davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-08-30

comfort and enjoyment Of member
and guest.
The Dutch room has a number Of
booths and has heavy wainscoting,
and the ceiling handsomely paneled
with wood.
All rooms on the lodge room floor
are furnished in birch mahogany.
The ceiling OF the lodge room is
paneled with heavy beams also scheme
decorative paneling with wood strips.
The building throughout is well
equipped with splendid lighting sys-
tenn and series Of telephones con-
meet the various rooms.
There Is an exhaust fan in the
Dutch room for ventilating purposes.
An excellent grade of hardware has
been used throughout the building.
A splendid color scheme has been
observed in every part OF the building,
carrying the color from room TO room
with such correct color taste that the
shade OF one room blends 80 harmoni-
ously with that of the next room that
no unpleasant or harsh sensations are
experienced in exploring the various
apartments.
Every detail was looked to with
such precision and judgment that the
work may be looked upon as marvel
of the architects, the builders and
the decorators skill. Keokuk may
we'll be proud Of this new addition to
her handsome and attractive buildings
as 1t is one Of the most substantial at.
tractive and beautiful in the city or
in the state of Iowa.
While it is modest, 1t is magnificent
There is no tinsel used for display
From foundation to dome it stands a
pile to be admired by every lover OF
art In structurea The hard repressec:
brick, the Bedford limestone, the
marble, the tiling, the hardwood and
other materials, and even the tints
were placed there so ingeniously that
they form one harmonious whole to
stand there for years as sign of the
spirit Of pride and progress which
Keokuk Elks possessed in the early
days of the twentieth century.
Tho Building Committee.
This cursory story OF the Keokuh
Elks and their GROWING achievement
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-08-30

characterize every attempt at telling
Q story of history. 1t should be brief.
When facts run out the story should
cease. II memory serves correctly it
was the poet Heath who wrote:
Historians only things OF weight,
Results OF persons, or affairs of state,
Briefly, with truth and clearness
should relate:
Laconic shortness memory feeds"
It is impossible to write satisfac.
tory history of Keokuk lodge No. 10S
OF the Benevolent Order Of Elks. The
archives are empty of necessary fact
upon which to found narrative Of its
early history. The devout elders in
cluded in the membership Of today are
bright, intelligent. loyal men to the
cause for which they are banded to-
gether and devoted to the fraternity.
They are well versed in the work of
the order and It's honorable traditions
in a general way, but when it comes
to precise dates or details Of the career
Of the lodge their memories fail.
The Gate City has made diligent
and persistent search for records; 1t
has interviewed some of the Oldest
members of thellodge and very meagre
has been the result. There are no
records to be found OF a date farther
back In the past than the year 1905,
except the framed dispensation and
the framed charter. These are in a
state of fair preservation.
Added to these are two private
souvenirs which may be classed as
conclusive data of personal nature,
yet connected closely with the history
Eof the lodge:
John p. Craig has watch charm
which Is dated beyond any official
records In the archives of the lodge.
1t is pretty watch charm and bears
this inscription: Presented to Past
Exalted Ruler John E. Craig from
the Brothers of Keokuk Lodge LOG,
May Z, 1891"
Frank W. Davis, who Is also counted
among the charter members Of the
lodge and brother who was bravely
|loyal throughout the troublous times
experienced by the organization, keeps
az a valued souvenir receipt fol
dues dated May 25, 1891.
Hamilton E. Leach, exalted grand
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-08-30
Interior Decorations.


The interior decorations of the
building are in splendid harmony with
outside ornaments. In the Elks dining
room and private dining room there
is elegant wainscoting with burlap
panels.
All three of the principal rooms on
the ground floor have heavy beam
ceilings.
The woodwork in the public and
Elks dining room is of oak and the
private dining room is finished with
white enamel woodwork. The other
rooms are finished in quarter sawed
white oak.
The vestibule and rotunda have tile
floors and marble wainscoting. The
rotunda is beauty. 1t has dome
ceiling very richly decorated
The billiard room has burlap wains-
coting, 1--WE and one-half feet high. Al
90 heavy beams with plastered panels,
arranged with an eye to the greatest
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-08-30
Popular and Prosperous Fraternal Or
canIzatIon Now Occupying Hand
some Lodge Quarters Corner
sixth and BIondeau.
Is FINEST IN THE CITY
And Praised by Visiting Elks From All
Over the Country as Being a
Model In Neatness and
Comfort.

The Elks building for beauty and
utility is not surpassed by any other
building In Keokuk. It IS not 80 gigan.
tic as It is chaste and elegant. Egypt
was the great ancient home OF magnifi.
cent architecture and in the period OF
Pericles, away back yonder about 44O
before Christ, 1t rose to It's crest when
some Of the finest temples Of Athens
were built. Then it declined with
other arts and was transferred to
Rome, where, however, 1t never attain
ed to the same high character. In a
cursory examination of the new Elks
home 1t would seem that Egypt was
alive again and that Pericles had
come to Keokuk with his eminent art
lists, learned in all the intricate skill
Of the poet builder.
It would require the crafty hand
and informed mind OF an adept in the
various orders, the Doric, Ionic and
Corinthian Of the Greeks, the Tuscan
and Composite Of the Romans, the
Italian, Chinese, Saracenic. Saxon
styles or the enormously named
Gothic style Of Germany, with its slen-
der pointed columns. to properly de-
scribe the building in hand No crafty
hand or informed mind in technical
architecture has undertaken the task,
consequently mere commonplace
story must suffice.
The elegant building stands as it's
own best critic and all its suggestions
and comment are favorable. 1t tells
much in mute eloquence of the taste
and progressive spirit of its projec-
tors, the Elks, the Devout Elders of
Keokuk Lodge No. LOG, and their ex-
cellent judgment in securing the able
cooperation of Harry B Ratcliff ar
chitect Of Keokuk, to make the splen-
did plans and overlook the raising Of
this magnificent building. Had no 9TH
er work been done by him this elegant
structure would be enough to give
him fame as a master craftsman of
the builders art. Keokuk is to be
congratulated on having SO eminent a
Young architect residing within her
limits.
While in the line of commentator
It should not be overlooked that the
masterful display Of ornamental work
81 the building was done by and under
the artistic eye of Louis Syberkrop, of
preston, Iowa. who has brought out
With remarkable taste and skill the
L. -.
IDEAS anticipated by Mr.. Ratcliff. No
encomium would exaggerate the har-
monizing Judgment of the decorator.
The building stands proudly at the
corner OF Sixth and Blondeau streets
fronting on Blondeau street and is 55
ny 100 feet In dimensions. There are
larger buildings OF similar character
N the state, but the assertion is ven
tured that not one in all Iowa com
plnes within its walls more complete
snd elegant apartments, substantial,
convenient and more beautifully orna-
mented, than may be found here 1t
10 a dream home--a model Mecca
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-08-30

the rights and privileges guaranteed
to subordinate lodge, U. D., by the
constitution and general laws OF the
order: Provided, that the said lodge,
U. D., conform to the constitution and
general laws of the grand lodge.
Under this dispensation the lodge
was duly organized In Odd Fellows
hall. Hamilton 3. Leach. e. G. R.,
Simon Quintet, Bishop Perry chaplain.
and other grand officers being present
to conduct the organization.
The officers elected at this organiza.
ton and the first officers of the lodge
were as follows:
Howard Tucker, past exalted ruler.
G. A Warwick, exalted ruler.
M. w. Hutchinson, esteemed lead
ing knight.
Frank LeBron, esteemed loyal
knight.
e. R. tombstone, esteemed lecturing
knight.
Harrison Tucker, secretary.
Arthur Bridgman, Jr., treasurer.
Jos. a. Klein, tyler.
w. M. Goldsmith, esquire.
w. P. Marshall, inner guard.
D. G. Lowry, chaplain.
wv. Klein, organist.
Trustees-C. A. Warwick, w. F.
Rush and A. McRae.
The young lodge leased Horns hall
at the corner of Eighth and Main
streets, for their meeting place, which
they, occupied for several years, but in
the absence of records no dates can
be given and 1t cannot be determined
| Just how long this hall was used or
what Of interest occurred there dur.
ing it's occupancy, except that chart
er was secured and the organization
became a regular subordinate lodge
with all the rights and privileges OF
other subordinate lodges. The appli
cants name In the charter are as fol
lows: NJ. w. Hutchinson, W. G.
Maxwell, w. s. Phillips. Harrison
i Tucker, Arthur Bridgman, Jr., j. G
Hughes, Charles Englehardt and Nor
ris Klein, This charter was signed
4 by Simon Quinlin, g. G. R, and
attested by A G. Moreland, or. sec.
There were, it is said. about fifty OF
sixty members including those
named in the charter. Among those
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-08-30

who went into the organization at the
very beginning and given the title Of
charter members are A. J. Hardin
John e. Craig and Frank w Davis
still residents of KeolSuk. All the 9th,
ers have located elsewhere or have
gone to their reward, and the dead
number far more than the living.
The following are the first officers
elected under the charter in 1889:
G. A. Warwick, past exalted ruler.
M. w. Hutchinson, exalted ruler.
Allan 7. Paul, esteemed leading
knight.
W. C. Maxwell, esteemed loyal
knight.
w. S. Phillips, esteemed lecturing
knight.
Harrison Tucker, secretary.
Arthur Bridgman, Jr., treasurer.
Morris Klein, tyler.
]. G. Hughes, esquire.
Charles Englehart, inner guard
Charles L. Grice, chaplain.
l.. w. Klein, organist
NJ w Hutchinson, representative to
the grand lodge.
Trustees-C. A. Warwick, w. S,
Sample, w. NJ. Irwin.
Members elected but not initiated:
James C. Davis, w P Marshall. John
N. Irwin, George D. Rand, A. e. John.
stone.
The membership June 1, 1889, CON
sisted of the following devout elders:
elders:
Arthur Bridgman, Jr.
Robert Bradford.
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-08-30

would not be complete without =
least brief reference to the building
committee whose performances are
strikingly emphasized in the splendid
building which stands before the citi-
zens of Keokuk and its innumerable
guests, a monument to all concerned
and fitting evidence of the ability,
energy and enterprise displayel by
this committee at every moment from
the time the building was conceived
until the last touch of the builders
and decorators well done, thou good
and faithful servants" you have done
your work well and you deserve the
plaudits of the lodge and the public
generally of Keokuk, and you shall
receive your just reward of praise and
honor The building committee was
organized as follows:
John Nagel, president.
B. B. Hobbs, vice president.
F. w Davis, treasurer.
j. D. Ecker, secretary.
H. R. Culkin, Thomas H. Joyce and
C. f. Skirvin, directors.
w. J. Roberts, attorney.
The committee was appointed about
a year and half ago and work on
the building was commenced about
the first of June, 1911.
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-08-30

Subscribers Of The Daily Gate city.
are served the full Leased wire ~.
Vice Of the United Press Association.
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-08-30
Changed Locations.

From Horns hall the lodge went to
the second floor of the Pond building
at Fifth and Main streets, now known
as the National bank building, and
here a decline continued upon the
order until they finally, whether from
compulsion caused by financial dis
tress or from choice, most likely the
former, they held their meetings in
the law office OF John e. Craig, on
Fifth street. Extravagant manage
ment, 1t is limited, brought on the de.
preston. Many OF the-members lost
their lodge interest and energy and
the lodge was reduced almost to the
extremity OF walking the ties" The
matter Of surrendering the charter
was much discussed and many OF the
members favored this proposition, but
there were a few staunch members,
loyal to the lodge and its purposes who
fought valiantly against the surrender
proposition and turned the tide. Har-
money to pay off the Indebtedness and
gave relief to the struggling members.
John E. Craig who was in the early
days of the organization four times
exalted ruler of the lodge, attended the
grand lodge on several occasions, de-
fraying his own expenses, because the
local lodge was not able to vote an APP
preparation for that purpose. These
were dark days for the Elks and 1t
was a mighty dry pasture they were
grazing on. The membership gradual
ly shrunk to membership roll of
only about thirty But CLEAN of sun
shine shone through the clouds and
the membership took on fresh cour-
age. Adversely strengthened them and
they abandoned the law Office lodge
room and secured hall up stairs in
the Craig building. Here they turned
over new leaf They began to pros
per little and changed their location
to the upper story of the Schlitz build
ing, then new brick structure at
Third and Johnson streets.
A fair proportion of prosperity must
have continued with them for in 1906
they took five year lease on hall
In the Gibbons opera house building
over the State Central Savings bank
and prospered wonderfully. In 1910
at the expiration of the term of the
lease they renewed 1t with another
five year term, and though this last
five year term is not half way expired,
they have moved out of the old house
and into the new, large, oommodious
modern home, a monument to their
taste, energy, ambition and liberality
and credit to the city Of Keokuk. The
building is not yet completed and has
not yet been dedicated, but they have
removed their belongings to it and
are using several of the rooms in the
unfinished building.
There may be larger buildings of the
kind in the state and more costly, but
In not another city Of the size OF Keo-
kuk in all the tri-states stands build
ing with more stately and artistic
walls or more commodious-a proud
TO the taste and culture OF
the membership of Keokuk lodge No
LOG, B. P. o. E., Sixth and Blondeau
streets.
Here the architect
Did not with curious skill pile erect
OF carved marble. touch or porphyry.
But built a house for hospitality;
No sumptuous chimney piece of shin
ing stone
invites the strangers eye to gaze upon,
And coldly entertain his sight: but
clear
And cheerful flames cherish and warm
him here
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-08-30
Tho erounu Floor.

Tho GROUND Floor.
IN the ground floor is located the
pubic cafe. 80 by 40 feet, in the cor
ner toward Sixth street. To this large
and finely-proportioned room there
IS an entrance from Sixth street and
another from the interior Of the build
ing.
Adjoining the public cafe is priv
ate dining room, 20x22 feet
At the rear of the building on the
Sixth street side Is the Elks dining
room which is 4ox42 feet in dimen.
sions This Is another large and at.
tractive room.
Between the Elks dining room and
the public cafe is the kitchen, furnish
ed with all the modern appliances and
utensils.
Besides these rooms on the ground
floor or basement is ladies' toilet. a
mems toilet, storage rooms and a
stairway leading to the story above.
Main or Club Room Floor.
The entrance to this floor is from
the front porch on Blondeau street
through a yestibule into a rotunda
~ IL feet In diameter which opens
into all the principal rooms on that
floor.
AT the left hand in the front is the
elegant ladies' parlor, 20x22 feet; fur
nished in style in keeping with its
intended use and the delightful sur
roundings.
On the opposite side of the front is
the mems parlor Of the same size,
20x22 feet appropriately and finely
furnished.
Back Of the mems parlor is the
writing room and an apartment for
the secretary's Office, both Of which
are bounteously supplied with all the
necessary material and every convent
ence.
Back of these is the billiard hall
roomy and we'll supplied with the
most approved tables and farther back
is the Dutch room with buffet.
Besides these several apartments
on this floor there are also the coat
room, toilet room, stair hall, stair to
ground floor and also to the lodge
room floor.
Lodge Room Floor.
i.
AT the landing of the lodge room
floor there is hall leading into tho
lodge room which is beautiful and
commodins apartment, very richly dec
grated and furnished, with an adjoln-
Ing anteroom and large and convent
ent property room.
AT the front of the building at the
left hand corner is the ladies' parlor
14kx21 feet with toilet room adjoin-
ing.
At the right hand corner of the
front Is a general parlor or the same
size, 141sx21 feet.
Connecting the two parlors named
above is a hall ten feet wide, leading
back to the stair hall and also open
ing onto the porch in front of the
building.
The Exterior.
The exterior of the building lis of
Purington repressed paving brick,
with Bedford. Indiana lime
stone The front porch on Blondeau
street is all stone, including cornice
and columns, with tile floor and mar
BILE steps The porch is IL feet in
depth and % feet in length.
In the middle of the front of the
building at the top is an emblematic
clock with the hands marking II
o'clock. Beneath this emblem are the
letters "B. P. o. E." The clock and let
ters are Of stone.
The stone trimming is the decora-
tive feature of the entire building
There is a stone base up to the top OF
the windows Of the ground story.
There is the large stone belt at the
line Of the lodge room floor and on
the plaster caps are strap ornaments
L. IA
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-08-30

David Barrie.
Lewis w, Klein.
Joseph w. Klein.
Morris Klein.
J. M. Casey.
D. R Craig.
John q. Craig.
J. w. Campbell.
James B. Diver.
Frank w. Davis.
w. P. Darwin.
Howard Elliott.
Charles Englehart.
Charles l.. Grice.
w. M. Goldsmith.
Frank w. Green.
]. w. Hutchinson.
Charles A. Hutchinson.
Andrew ]. Hardin.
John W. Hobbs.
Charles ID. Horton.
Joseph G. Hughes.
David @. Lowry.
Frank LeBron.
Alex McCrae.
Chas. W. Meade.
William G. Maxwell.
Chas. A. Pollock.
VIM. 8. Phillips.
Allan T. Paul.
Henry X. Pratt.
Louis e. Pollock.
Robt. S. Ransom.
Milton 3. Rice.
William f. Rush.
]. H. Sturgis. Jr.
Elmer e. Shelley.
William 8. Sample.
Charles D. Spence.
William Sinton.
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-08-30
keokuk Lodge No. 100, B. P. 0. E.

where the Elks and their invited
guests may make frequent pilgrimages
anu rest or banquet as they please in
quiet nook or commodious hall.
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-08-30
Lodge History.

Sometimes it falls to the lot of an
individual to play historian without
the proper data to form even brief
story. Facts and precision should
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-08-30
Past Excited Rulers.

Below are given the names Of the
living past exalted rulers of the Keo-
kuk lodge, who are still members OF
this lodge:
John d. Craig.
DR.. J. NJ. Shaffer.
Ed F. Kirchner.
James n. Roach
J. Ross Robertson
H. ]. Reeves
Ed f. Carter
Rice H, Bell
Leroy j. Wolf
James Cameron
VIM "a. Reimbold
Membership Roll
Following is the membership roll OF
the lodge:
H. c. Auwerda, Omaha, Nebr.
B. L. Auwerda
Charles S. Abel
A. D. Ayres
/. S. Ackley
Dan Agne
VIM NJ Ashcraft, Des Moines, La.
c, R. Adams, Burlington Ia.
Thomas w Agnew
G. r. Arlnentrout
Thomas Arnold, belmont, S. D.
c. F. Ackermcn. Warsaw, H.
Arthur ]. Anderson
D. j. Aston
] p Allen
Edward F. Anderson
Earl Anderson, Warsaw. I'll.
United labor bulletin., 1912-11-21
CONVENTION AGAINST
INJUNcrIoNs
A. F. Of L. Body Stands Behind Com.
pers, Mitchell and Morrison In
Contempt Prosecution.

| That the A. F. of l.. convention will
vote to continue the fight against the i'm
prisonment of Gompers, Mitchell and
Morrison by United States Judge Wright
at Washington for alleged contempt of
court in the Bucks stove case, was fore
shadowed in the report of the executive
council, says Max s. Hays, writing from
the convention.
The report gave an exhaustive history
of this celebrated case, which has been
in court for five years and made it plain
that the existence of organized labor was
largely at stake in this fight. The coun-
Gil claimed that the overwhelming ma
jority of the masses in America as well
as the press and people in many foreign
countries were in thorough sympathy
with labor in this test case to preserve
the rights of free speech and free press.
Government by injunction must CO."
is the slogan. Furthermore, it is highly
probable that the convention will go be-
yond this point and order that impeach-
ment proceedings be brought in the next
session of congress against !. Justice
Wright. The latter's action, which is
denounced as malicious persecution,
has given great impetus to the move
ment for the recall of judges, and bills
will be backed in the various legislative
bodies of the country during the coming
year ny lue idDOTluS peOplt W place re-
call laws upon the statute books.
The executive council denies that the
A. F. of l.. is opposed to Industrial
unionism and sharply criticized the To-
ledo, Ohio, metal trades council for cir
cularizing the country and attempting to
place the federation in false light. 1t
is fact that there is nothing in the
laws of the federation or it's procedure
in past conventions to prohibit interna-
tional and directly affiliated unions from
combining into a single Industrial body
whenever desirable. At present three
big international unions in the clothing
trades are negotiating to amalgamate
and many smaller organizations are do
ing likewise.
The efforts of Pacific coast city CEN
trail bodies to start a secession move
ment as an outcome of the war among
the electrical workers is being frowned
upon. 1t will be nipped in the bud be-
fore the convention is over.
United labor bulletin., 1912-11-21
METAL TRADES DEPARTMENT.

Rochester, N. Y.-The convention of
the Metal Trades department opened in
this city on November $ and concluded
its work the following day. The delibera-
tions of the convention were largely de-
voted to formulating plans whereby the
metal trades in various portions of the
country may be increased by the orgaE-
ization of the unorganized and also the
prosecution of a campaign to secure the
eight-hour work day wherever it is pos
sible to secure the same. The Los An
geles situation was thoroughly discussed,
and special efforts are to be made to
secure increased membership and effect
iveness on the entire Pacific coast. James
OConnell was reelected president:
Joseph Valentine, first vice president;
James w. Kline, second vice president;
Joseph F. Franklin. third vice president;
l. d. DAILY, fourth vice president; John
X. Alpine, fifth vice president; M. O'Sul-
Ivan, sixth vice president; A. ]. Berres,
secretary-treasurer. The offices of fifth
and sixth vice presidents were created
at this convention.
United labor bulletin., 1912-11-21
PERKY NEW IDAHO SENATOR.

Judge Kirkland l. Perky of Boise,
Idaho, was appointed United States SEN
ator Saturday by Governor Hawley to
succeed the late Weldon B. Hepburn,
deceased In an authorized statement
Governor Hawley says he abandoned
the plan to appoint himself because the
longer he considered the act the more
repulsive it became to him. and he
thought his intent would be miscon-
strued Judge Perky takes the seat OF
a man who was one of Iapor's strong
est opponents in the United States sen
ate Senator Hepburn took advantage
of every occasion to attack labor and its
representatives, as well as oppose those
principles for which labor stands.