The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-08-17
THE NEGRO MAsoNs PAY FOR NEWSPAPER
FIVE HUNDRED DELEGATEs As-
 SEMBLE IN TUSKEGEE.
H. Q. Binford Has Made Fine Record as Grand Master--Reporfs
 Show Much Pro-
 Eress

Tuskegee. Aug. 16.-(Speciai. )-The thirfy-second annual meeting of the negro Grand Lodge of Alabama. An cient. Free and Accepted Masons, will be called to order at noon tomorrow, in the assembly room, Huntington Me- moriai building, Tuskegee Institute, by Henry Claxton Binford. Grand Master, of Huntsville.
 Four hundred and fourteen lodges representing 1000 members, will be represented by 500 delegates,
 Reckoned from the original forma- : tion of the grand lodge. September 27. 1870. this will be. the fortieth annual meeting. The present session Is dated from the consolidation of the negro 'Masons in Alabama. effected August IS. 1878.
 The grand officers are: Henry Claxton Binford, -Huntsville. Grand Master; J. T. Gregory, GreenviIle. Deputy Grand Master; c. N. McDanieis. Hartselle, Grand Secretary; H. c. Harris. Bir- mingham, Grand Treasurer: Clarence W. Allen. Mobile. Endowment Secre- tary and Treasurer; W. T. Woods, Mo- bile, Senior Grand Warden; c. H. Ev- ans. Tuskegee Institute, Junior Grand Warden.
 The officers, with Peter F. Clark, of Birmingham. J. W. Powell. of Mobile, and Charles Hendley, of Huntsville. Auditors. and John Allen Binford, Pri- vate Secretary to the Grand Master. met at Tuskegee Institute Saturday to arrange the program of the meeting.
 Booker T. Washington and his teach CTS have made ample arrangements to accommodate the hundreds of delegates attending the meeting. A representa- tive of Principal Washington will de- liver the address of welcome.
 Rev. A. F. owens. of Mobile, and Dean of the Phelps Hall Bible School. will be the official reporter for the press.
 Hundreds of delegates from ali parts of the State poured into Tuskegee to- day by every train.
 The Grand Chapter of. the Eastern Star, composed of the wives and wid- ows of Masons, will also hold their flf- teenth annual meeting at the same time and in the assefn bly, room of Douglass Hall This order is composed of l42 lodges, representing $500 members.
 The grand officers of this order are: Royal Grand Matron. Mrs. J. M Belas- co, Mobile. Ala; R. c. Patron, Rev. J. P. O'Riley, Gadsden, Ala; R. G. Assist ant Patron, l. H. Rose. Wetumpka; R O. Secretary, Mrs. E. w. Pollard. Sell ma: R. G.. Treasurer, Mrs. L.: c. Moore, shefaeld. Ala; R. G. Secretary of Endowment, Mrs. l.. A. Vines, Mont Komery; R. G. Treasurer of Endow- ment. Mrs. Addie E. Douglass, Hunts ville. These officers met Saturday also to arrange their program.
 Comparisons of the work of. this year will be made with the published reports of the meeting of the Grand Lodge held last year in Mobile, as fol- lows:
 Number of lodges enrolled. sss; mum Der of lodges extinct, II: number of lodges in working order. 3s7; number of lodges not represented, 46; number of lodges represented, s2I; number of masters and wardens present. So7; number of grand officers present, Is; total, attendapce. 431.
 Grand Treasurer. H. O.. Harris re- ported s1i,e127b; disbursements. s. 2206s; balance cash on hand. $7,Ss2.o6; Endowment Secretary and Treasurer c. W. Allen received e50,s3e.66; dis bursed during year. s47.0os.e5; cash on hand, &s,s2s.0i; grand total both re- ports, Ss2.74S.41; disbursements both departments. ss1.22s.s4; cash on hand both departments, S11.S2o.07.
 When Grand Master Binford was elected eight years ago in Mobile, the Grand Lodge was composed of eighty two lodges and 1000 members.
 The Grand Treasurer reported S2,O0O, and the Endo owment Secretary reported &2,3o0.
 Under .hiS wise and judicious man. a agement, with the cooperation of his oficers, the order has steadily grown to over 400 lodges and the Grand Treas urer's receipts have increased to near ly 312,000, while the Endowment De- partment, under c. W. Allen, has grown from S2.Soo to nearly e61.ooo.
 The reports this year will show an increase over last year in membership and in gross receipts probably $10,000
 The Eastern Star reported last year S6.04s.SS and disbursed, S5,994.02 for the Endowment Department, and the Grand Treasurer received $52s.sl. with dis bursement of S3SS.s0. making grand total of $6,57s.70.
 Their reports this year will show decided increase ot members, lodges and receipts