The Calumet news., 1912-08-07
ISHPEMING WANTS IT, BUT
LAURIUM HAS PRIOR CLAIM
COPPER COUNTRY SUPPo RT
SOUGHT FOR 1914 PYTHIAN
CONVENTION.

In 1914 there viii be two important
Knights of Pythias conventions held
In the state of Michigan, at which the
fiftieth anniversary Of the founding OF
the order win be celebrated. one OF
these gatherings will be held i'm the
upper peninsula ana viii be in charge
of the Upper Peninsula league of the
Knights OF Pythias. Zenith lodge of
lshpeming is out for the honor of en-
tertainlng the upper peninsula Pyth-
ians for the semi centennial gather
ing and has issued letters TO the vari-
Gus lodges of the order i'm the iron and
copper countries seeking support for
it's claim at the annual meeting OF the
league to be held at Marquette next
year. Among the reasons given by
Zenith lodge why It should be selected
as the meeting place are that il has
the largest lodge of knights of Pyth-
las i'm point of numbers i'm the upper
peninsula, that its membership en-
braces the best and most representa-
tive men of the community; that the
entire community. irrespective Of lodge
membership, unites in extending the
invitation. that it's location is central
ia the upper peninsula and that they
have plenty of automobiles, splendid
streets. fine country roads, pure wa
ter and air and other things that will
appeal.
Furthermore the claim is advanced
by Zenith lodge that Ishpeming was
the birthplace of the Pythian league,
which was formally organized there
ir 1904, and viii be ten years old in
1914, making The selection of Ishpem-
inc was the birthplace of the Pyth-
ian league. which was formally or
ganized there in 1904, and viii be ten
years old in 1914, making the selection
of Ishpemng particularly appropriate.
Some local Pythians dispute the claim
of Ishpeming in this regard, stating
that the league had its inception at a
meeting i'm Houghton in 1908, at which
delegates and members OF the copper
country lodges. at the suggestion of
Fred W. Taylor got together and out
llned plan for the league, and ar
ranged to meet in Ishpemlng the fol-
lowing year for final organization.
Laurium Has Prior Claim.
1t is generally understood among
copper country Pythians who attend
ed the league meeting last June at
Munislng that Laurium has a prior
claim on the convention of 1914, hav-
ing put in a bid ana it being general
| ~ conceded that the honor Of the
meeting i'm the semi centennial year
should 90 to Laurium. II was with
this end in view that A. G. Caldwell
of I.aulum lodge was elected vice
president this year, in order that he
might be advanced to the presidency
al the Marquette convention next year
ard preside over the session of the
! 1914 meeting. Victor A. Fredd OF Han
cock was in line for the presidency
but as Hancock was not seeking "a
entertain the convention and Laurium
! vas. at his suggestion consideration
of his name was dropped and MI
Caldwell was chosen.
The best argument advanced in sup
port of the holding OF the Hftieth an
niversary meeting i'm the copper coun-
try is that II is the birthplace of Pyth-
ianism and an excursion 10 the old
Rathbone schoohouse at Eagle Har-
Dor would be feature that would be
especially appropriate and would at
tract hundreds of Knights of Pythias.