnehaha lodge of Sioux
| Falls The great assembly room In the
Masonic temple was crowded to overlooking
| and the ceremonies were of impressive in
! terest. Past Grand Master @. w. Lininger
| of Nebraska presided. The opening ad-
dress was made by Grand Secretary George
A. Pettigrew OF South Dakota and was
responded to on behalf of the Nebraska