The Denver star., 1915-08-07
COLUMBUS FOLK
are PROGRESSIVE
PythIins Solve Housing Prob
lem at Ohio Capital.
VICTORY FOR LOCAL ORDER

Supreme Lodge Entertainment Com
mittss Puts Quietus on Wild Rumor
Of Inadequate Accommodations For
Delegates and Visitors to Mammoth
Pythisn Encampmsnt In August.
Columbus.-The problem of securing
suficieDt homes and hotel accommo-
dations for the delegates and visitors
to the great meeting Of the Knights of
Pythias TO be held In this city in
August is rapidly being solved by the
supreme lodge local committee here.
The gathering marks the eighteenth bi-
ennial session Of the supreme lodge of
the Knights of Pythias of the World
and the eighth biennial session of the
encampment of the uniform rank de-
partment and also the sixteenth bien-
NAL session of the Supreme Court of
Calanthe.
The problem at first appeared a little
difficult 10 the executive committee. but
1t quickly decided upon a plan under
which, the city has been divided into
districts and two or three members Of
the committee assigned to work in
each district. AS a result OF this sys-
tenn, which has been operated with a
high degree of accuracy, accommoda-
tions for more than 1900 persons have
already been secured. The committee
is directing progressive campaign,
and records at headquarters show that
accommodations for more than 1900
rSanfNla Cd arlx- I,,p
Is. When the cards are all tabulated,
which are due TO be filed July 10 to
Is, homes for over 25,OOO persons will
have been listed.
The colored people of this city more
than nine years ago were able to ac
commodate adequately the b. NJ. c. "a
national organization of the Grand
United odd Fellows, which brought
to this city some 25.OOO or 10000 Wis
itors, although there were rumors then
that the coored people would not be
able to take care of such large con-
vendon. The colored citizens Of this
city 4 little less than seven years ago
accommodated the national Baptist
convention, the largest Of its kind
among our people.
The colored people of Columbus will
accommodate adequately and comfort
ably the Knights of Pythlas and the
membep of the Court Of Calanthe and
visitors, who will attend this conven-
ton. All Of the subordinate lodges
and courts OF Calanthe and the Colum-
bus chamber OF commerce have con-
tributed money to help make the su-
preme session and encampment a sue
cess. The colored people in general
are cooperating with the local COM
mittee in the furtherance Of the plan
OF making the session a successful one
The citizens committee, consisting Of
twenty-five prominent members of diff
ferent frHternal orders Of the city, who
are not members of the Knights Of
Fythias.s have accepted positions as
members of the citizens committee
and are cooperating daily with the e1-
ecutive committee.
When the h. NJ. c. and the national
Baptist convention convened in this
city several years ago, as has been re-
ferred to. the colored people OF this
city were not half as we'll prepared to
accommodate and entertain in the way
OF homes 10000 or $4,000 people as
they are today. 1t has been said that
II Is remarkable how during the past
few years the colored people OF this
city have acquired real estate and that
in large numbers and in locations
where they We're heretofore not known
to own property and therefore are pre-
pared to accommodate more satiSfac-
torily the many thousands of guests
who Will be in attendance at the com
ing X. of T. session.
The executive committee. however.
lit Ifs anxiety to be doubly assured
that II will have sufficient homes. Is al
ready arranging TO furnish and equip
two or three buildings for hotel pur-
heretofore been used for that purpose.
but which on account of business de
preston have been suspended. Mrs.
Mary Lee. who is in charge of the
,afeteria department Of the Spring
street branch of the Young Mems
Christian association. has been grant
ed permission by the committee OF
mana cement of the Spring street asso-
ciation to use the main auditorium for
dining purposes during the week of
the convention. More than 100 people
can be taken care Of at one time un-
der his new arrangement. Professor
j. II. Jackson, the executive secretary
of the Spring street branch of the
Young Mems Christian association. re-
ported that he will be able to accom-
modate some fifty or seventy five men
with rooms.
Special notice has been received by
the local committee that the Missouri
brigade uniform rank. over 700 strong
In a splendidly equipped special train