East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1908-07-10
ANTLERED HERDS
GATHER IN TEXAS
"BEST PEOPLE ON EARTH"
MEETING IN ANNUAL SESSION
Droves Of Thousands Of Ell1s Pouring
Into Dallas-Entire City Dressed In
Purple and White-Members Of
Great Fraternal Order Never Befoe
Entertained On Such an Elaborate
Scale.


Dallas, Tex, July 10.-Dallas to-
day received its first considerable In
voice Of the horny-headed sons of 10!
who will be here in droves of thou
sands within the next few days at,
tracted by the annual national as
semblage Of the Benevolent and Pro.
tective order Of Elks, otherwise
known as the BEST People on Earth
The advance guard looks good to the
enthusiastic people Of the North Tex
as metropolis and they are preparing
to make next weeks convention a rec
ord-breakeT in Elkdom history. 1t is
admitted that Philadelphia did a fair
job Of entertaining last year but the
Texans have fixed up few high qinks
that will make Philadelphia's effort
resemble a Quaker prayer melting.
Already the streets of Dallas have
taken on a purple and white tint, in
/ honor of the visitors, and the work of
decorating has been we'll night COM
pleted. Only a few finishing touches
remain to render Dallas'a distinctively
Elks city which will gladden. the eyes
Of the good fellows who will be here
from all over the land. One hundred
thousand dollars represents the
amount to be expended in the weeks
festivities and nearly every citizen Of
the town has contributed to this great
fund.
The most distant delegation will be
that from the Philippines, and will ex-
tend an invitation to the grand lodge
to hold next years meeting in Manila.
1t Is not likely that this proposition
will receive favorable consideration,
however, as Seattle, Wash. apparent
ly has a cinch on next years conven-
tion, since 1t offers the added attrac-
tion of an international exposition.
Washington and Baltimore delegates
will begin booms for the 1910 conven-
ton.
The reunion will begin Sunday.
when 1t is expected that most OF the
delegates and visitors will have ar
rived. Monday will be given over to
receptions and entertainments. The
business sessions OF the grand lodge
will begin Tuesday Three great food
tests will be held during the week
and will cost in the neighborhod Of
$4,000, The feature will be a Mexi-
can dinner, with all the Mexican dain-
ties on tap, and Will be one of the
biggest grub-stakes son record, since
the committee in charge expects to
feed 10000. There will also be
typical southern barbecue and a more
formal dinner for grand lodge Off
GERS and delegates. There will be
balls, band contests, competitive drills,
garden parties. fire works displays and
last, but not least a grand parade
which the promoters declare will
ECLIPSE any pageant ever witnessed
in America" That will be going
some, but Dallas feels equal to the
job.
special Social EaatIIrns
While thousands of dollars are be-
lhH HPNilA III tAlANl Nulillll6 NllN ldllh anu
file of Elkdom, the officials will not
be forgotten. There will be many So
cial events provided for them and
special honors will be paid to the
grand exalted ruler of the order, John
X. Tener, banker of Charleroi, Pa.
Aside from his present position,
Tener is famous as one of the greatest
veterans OF the baseball diamond. In
1888 he became one of Captain An
sons colts, and for years was one of
the best known pitchers in the Ma
tional league. He was one Of the |
twirlers in the All-American team
which made n tour of the world and |
introduced the national game to the
people Of Australia, Europe and the
islands of the Pacific.
After deserving the diamond Tener |
settled in Charlerol, a small town not
far from Pittsburg, and engaged In |
the banking business. He was al
ways loyal Elk, and in 1899 he or
ganized the Charleroi lodge OF Elks,
serving three years as its treasurer.
In 1902 he was elected its exalted |
ruler. In 1904 he was elected grand |
treasurer of the grand lodge, holding
the position until his election last
year as exalted ruler.
The Order of Elks was organized In
New York in 1868, and had its incep-
ton in a small social club composed |
of actors and known as the
Jolly Corks. The Elks have continued |
to merit the name Of "jolly," but the
order of the present day has many
other claims to consideration, chief
among which Is its spirit of charity.
Nor Is 1t a narrow or sectional or
partisan charity. that of the Elks,
bound together though they are by the
ties of good fellowship, the charity
Of the Elks knows no confines. 1t
extends to every man, woman or
child in time Of need. This spirit of
brotherhood was never bet
ter illustrated than at the time of the
San Francisco earthquake, when r.
W. Brown, managing editor of the
Louisville Times acting on behalf of
the Elks, secured the first telegraph
wire into the wrecked and devastated
city and sent this message of cheer:
"Five thousand to your credit. II
necessary spend five more. Not only