The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-07-14
ELKS IN CONVENTION
MARCHING CLUBS AND BANDS PA-
 RADE DALLAS STREETS.
A Thousand Persons Sit Dovn to Typf- cal Southern Dinner Given to Members of Grand Lodge
 and Their Families.

Dallas, Tex, July l3.A-With the air tempered by last nights storm to the south, Dallas's Streets today early took on the proper aspect for the reunion and annual convention of the Beneyo- lent and Protective Order of Elks, which began formally tonight.
 Throughout the day and evening the streets were literally lined with march : Ing clubs and brass bands, those att tracting. the greater attention being Los Angeles. Detroit and Austin, Tex. Beaumont was also very prominent.
 This afternoon nearly thousand persons sat down to a typical Southern dinner in the machinery hall at the fair grounds, given to members of the Grand Lodge and their families.
 Typical 1t was, this dinner. both in the viands served, in the manner of It's service and the waitresses who passed the steaming dishes about to allow each guest to "help himself"
 But the most typical of all were the waitresses. There were some two score of old "nigEer maninies." with bandanna turbaTis on thefr heads. the sleeves Of their freshly sterched prinl dresses rolled nigh a1ove their brown
 Tonight. in the fair grounds audito. rum, the first formal function was held.
 Hon. NJ. T. Lively had charge oi this function and presided tonight A band of thlrty-five pieces and the "con- vention chorus" of l2b voices rendered the overture from Wagner's Tam hauser" and America" and other se- lections during the evening.
 The invocation was delivered by Grand Chaplain Rev. John Dysart, Past Exalted Ruler of Jamestown, N. F., Lodge No. 2s3. followed with the Elks quartette of Spokane, Wash.
 Hon. William H. Atwell, Past Exalt- ed Ruler of Dallas Lodge and Chair man of the Executive Committee. de- 1lvered the address of welcome on be- half of the present Executive Commit tee.
 Senator Charles A. Culberson, Mayor Stephen J. Hama, John H. Kirby of Houston and Governor Campbell, Past Exalted Ruler, of Palestine Lodge No SIS. also delivered the addresses of welcome. John Tener. Grand Exalted Ruler of the Charleroi. Pa, Lodge re- sponded on the part of Elkdom.
 The benediction closing tonights program, was pronounced by Rev. c. B. Melbourne of Terrell Lodge No. l72.
 Detroit and Los Angeles are appar- ently the only two candidates for the 1909 convention.
 1L was put n IGW SASCk- QcS break that the steam siren of the Los Angeles delegation, placed on the root of the Southland Hotel. began to tell the gathered thousands that Los An geles sought the next convention.
 In almost every place where ban ner could be stuck up, there appears a big sign Life is Worth Living in De- trolt."r
 The city Is thronged with visitors from every section of the United States as well as Mexico.
 The program for tomorrow begins with the grand lodge session at 10 o'clock. At 12 noon will begin un- doubtedly the largest barbecue ever given, arrangements having been made to serve 10000 visitors in the old-fash- toned way. This part of the program closes at 3 D. m.
 At 10 o'clock tomorrow night a din- ner will be given to thesvisiting press representatives.