East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1908-07-11
SHR|NERS TAKE
THE TWIN CITIES
ONE OF GREATEST
MEETINGS EVER HELD
Members of Order from all Points Of
United States, Canada and Mexico,
Clad In Fez and Turban and Flash
ing Uniforms of Barbaric SplendOr
Journey to st. Paul.

st. Paul, Mimi, July 11.-Clad ir
fez and turban and flashing uniforms
of barbarlc splendor, with clankint
swords and glittering insignia, the
hosts Of the nations Shrlners have
today taken possession of the Twin
Cities and will begin their annual
convention tomorrow. From nearly
all over this country and Canada, and
even from Mexico, crossing their inn
aglnary desert wastes in special trains
of palatial splendor, the Mobiles have
come to rear their shrine at the oasis
Of st. Paul. Reception committees
from Osman Temple, accompanied by
bands, met all the incoming trains
and gave the visitors a royal well
come. Throughout the coming week
the lavish program of entertainments
arranged by the local Shriners, assist
ed by the mobiles Of Minneapolis and
Duluth, will continue without inter-
mission. The merchants of the Twin
Cities have aided by carrying out a
decorative scheme such as has never
before been witnessed in this city.
The program will begin tomorrow,
when services will be held for the
benefit Of the visitors in all the
churches of st. Paul and Minneapolis
For Monday there have been ar
ranged steamboat excursions up the
Mississippi river to Fort Smelling
where the visitors will be entertained
at the officers club. In the evening
there will be a grand ceremonial ses-
sion of Osman Temple at the st. Paul
Auditorium This great amphitheater
seats 10000 square feet. 1t is so ar
ranged acoustically that the falntest
voice can be heard in every corner
of the auditorium. This immense
stage will be the scene or three Sec
tons, the finest that Osman Temple
has ever arranged. Theater parties
will be arranged for the ladies on
this evening, The opening session Of
the Imperial Council Will be held
Tuesday. For this the st. Paul Audi
torlum will be entirely transformed
Side trips have been arranged for the
ladies on this day including launch
trips up and down the Mississippi and
Minnesota rivers.
Tuesday evening there will be the
Shriners grand electrical parade in
which all Arab patrols, bands and
other visiting parade features will
participate. The streets of st. Paul
will be gorgeously Illuminated on the
"way of Light" The night parade
Is expected to- surpass anything that
has been yet attempted and there will
probably be between $4,000 and 20,-
900 Shrlners in line. each wearing the
fez and the full dress uniform of the
order. Every division will be direct
ly in charge of imperial officers, rep
resentatlves and potentates from all
parts of North America.
The visiting patrols will give exhi-
bition drills in st. Paul ball park
Wednesday. 1t Is expected that there
will be over 10000 contestants and in
addition drills by visiting ladies' pa
trolls on this forenoon there will
also be steamboat excursions up the
Mississippi to the Minnesota Soldiers
Home and the romantic Minnehaha
falls, made famous in Longfellow's
beautiful poem. on Wednesday there
will be international automobile
races at the state fair grounds which
have an area Of PAT acres The track
is one of the fastest in the country
and the most noted international
drivers will take part. The Arab pa
trolls, bands, ETC., will parade on Nicol-
let avenue, the most beautiful street
in Minneapolis. The parade will be
followed with a banquet and recep-
tion at the Minnesota state capitol
Thursday will be Minneapolis day.
The officers and members Of the I'M
perial council will be the guests of
Zurah Temple. There will be a ride
about the city and a trip to Lake
On the evening of this
day Noble Gebhard Bohn will tender
a reception to the mobiles and the vis-
lting ladies'. One hundred of st.
Paul's young women, gowned in white
will serve refreshments. A grand re-
ception will be served at the state
capitol In Minneapolis on Friday. The
capitol covers six acres and cost $4,-
100000. The entire building will be |
thrown open to visitors.