The Penn's Grove record., 1919-10-17

foundation of the civil laws OF the
State. Therefore. every citizen should
have a knowledge by reading it. The
testimony of an inffdel is worthless,
When the children of all ~nationalities
attend the public school the associa-
tions destroys social caste, race hatred
and religious prejudice.
Viola Council, No. 20, Jr. Order Amer
lean Mechanics, Penns Grove, was or
gained June 18th, 1878. The charter
members were Willard Shriner, Bur-
roughs L. Smith, Joseph Diver, William
Smith, Joseph r. Cross, Elwood Tussey'
Ernest E. Bright, Richard H. Layton
Frank F~eatherer, Howard Hewitt, VIM.
Higgins.
The Order has grown until it now has
1886 members. The present officers are
as follows:
Councillor, Milton H. Clair.
Vice Councillor, Willard Clair.
Secretary. Howard f. Dolbow.
Assistant Secretary, George w. Sher-
wood.
Financial Secretary, David P. Feath-
erer.
Treasurer, Harry L. B1ohn.
Conductor, Leon Harbeson.
Warden, Charles D. eterson.
Outside Sentinel, Henry Griffith.
Inside Sentinel, Clarence Stetser.
The wealth of the Order is SIS, 100000.
The only charter member living and
holding membership is Joseph Diver.
Viola Council has instituted at
Woodstown, Salem, PennsvilleJ and
Bridgeport. Twenty-Five members
were in the world war. Some went to
France. None were killed.
History of Junior Mechanics
The Junior Order United American
Mechanics was instituted in German
town. Pennsylvania, May 18th, 1858,
when twelve boys got together ana
formed Washington Council, No. l; this
Council is in fourishing shape, being
in existence to-day, bearing the same
name and number. At the time of the
institution of this Council it was agreed
that it would remain the head of the
Order until ten Councils had been m
stituted in Pennsylvania. When the
Councils were instituted the State
Council of Pennsylvania was instituted
in 1860.
The first Council in New Jersey was
instituted in February, 1866, and is still
known as Lincoln Council, No. /, OF
Camden. BY 1869 there were in New
Jersey ten Councils, as follows: No. l
in Camden, No. 2 in Camden, No. 3 in
Bridgeton; No. 4 in Phillipsburg; No. 5
in Mt. Holly; No. 6 in Trenton; No. 7 in
Newark; No. s in Millville; No. 8 in
Salem, and No. 10 in Elizabeth. These
ten Councils organized the State Coun-
ell of New Jersey in 1869, there being
present at this organization thirty-six
members of the respective Councils.
OF these thirty-six men but four remain
alive or in the Order. They are Chas.
l.. Eckert, of Newark; Joseph H. Shlnn,
of Germantown; Samuel Kirkbride, of
Asbury Park, and William II. Miers.
From a small beginning the Order
has fourished in fifty years to an or
ganization having in its membership
the influential and substantial citizen
ship of New Jersey, and numbers to-
day 1896 members, with a surplus IN
the combined Treasury of the Subor-
dinate Councils of $1,761, 303.96.
The Council held in Atlantic City last
week was the 50th annual State meeting.
William H. Miers, who has been state
Secretary for forty years, gave an IN
teresting report of the State Council as
follows:
During the fifty years of our eXis-
tence as an organization in this State
the past fiscal year is the first one That
we have gone behind financially. For
the fiscal year ending June goth, 1918,
the total worth of the Councils was
S1.778,S54.69. At the close of the hscal
year, June Goth, 1919, the total worth
of the Councils was $1,761, 303.96 show
ing a loss during the year of $17,35O.13'
During the past year two Counclls
have been consolidated and new Coun-
ell instituted. At the present time
there are 316 Councils in New Jersey.
The membership of the Order grew
during the past year from 70,S44 to
1896, 1851 members died during the
year, 1,777 were suspended and 2 ex-
PEELED, leaving a net membership OF
1883 June Goth, 1919, "a net increase
for the year of 1,109 members.
The fnancial statement shows a total
of receipts of S1,737,979.S2, and dis
bursements of $1,769,S0S.S7. The de-
tails of both these items are interest
ing. For instance, the receipts are
made up of $S03,941.52 received from
initiation fees, weekly dues, etc, $751;
269.32 from Funeral Benefits Associa-
tions: S210, 699.24 from investment re-
turns; s38,656.31 from interest or in
vestments, and $127,269.43 from
other sources. The Order paid out
during the year s187,756.00 for sick
benefits; $563,S42.00 for funeral bene-
fits: s22,3 06. so for wives funeral bene-