Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-02-01

the old quarters, and marching with |
them to the new building.
Ritual Exercises Held.
After all of the members had been
seated at eight long tables in the
lodge room on the third floor of the
building, with the honored guests of
the evening and the speakers at a
table at the south end of the hall, the
dedication ceremony was conducted, in
accordance with the ritual of the order,
the acting grand officers for the coca
sion being as follows:
Grand Exalted Ruler A. Schlick,
Rockford, district deputy grand exalted
ruler.
Grand Leading Knight-Mayor An
drew Olson, Moline, past exalted ruler,
Moline lodge.
Grand Loyal Knight-George w.
Scott, Davenport, past exalted ruler,
Davenport lodge.
Grand Lecturing Knight - John
Brown, past exalted ruler, Monmouth
lodge.
Grand Secretary-Fred Robinson,
Dubuque, Iowa.
Grand Treasurer-Harold Hemen-
way. past exalted ruler, Moline lodge.
Grand Esquire-H. H. Whipple, eX-
allied ruler, Rockford lodge.
Chaplain-Rev. N. B. Clinch, Rock
ford.
Grand Inner Guard-F j. Tilton, ex-
allied ruler, Kewanee lodge.
Grand Tyler-Dr H. c. McClurg,
Davenport.
The ceremonies were very impress
sive, and were witnessed with much
Interest.
Hon. II. J. McdilI Prcsides.
Following the ritual exercises, the
members enjoyed a banquet, and
James c. Dunn, exalted ruler of the
lodge, introduced the POSTMASTER of
the evening. Hon. T. ]. Medill In his
Introductory remarks Mr.. Dunn spoke
of the occasion as the realization of
dream of a year ago. At that time
some of the older members thought
that the lodge was going too deep, but
as Mr.. Dunn announced they were
taking possession Of the material re-
suit of that dream, a fine modern
building, and they took possession
with no debts on the lodge as a result.
Mr.. Medill was unable to make
more than a brief response, owing to
a severe cold.
Grand Officers Heard.
F. A. Schlick, who presided at the
dedication, responded to the toast, n
Few Ideas" His remarks were in the
nature of suggestions relative to the
lodge meetings and the management
of the club rooms of the lodge He
spoke strongly in favor of the anti
treating and anti-gambling regulations.
Fred c. Robinson of Dubuque. grand
secretary of the Elks. made a most
eloquent address in response to the
toast, Good OF the Order" Mr.. Robin.
son in enthusiastic terms spoke of the
progress Of Elkdom, and enlarged on
the fact that the order is strictly an
American institution. He referred to
the charity of the organization and of
the unostentatious character of the Elk
benevolence. He quoted James Whit
comb RIiey's poem which brings out
the idea of this sort Of charity.
Congratulations Messages,
AT this point in the festivities Mr..
Dunn presented kilograms of congrat.
ulations received from many friends
of the lodge. Among those who sent
their greetings were Governor c. S
: Deneen. Hon. William Jennings Bryan
! Grand Exalted Ruler Tenner, Miss
| Mildred Holland at Bluffton. Ind
/ William T. LecEie, grand esteemed
lecturing knight; ]. B. Marsh of Alton
/ Illinois state secretary; William +
| Dunn of Beardstown. a member of the
/ lodge: F. L. Marshall of Lincoln, n
! j., and others.
III History of Lodge.
n ]. w Houder, past exalted ruler OF
| the lodge, presented a brief historical
/ sketch, recalling the organization OF
/ the lodge, June 81, 1908, by consent
i of the Moline lodge. Moline lodge was
| organized with the consent of the Dav
/ export lodge, and thus in a way the
Il three lodges are related to each othel
4 in more than an ordinary way. Moline
/ now has $50 members, but since it!
/ Organization Rock Island has reached
!. a membership of 325 The lodge begar
y its career with a membership of 81
Mr.. Houder recalled the progress o
the lodge under the administration o
B. F. Knox, the first exalted ruler, ant
of himself, who succeeded Mr.. Knox