The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1910-08-05
CHICAGO DRESSED UP,
RECEIVE THE KNIGHTS
WINDY CITY CARRIED IN GALA
ATTIRE FOR THE OCCASION.
Templars to Capture the Town Next
Sunday; Half a Million Visitors
Are Expected; One of the Big
Events of the Week Will Be the
Parade; Uniformed Men to March
FortyThree Blocks.

=
States begins to arrive in Chicago next
opening of an event unequaled in the
history of the city, and never sur
passed in the annals of Knights Tenn
From the number of reservations of
rooms at the hotels and in private
residences, it is conservatively esti-
mated that a host of not less than
100000 visitors will invade Chicago
during the days of the thirtyfrst con-
clave. Harris A. Wheeler, recorder
of the grand commandery, does not
believe this estimate TOO large.
The last conclave held in this city
was in $780, and at that time, ac-
cording to the statistics Of the rail-
road companies, no less than 10000
visitors arrived in the city. At that
time there were only 5000 Knights
Templar in Illinois, and only $4,000 in
the country. Today Cook county alone
numbers more than 1000 members of
the organization, and throughout the
United States the membership foots
mp more than 100000.
weather the only Deterrent.
There is only one thing which, in
the opinion of the men who have had
preparations for the great event in
charge, may tend TO keep many visit
ors away, and that is the reports of
the excessive heat which has fallen
to Chicago's lot this summer. As a
matter of coincidence. the weather dur
ing the .conelape of 1880 was the hot.
test Chicago had experienced for years,
and the members of the committee are
in. dread of repetition of that kind
OF weather. But they are optimistic
meanwhile and believe that the worst
OF the hot waves have passed.
Since the invitation of the grand
eommandery of Illinois to hold the
conclave here was accepted at the
thiriieth driennial held at Saratoga
Springs, n. ", three years ago, the
Chicago knights have worked steadily
and Systematically to make the occa-
sion the greatest and most memorable
in the history OF the organization.
Task of Listing Lodgings.
The single matter of providing
house room for the vast numbers who
will attend was in itself task OF no
small proportions. Thousands of res
ervations at hotels were made within
a month after the invitation was ac-
cepted. and o special committee was
organized early in the campaign of
preparations to make a personal can
vass of the city's 2i5 hotels in order
that the literature sent out to the
communicates throughout the country
might contain the necessary data as to
rates and accommodations.
When it came to figuring up the
numbers of persons all these hotels
could take care of, the committee con-
Guided that more rooms must be pro-
vided FOR. and as long ago as last
March hogan advertising for furnished
rooms to he reserved for the week of
the conclave. The response was any
thing but satisfactory, most of those
having rooms to let preferring to Sc
cure permanent roomers rather than
transients, and private families appar-
emily did not take strongly to the
idea of being Inconvenience by rent
ing out their rooms.
Appealed to as Masons
Finally the loyalty of the Masonic
fraternity throughout the city was APP
pealed to and a systematic crusade
was organized, with the result that
vision of a new gown or picture hat
was pointed out to them as the result
of the room-renting scheme, came to
the front and agreed to accommodate
as many visitors as possible. The work
has long since been completed and the
committee has a list of thousands of
homes where the visitor, unable to Sc
cure accommodations in hotels. will be
made welcome and comfortable.
The ranks of the organization in
Chicago include hundreds of the city's
leading men in business and profes-
sional life and their efforts in giving
loyal aid to the committee on arrange
ments have been inspired not only
through loyalty to their organization
but pride in Chicago as the greatest
convention city in the world as well.
Everything practically is already in
readiness with the exception of the
final touches in the way of decorations,
and these viii be finished to the last
degree before. the first of the invaders
arrive.
The official decorations and the cleo
trical display which will be feature
of the eonclave will be on scale of
magniicence never before attempted I'M
der similar circumstances.
Boulevad Entrance Arch.
The largest and most attractive of
the structural displays will be the en-
trance arch on Michigan avenue south
Of the Blackstone Hotel. 1t will span
the broad boulevard in the form of an
ancient battlement, it's towers and tur-
rets presenting an imposing spectacle
by day and the elaborate illumination
with which it will be provided p,akiEg
Continued on Page Eight.