Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-12-26
ENTERTAINED
HIGH OFFICIALS
NJ. W. OF A. Listen to Entertain
inc Address Thursday Evening.

InQfSQay nlgflI at UIl6 Il Of0SleTS Hall
was held one of the largest and most
enthusiastic meetings thus far given
by the Modern Woodmen of America
in their series of entertainments
which has been planned for the winter
season. On this occasion addresses
were delivered by A. n. Bort. Of Be-
lott. one of the national directors of
tie NJ. W. A., and Attorney Thomas
III. Duffy of Dubuque, Iowa, a national
lecturer Of the order. ChaS. h.
Whelan, of Madison, the supreme
lecturer of the lodge, was taken i'll
the first part of the week while
travelling with the above named
gentlemen, and unayoidably could
not be present, but Messrs. Bort and
Duffy assured the local officers that
Mr.. Whelan would surely be present
on the occasion of the Grand County
Initiation to be held on January 9th
or 10th.
Venerable Counsel H. G. Giese,
presided and introduced the speakers,
Mr.. Bort being the first. Mr.. Bort is
a very pleasant speaker. He cited the
fact that the M. w. A. now has a
membership of $4,000 members: that
last year 13S, 900 new certificates were
issued and that this year the order
expects to get 10000 members, and
thus reach the 1000, 900 mark. He be-
lieved that this growth in member
ship showed that the public had con-
fidence in the order.
Mr. Duffy delivered the main ad-
dress of the evening. Mr.. Duffy is a
very energetic, fluent and logical
speaker. He complimented the Grand
Rapids Camp on the high personnel of
its membership and said that it was
simply in harmony with the high
class of insurance which the order
was giving. In this preliminary talk
he explained the various kinds OF in
surance, for investment and for pro-
lection. and devoted some of his time
to the exposures in insurance made
by the Armstrong Investigating Com
mittee Of New York in June 1905.
He spoke at some length on the sani-
! torium enterprise which the M. w. A.
are erecting at Colorado Springs, Col.
The order has purchased 1000 acres
four miles north of Colorado Springs
for the treatment of consumptive
Woodmen. The expenses of this en-
terprise are being raised among the
Woodmen, and already S24, ZOO has
been sent in by the Camps and it is
expected that the amount will aggre-
; gate at least 100000. Camps may
thus send members who are afflicted
with the white plague. or Woodmen
may get treatment at actual cost. 1t
is figured that by preventing death
losses in this way that the order will
gain in the end, because at least 10 per
cent of the death losses result from
consumption. He next spoke on a
mans duty to his wife and children
and the public to carry insurance. In
conclusion he asked the members to
cooperate in every way to carry on
the good work. He cited the fact
that Bryan, LaFollette, Governor
Davidson, Ex-Governor Hoard and
Governor Cummins were some of the
leading members OF the order.
After these addresses half an hour
was spent in getting acquainted with
the speakers of the evening, after
which the program was closed with a
dance.
Deputy Asplin has informed the
REPORTER that he has over forty ap'
plications from this Camp; that Ne
koosa will furnish about twenty
candidates, Vesper about twenty and
that candidates will come from Pitts
vile, Milladore. Auburndale, Lindsey
I and Marshfield. The initiation will
undoubtedly take place at the Opera
House where this large class of ovel
100 will learn some of the mysteries
of woodcraft. Further particulars OF
this initiation will appear from time
to time in the REPORTER.