Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1907-01-23

90, 1890 to 66, 1891 to SO, 1892 to Ga,
1898 to 66, 1894 to 65. 1896 to -,
1896 to ~, 1897 to 76, 1893 to 7S. 1899
to 78. 1900 to 7S, 1901 to "a. 1909 to
81, 1908 to II. in 1904 to rs, 1905 to
"a, 1906 to rs.
From the best information / can OBJ
tain, the first meetings Of the Lodges
in Decorah were held in the second
story of H. S. Weiser's bank. The
building is still standing and oc-
cupied by Mr. Gullickson as a
jewelry store, three doors west of the
Stiles Hotel. ON the north side of
Water Street. Great Lights Lodge
first occupied the stone building,
at rhe corner of Mill and Water Streets,
known as the "Bible'' Smith building
then (Mr. Smiths was the only place
where bibles could be purchased. }
The building is now used by Mr..
George Bernatz. In 1867 when the
First National Bank building was
erected, the third story was especially
fitted for lodge purposes. The news
papers of that date state at the OPEN
ing, that cit was pronounced the best
in Iowa. 1t was at that time. In
1889, the third story was erected on
this building by Mr.. Barthell, for
the purposes of it's present use. a
lease for twenty years being given,
and the Masonic bodies together spent
about 81, 300. 90 in the present furni.
ture, fixtures, and decorations.
| At the present time, Brother S. B.
Erwin is the oldest member, having
been a member of Decorah Lodge No.
SO. He is the only surviving charter
member of Great Lights Lodge No.
lS1. On March goth he will have
been a member Al years. Brother A.
l.. Abbey had been member 40 years
yesterday. Brother ]. H. Macken-
stadt. 80 years, April 10th; Brother
William Puntney, 80 years next
Nov. 9th; Brother G. W. Steward,
80 years next March; Brother r. =.
b. Portman 81 years next May. These
| brethren have been continuous mem
| bers. After 1878 the line breaks.
there were omissions and some re-
turned. Among them Brothers G. w.
Freeman and Brother William McIn-
tosh, both members of old No. 9S
Following 1 give you the names of
the brethren who have been honored
by welding the gavel in the East ::
Bros. Charles s. Rollins, lS65.66-67 !;
Dan Lawrence, 1S6S-69.70; T. A.
Watson, 1871; John E. Meuser,
1S72-73; Dan Lawrence, 1915; r. w.
Jamison, 1876; Geo. l.. Vending.
1877; S. B. Owen. 1S7S-79: Joshua
Lantry. 1880; Dan Lawrence, 1881 !:
S. P. Barr, 1882 -s3-s4-s5; F S. Ian.
ders, 1SSs-s7 Cyrus Mckay, 1885; E.
Mather, 1889; @. M. Boutelle, 1890 81 /;
r f. B. Portman. 1892: A. N. Vance,
1898; Frank S. Landers, 1894; @. o.
Moore, 1895, A. F. Barfoot, 1896; E.
Brakeman, 1897; @. B. Lennon, 1898 !;
@. o. Moore, 1899; F. W. Daubney,
1900. .O1 -02.03; w. A. Ziegelmeyer,
1904 H. J. Green, 1905.06.07.
OF this number, twenty-five. nine
have gone to their reward, three have
removed. The remainder are active
members.
During these many years there has
been nothing very eventful in the
Lodge life. Much good has been done
in the way of relief to our brethern.
in the usual quiet manner. In the
seventies and early eighties we had
many appeals for help in the money
way which exhausted our funds.
Then King Solomon's Chapter donated
ont of their funds the sum of $500,
to be kept as Charity fund, and
for that use only. During those
years there were many calls to take
care of the sick, and many a night did
a detail of two or three brothers 60
forth to nurse the sick and watch the
dead.
During the later years, these calls
have lessened, somewhat, and we sell
dom now hear of brothers stranded,
out of work, out of friends, seeking
that relief we are bound to give to
help them reach home or the next
lodge.
There was another class now nearly
forgotten-the tramp Mason. and the
imposters. They required care and
caution. We used to examine them,
get their statements and then send
them somewhere for food and shelter,
while we telegraphed the Lodge
stated. Several cases I remember
when we went to look for our man,
he had vanished, probably to try some
other Lodge.
Imay be permitted to digress here.
There is no Masonic Home in Iowa.
This question was first strongly pre-.
sented in 1860. and at many subse-
quent meetings of the Grand Lodge.
The chief objection raised was the
few demands that were made, and the
great expense of erecting and main