Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-07-17
MASSED BAND PARADE
A Unique Feature of the Elks'
81 neuliiOIl IS:
AT PHILADELPHIA TODAY
More Than Forty Bands With 1900
Members in Line.
DAY SPENT IN VISITING PARKS
Selection of Officers Last Night Excit-
ing-Member Of Massachusetts,
Delegation Stricken by Heat.

To-Day on Broad street. Every musical or
ganiaztion participating in the reunion ap-
peared in line numbering more than forty
bands with 1.50O members The parade was
In charge of William F. Jocher of the Phila-
delphia Lodge of Elks. who arranged the
music for the occasion.
The musicians formed in line at Broad
street and Paramount avenue. and they
were arranged according to the instru-
ments. The music played was 1.-THE Twen-
ty-frst Reunion March," which had 1.-The
Girl 1 Left Behind Me-" Home. Sweet
Home" and Aud Lang Syne" as its gen.
eral theme with beautiful Celebrations
The line Of march was south on Broad
street through the beautiful court of honor
to South street. where the massed bands
were dismissed. The fifty reviewing stands
along the two-mle route were crowded with
people and the streets were damned with
a crowd such as Broad street has seldom
seen.
Did Not Mind sultry Weather.
The day was exceedingly sultry. but the
perspiring throng. out for a holiday, did
not mind the weather and cheered the ag-
sresatlon OF musicians they paraded
down the street in one great mass The
contrast In costumes was ludicrous
All through the parade could be seen the
uazzing Uniform of some crack regimental
musical organization by the side of the
modest costume of village band.
After the parade most of the visiting F,Iks
and their ladies went to the various parks
IN and about the city. where special enter
tainments have been provided to keep them
busy until evening
The drill contest. in which many of the
vlsitlng lodges will participate. will be held
Yesterdays Summary.
The serious part OF yesterdays program
was the nrSt business session of the Grand
Lodge, which met at II am. in the Acad-
envy OF Music. Among the reports submit
TED TO the convention were those of Grand
Exalted Ruler Melvin. Grand Secretary
Robinson. Grand Treasurer Tener the
BOARD of grand trustees and the board of
governors OF the national home at Bedford
city, va. According to the report of the
secretary the order has now passed the
Quarter of a million mark in membership
there being in existence 0S1 lodges with A
membership of 2J4, 3d.
Inc report of the grand trustees recon-
menos that. owing to the large fund now in
the treasury, amounting to more than 800
900. the per capita tax be reduced to Is
cents.
When some one suggested that there be
no time limit to the many nominators and
that the budding orators of Elkdom be
given every opportunity to release their
pent-up eloauence he was almost mobbed
ny pcfSplllHS delegates. FINALLY. after
scores of suggestions. 1t was agreed that
the nomination speeches be limited to five
minutes.
The balloting was the heaviest in the his
tory or the grand lodge Over l 800 votes
We're cast. and while these were turned over
to the tellers Immediately after polling end
ed the result only a conjecture az
Philadelphia proper was going to bed in the
wee sma hours.
Officers Elected.
John X. Tener of Char.eroi, Pa. was
chosen grand exalted ruler of the Elks:
Fred c. Robinson of Dubuque, Iowa grand
secretary; Bayard Gray of Frankfort, Ind,
grand lecturing knight and W. T. Leckie
OF Dowagiac. Mich. grand loyal knight.
Inc grand trustees are Mayor Charles c.
Schmidt of Wheeling. W. Va, John NJ
kehlor OF kenosha. Wis, and Col. Alfred
I. Holly of New Jersey.
At midnight. when about two-thirds of
the ballots had been counted, it was still
an open fight between John w Wagner of
Kansas City and Edward Leach Of New
York for the office Of grand treasurer, but
Mr.. Wagner finally won.
Judge Henry A. Melvin appointed the fol-
lowing to constitute the grand forum.
Charles E. Pickett Of aWterloo, Iowa, tor
term of one year: Marc Rohner, Detroit,
two years: William H. Moore, Seattle. three
years; Thomas ]. Cogan. Cincinnati four
years and Robert W. Brown, Louisville.
five years.
Scenes About Ladies' Camp.
The busting activity of the Lady Elks'
Camp. at the State Fencbles' Armory has
not abated one lot or title. and the regis
tration committee declared the crowd was
densest yesterday afternoon because of the
arrival Of additional Baltimoreans
By pm. the building damned, not
only with women waiting to register, but
with husbands from the Monumental city,
who feared ito lose sight of their wives.
figuratlve lemon was handed the
bucks when ]. T. Bennett. chief committee
man. issued order that all men must
away to the timber and promptly. After
allowing half hour for grumbling and
complaining. with five minutes extra for ar
engagements with their wives for some flu
ture place of meeting, the Brother Bills
were hustled from the building.
During the session it announced that
up to noon yesterday l.. 100 delegates to the
Grand Lodge had presented credentials-the
high water mark of Elk conventions The
largest convention prior to the present was
held in Cincinnati in 1904. when 1,34O dele
gates registered.
Parade of Brass Bands.
Delegations are arriving on every train
and it is now estimated that 100000 EIks
are in the city The greatest number will
be here on Thursday. when the grand re-
union parade occurs. Twenty-Five thou
sand uniformed members of the order will
be in line, and it is intended that this
parade shall surpass all others. The parade
will form at Broad and Huntington streets
and will move south on Broad street.
around the city hall The parade of
musicians and the bands of the various
lodges will take place tomorrow morning.
1t has been estimated that 5000 musicians
will participate in this grand musical dis
play Each band will march separate
from the others and they will play diff
ferent musical selections This will be
one of the most striking spectacles ever
witnessed in this city. The members of
the various bands will wear new uniforms
and the musical instruments will be pol
ished for the occasion.
The Elks and their ladies will review
the parade from a score of grandstands
which have been erected on Broad street.
from Filbert on the north to Walnut street
on the south This is the first time that
a massed parade of musicians has marched
during an Elk convention. and 1t is one of
the important features Of the weeks pro-
gram.
The big brass band of PHILADELPHIA
Lodge, No. 2. is meeting every new dele
CATION which arrives and heads the line
of march to it's hotel. This afternoon
the Scranton Lodge, 500 strong. arrived
at Broad Street station and, after form
ing marched to its hotel headed
by the Philadelphia Lodge Band The