The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-04-25

An unulSnlned row nearly disrupted
the Exalted Order Of Hay Pressers as it
was on the point Of successful forma-
ton Wednesday night. Last week we
infromed our readers that Mayor Bill
Watson, Joe Bean, Jake White and
others citizens of Hopkins and resi-
dents of Pembroke township were or
gantzing a local fraternal society which
was intended to embrace all Of the best
features of the standard secret and fra
ternal orders. 1t was TO be a composite
of the Masons. Odd Fellows, Elks.
Knights of Pythias. Woodmen and other
orders, and was to represent in sym
bolic way Hopkins chief industry-the
cutting curing, baling and shipping OF
wild hay, the hay which has brought
money and fame to Hopkins, the hay
which tops the market, the hay which
puts ginger into the nags that drag
the Chicago nabobs up and down the
Lake Shore drive.
LIST OF ORGANIZERS.
The order was formed Wednesday
night at meeting held behind closed
doors in the town hall over Watsons
department store, in which is the post
Office. There were present Mayor Wat
son, Highway Commissioner Charley
Kile, Sam Templeton, florist and ex-
postmaster, DR.. Bill Blowkey, veterin-
airy surgeon and manufacturer of Blow
keys celebrated remedy for wild hay
fever, Oscar Spingle. confectioner, Jake
White, our pioneer hay presser and
prominent resident, Joe Bonn, retired
capitalist and sorghum maker. and
Amos Green. editor and proprietor of
the Hopkins Weekly Hay Press, which
is us.
VETERANS BRING EXPERIENCE. :.
4 number of the organizers had be-
longed to other orders. Watson had
been a Mason and got up as high as
the Blue Lodge. Templeton had been
an Odd Fellow, Joe Bean an Buffalo,
Jake White a Mystic Worker of the
World and Bill Blowkey, a X. p. until
he had been bounced for n-payment
of dues.
LIKE JURY VERDICT COMPROMISE.
Naturally each organizer favored the
order he belonged to in shaping the
ritual and titles of the new order. Wat
son thought that the nearer 1t approach
Masonry without infringing the bet
ter, Templeton advocated formation on
White on the Mystic Workers of the
World. Like jury without verdict
the result was compromise. A
ceremony, slightly altered, was bor-
rowed from Missionary. a form from
Odd Fellowship, a title from the K.
Ps and so on down the line, the COM
posite and blend resulting in a beauti-
full and harmonious whole.
NEW INITIATION FEATURES.
One marked innovation was decided
on. For the Anticipated billy goat
features of initiation was substituted
the running of candidates through a
hay press. This suggestion was made
by Joe Boon who urged that the fiat
tening- out process would not only take
the conceit out of recruits, but would
make them more useful members of
the community as well. Both features,
especially the civic feature of the sug-
gestion, met with warm approval
LIST OF THE OFFICERS.
The preliminaries having been ar
ranged the rest was easy going.
Enough offices were created to give
each of the organizers a job. 1t was
decided that the offices should include a
head hay presser, a deputy head hay
presser, oiler of the hay press, feeder
of the hay press, custodian of the king
bolt, guardian of the bale wire, sentinel,
keeper of the inner door, keeper of
the storm door and keeper of the punch
bowl.
ORNAMENTAL FEATURES.
Then came the ornamentation. Mayor
Watson with a lead pencil and sheet
Of wrapping paper made out a long list
of adjectives to pick from in fronting
off titles They included the customary
adjectives such as grand, noble and SUI
preme with several additions. AS ad-
jestives were cheap Jake White advised
that they be applied plentifully, al
| though with discrimination.
TITLES AND OFFICERS
SO, the titles We're arranged and the
| officers elected to fill them, as follows:
Supreme, Sublime and Exalted Head
Hay Press ed-Bill Watson.
Deputy Supreme, Sublime and Elk
allied Head Hay Presser-Charley Kile.
Noble, Grand and Most Worthy Oiler
Of the Hay Press-Sam TempIeton.
Eminent, Supreme and Venerable
Guardian of the Bale Wire-Joe Bean.
Grand, Noble and Sublime Custodian
Of the King Bolt-Jake White.
Imperial, Eminent and Lordly Senti-
ney-Amos Green (Which is u.s.
Most Worthy, Sublime, Grand and
Noble Keeper of the Inner Door-Bin
Blowkey.
Sublime, Noble, Grand and Most
Worthy Keeper of the Storm Door
oscar Spingle.
ACRIMONIOUS REMARKS.
An acrimonious joint debate followed
the selection of the last two officers.
Spingle whispered audibly to Jake
White that it was grotesque to apply
such titles as most worthy, sublime,
noble and grand to a man of such char
acter as Bill Blowkey. The latter over
heard the criticism and made the