Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1907-07-14
THE ELKS OF AMERICA
MEET IN BIG CORRAL
100000 To Gather This
Week.
IN CITY OF BROTHERLY LOVE
Hello Bills From Georgia to the
Canada Line Will Gather There
Monster Plan of Enter
tdinment.

Philadelphia, July 13.-Bent o.
maintaining its reputation as the City
of brotherly Love, Philadelphia opened
wide its gates in Fraternsl greeting to
the Elks who arrived today, as the ad-
vance guard of the thousands now
speeding across the continent to take
part in the convention here during the
coming week. By tomorrow morning,
when the special trains will begin to
arrive, the stream of visitors will be-
come a flood that threatens to swamp
the hospitality of the city and trans
form Philadelphia into camping ground
for homeless, but happy bills.
The number of Elks and their friends
and relatives that Father Penn will be
called upon to entertain during the
coming week is variously estimated at
from 1OO, 600 to 200, 200. 1t is likely that
the latter number will be more nearly
correct.
Where and how to house this big
army IS quoollOh Ih"I A0A "SNA>S ~
taxed the brains of members of the
hotel committee.
There are 500 hotels and apartment
houses IN the city and twice as many
rooming houses of the better class, and
all of these have been pressed into
service to entertain the hosts of Bills.
The finishing touches were added to-
day to the most lavish decorative
scheme ever attempted in Philadelphia
since the great Centennial Exposition
of 1876.
Elk emblems and ags abound every
where and many of the decorations are
on a magnificent and costly scale.
Not only have ali the merchants and
thousands of citizens in the districts
Joined in beautifying the city for the
occasion, but the municipal authorities
have taken official cognizance of the
convention by decorating and illuml-
mating the city hall. At night the en-
tire outline of the edifice will be shown
off by red, white and blue lights, and
strings of electric bulbs have been run
from the top of William Penn's hat to
the four corners of the building.
The magnificent Court of Honor, on
Broad Street, from Walnut to Race, has
been completed and it is one of the
most beautiful structures of the kind
ever erected in this city,
All of the fraternal orders of the city
have joined heartily in aiding the local
Elks in their preparations and Masonic
bodies, Eagles, Red Men, Knights of
and number of social and |
political clubs will keep open house
during the week.
The Elks of Camden n. j., the ''little
nap" across the river from the big |
Sleep" are also wide awake. Their
lodge room will be wide open and
stocked with good things to eat and
drink during the week and every visit |
ing Elk will he given as souvenir a
DeautlIul llIlle lldSh hlIeu WIN - So"l
old "Jersey Lightning"
Special excursions will also be run
to Atlantic City, Trenton and other
New Jersey towns.
The grand lodge will open Monday
night at the Grand Opera House, where
the guests will be welcomed by Mayor
Reyburn, Governor Stewart and others.
Tuesdays feature will be great free
feast at Washington-Park on the-Dela-
ware. The great massed band parade
of 5000 musicians will take place
Wednesday, and the parade of all
lodges of the order is to be held Thurs
day morning.