The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-06-20
COLORED PEOPLE
TO BUILD HOME
Plan IL Proposed for the Erection In
This City Of Building to be
Used by coiored Odd
Fellows.
WILL USE STOCK PLAN
Believed That With Help Of Both
Races, Memorial to coIored Men
May DO Erected In
This City.
WILL USE STOCK PLAN

Efforts are being made by the col
ored people of Iowa to establish a
fraternal headquarters in Keokul1
The Grand United Order of Odd Eel
lows, through George II. Woodson OF
Des Moines, who has been here for q
week, are working on plan for the
establishment Of such headquarters.
The plan has been given an impetus
through the presence OF Mr.. Wood.
ney of the Grand United Odd Fellows,
and who has been here on court mat
tiers involving the affairs of the as
sociation. which have been settled
outside OF court.
Mr. Woodson has made statement
regarding the proposed plan to
create building fund in which he
says.
The association was incorporated
October IS, 1888. and purchased the
property on Thirteenth and Main
streets for the establishment of
han and general meeting place for
the various branches OF the order.
The organization became involved
In litigation in 1910 and the matter
has remained in court for the last
SIX years and more, at great incon-
venfence and coats. The case has
has adopted a new set of bylaws and
q new constitution which will permit
the colored members of other benew
client and charitable organizations to
purchase stock in the organization at
$500 share, by signing the sub
scrfbers' contract and the payment
OF $1.0O down and s1.00 per week
until the full price of the share is
paid. when a stock certificate will De
duly signed and turned over to the
purchaser.
For convenience and safety, the
payments have been arranged at the
Keokuk National bank, where the as
sociation deposit book has been left
and all subscribers who pay at the
bank will receive a receipt for the
money they pay on their share OF
stock and the money will be credited
to the account of the organization.
Many Organizations Here.
Keokuk is known to have branches
of five Of the largest and greatest
fraternal and benevolent organize
lions in the United States, and there
may be others. The Free Mason, the
knights of Tabor, the United Broth
ers of Friendship. the knights OF
Pythias, and the Grand United Order
of Odd Fellows all have their ladies,
children and various departm ents
and degrees in this city and only one
of these orders. 80 far as we can
learn, have any ownership of real
estate, and only one other has any
permanent arrangement for its meet
ings and that is the U. B. f., whose
meeting place seems to have been ar
ranged and provided for by DR.. T. H.
Phillips in hall at his home on
Palean street.
So the urgent need Of fraterna
hall for the colored people of the city
is plainly apparent, and the associa-
ton is calling for three hundred SUBJ
scribers to raise the money to meet
this need. The white Odd Fellows,
Masons, K. of P's. and others may
Zoe counted on in the present as al
ways in the past, to assist with their
good offices, business experience and
financial aid. And If the colored
citizens interested in fraternal So
cieties will pull together and do
their duty, in less than six months
q thing OF beauty and usefulness Will
start to rise on the corner of Thir-
teenth and Main that will, in less
than twenty years, show a splendid,
modern three story building. cover
ing the entire lot, representing val
ne of not less than thirty thousand
dollars, and the progressive elements
of industry, character and thrift Of
the colored people as well as q fitting
tribute to the memory of Prince Hall
Moses Dixon, Peter Ogden and 9TH
ers. IL this effort shall fail, then
this property and all the time and
labor spent to create and preserve it
for the use of the colored people of
this city and state, is forever lost.
Messrs. Hughes & McCoid on one
side, and Messrs. Hollingsworth &
Blood on the other, following the
kindly suggestion of Judge Bank.
effected the compromise settlement
which takes this case out of court
and the association feels kindly and
thankful to all.