Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-05-05
100000 GUESTS
EXPECTED AT BIG
SHRINE MEETING
Buffalo Preparing For Annual
Convention of the Imperial
Council of Mobiles

ule imperial council OF mobiles OF the
Mystic Shrine has progressed to a
stage where officers of Ismailia tenn
pie of this city which is to act as
host are assured that not only will
the gathering be one of great maEni-
tude but also its stated events will be
moved with smoothness and precision.
/ George X Staples of this city. gen.
eral chairman of the convention COM
mittee, predicted today that upwards
Of 100000 visitors will be attracted by
the convention. Most of these will
be mobiles and their wives and fam
| lilies, coming from the 13s temples
of this country, Canada and Mexico.
Everything in connection with the
Shrine annual meeting looms big in
/ figures. The attendance will bring
a multitude of people together. The
uniformed patrols with their bands
will make a creditable army, nearly
5000 uniformed men and almost as
many bandsmen. The sums that will
be spent by visiting delegations on
/ their special train equipment, trav-
cling expenses and other. outlays will
run into the millions. Buffalo will
disburse n 100000 entertainment
.
spending $4,000 on a special train
! journey. The Chicago temple will
lease the largest passenger steamer
on the Great Lakes for the trip to Buff
falo, quarters while here and the re-
[ turn trip. The boat and supplies is
to cost it $4,000. Other temples from
various parts of North America have
equally elaborate plans for the 1916
/ pilgrimage.
Camels as Mascots
Many patrols will bring mascots
with them. one from the desert
region of the southwest will have a
flock of camels. That from FL Paso,
Ten, will bring 100 burros If the
Shriners from FL Paso can be pre-
vailed upon to do so they will ride the
| burros in the big parade of the ses-
sion, in which. it Is estimated, any
where from 10000 to $4,000 Shriners
will participate. A Calgary temple
has secured buffalo from one of the
few remaining herds, which happens
TO be owned in that locality. It will
be presented to the Buffalo zoo when
the convention is over. Represent
stiVes from the Shrine temple at
Honolulu will bring some animal typi-
cal of the Hawaiian islands. They
have written that it will be one suit
able for the ceremonial sessions Of
lsmailia temple of Buffalo and will
be donated to it, but that it isn't
goat.
All Hotel Space Leased
The imperial council session will be
held July II, II and 13. Most Of
the hotel space in Buffalo and at Nj
agara Falls which is a suburb con-
veniently reached. has been leased by
agents for visiting temples. Gen
eral Chairman Staples and Potentate
John T. Claris of the Buffalo Shrine,
however, have found that there is al
ways room for one more and are con-
tinuing to book accommodations for
visitors. Every effort is being made
by the arrangement committee to give
visitors suita BILE entertainment For
the patrols the 65th Regiment armory
has been secured and here the patrol
members will be quartered Just as il
they were troops billeted on the city.
A caterer will use the armory kitchen
in preparing meals. The armory will
he equipped with all the facilities of
an immense hotel This preparatory
work has been attended to by Capt
II. l. SaCkett of Ismailia Patrol and
he has sent to other patrol Comman-
ders assurances that their organiza-
tions will be we'll cared for. This
includes an elaborate entertainment
program as well as quartering. The
big event of this program is to he a
patrol banquet at which 5000 men
will be guests.
To Visit Training Camp.
For all Shriners, it is the hope of
the Buffalo hosts. arrangements will
be made for a visit to the Canadian
military training camp at Niagara on
the lake. This camp is within easy
reach of Buffalo. Negotiations with
the Canadian military authorities for
a suspension of the rigid rules against
visitors entering camp now are un-
der way. 1t also is expected that
the Niagara Falls power companies
which of late have been chary of ad-
mitting visitors to their underground
works will make provision for the
Shriners to inspect these great hydro
electric power houses during the i'm
perial council session.
The great mass of visitors will come
TO Buffalo on special trains. Many
of these will be parked in the city
for habitation purposes if travellers
on them prefer sleeping car quarters
to hotels. An advantageous parking
location has been secured by action
of the city, near the pumping station
with a fine view of Lake Erie It
is expected nearly 10000 persons will
be accommodated on the parked
trains.
BY Train and Auto.
From the east, New England. New
York city, Philadelphia and eastern
New York a great automobile tour to
the convention is being organized. In
this automobile parties from the sec
tions named will converge at Syracuse
so as to form a procession of We
hicles across the state and into Buff
falO. 1t is assured that upwards of
$500 automobiles will be in this tour,
making it the greatest automobile
event of its kind in the country's his
tory.
J. Putnam Stevens, imperial poten-
a a Of hf~iT T~nfI ~ al frr
days ago to his home in Portland,
Me, from a three months tour
through the United States and to the
Hawaiian islands, on which he Wis
tied many temples. He reported on
his return that the imperial council
session Of his usmmer gives every in
dication of being the greatest gath
ering ever held by any fraternal gath
ganization in the world.
Solving Unemployment Problems.
As regards unemployment there