Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1915-08-24
PYTH|ANSRETURNHOME
KNIGHTS LOUD IN PRAISE OF
ANNUAL CONVENTION.
Unique Crater Lake Scene of Much
Gayety in Which Dallasites
Take Part.

Members of the order of knights
of Pythias who attended the special
convention of Oregon Knights at Cra-
ter Lake last week have returned to
Dallas and are unanimous in their
praise of Talisman lodge at Medford,
but content to be back at home after
enjoying themselves to the utmost at
the convention. Knights who left
Dallas last week, representing Mar
mion lodge, were d. P. Patterson,
Lief Finseth, DR.. B. F. Butler, Judge
Belt, Fred West, Ben Werner and
Claire Snyder. Mr.. Snyder took the
knights rank on Wizard Island in
the lake on Wednesday morning. Ex-
pressions heard here upon the return
of the knights were many. "Southern
Oregon may be alright for those who
like it, but Dallas suits me pretty
well," was a remark many times re-
peated. And ~ haven't enjoyed such
an event in many years as did the.
convention at Crater Lake." was fire.
quently heard. All are singing prais-
es to the royal entertainment prepar-
ed by Talisman lodge and others of
Southern Oregon. Most of the Dallas
Iodgemen returned on Friday.
Knights began arriving at the lake
Monday. All day Tuesday there was
a steady stream of autos. The camp
was established under the hemlock
grove above the new hotel and Tues
day evening the commissary fed 800
knights. After dinner there was a
concert by the Medford band Then
the story of Damon and Pythias was
staged in natural amphitheater,
huge bonfires furnishing the light. A
dance in the newly completed assem-
bly, room of the new hotel, music be-
ing furnished by the band was great
ly enjoyed.
Wednesday morning the rank
team and the candidates were taken
by launch to Wizard Island, where in
the extinct crater, the grand lodge as
sembled and the initiation ceremonies
were concluded. In the evening there
was farewell dance at the hotel, af-
ter speeches by officers of the grand
lodge and visiting knights. Early
Thursday the return trip began, a
r 1~p for lunch being made at Pros
lNt.
Talisman lodge No. 80, Knights of
Pythias, deserves the congratulations
that it has been receiving for its en-
terprise and for its successful man
agement of the convention of
the great fraternal order. Perhaps
no lodge session was ever held in
more awe-inspiring surroundings or
on a more majestic spot; the crater
of an extinct volcano, the great cal
dron of a collapsed mountain now fill
ed with the beautiful blue waters of !
the world s unique lake.
Fully three hundred Knights were 4
well cared for in the encampment un- !
der giant hemlocks overlooking the {
lake and another hundred were shell
tered in the picturesque lodge now $
rapidly nearing completion. A hun |
1red automobiles were used in the !
of the visitors and not |
a note of discord marred the harmony Q
IF the occasion. Through the enter
prise of the Pythians, hundreds of a
persons viewed this wonderland of Il
nature that would never otherwise i
nave seen it and thousands have |
leard of it, wlfo would never other l
wise have noted it. For the first time !!
he music of a brass band echoed Il
lmong the majestic cliffs of Crater Il
lake and its melody foated over its Z
mystic water as humanity kept pace D
o the measured beat of the waltz. u
Tor the first time play was e
tagged under the thousand-year old
rees in the light of the blaze of fall tl
n logs in an amphitheater provided a
" nature. For the first time the L
ough unfinished rocks heard the SOL 7.
mn and inspiring words of the ritual b
,ased on human friendship. The first a
ime should by no means be the last. U
he example of the Pythians should
e followed by other lodges.