The Coconino sun., 1919-07-11


 of the State of Washington said:
 "The Elks'- fund thus provided is the first instance of the kind in the history of the country where great patriotic fraternal organization has come to the aid of the government in so timely, helpful and substantial a manner"
 Commander Booths Appreciation
 Recently, when the Salvation Army was entering upon a drive for $13,- OO0,OO0, Grand Exalted Ruler Camp bell officially directed that all Elks subordinate lodges lend their support to this undertaking. In many cities the Elks took entire charge of the drive. In all of the cities in which Elks lodges are located-nearly 300 in number-they were among the leaders in the organized effort to put the funds across. Commander Evan geline c. Booth has personally thank ed the Elks through the Grand Lodge for what they have done for the Sal vation Army during the period of the war. Without the help of the Elks," she says, "the Salvation Army could not have made the success it did at the battle front"
 It is a matter of record that through the subordinate Elks lodges members of the order have subscrib- ed for five million dollars of Liberty Victory bonds; they have given over three hundred thousand dollars to the Red Cross, more than hundred thou sand to the Y. M. c. A., and more than million dollars to various other war charities.
 Humble Beginning of the Elks
 The Benevolent and Protective Or der of Elks, with a membership of today of approximately 550,000, whose subordinate lodges span the country from coast to coast and reach from Skagway, Alaska, to Honolulu and Manila, had very humble beginning in an attic of a cheap boarding house in New York City about the close of the year 1867. The moving spirit of the gathering of half dozen actors who got together on a few Sunday afternoons for purely social purposes, was young English music hall sing CT named Vivian-Charles Algernon Sidney Vivian, as he was christened. He landed in this country on Friday, November l5, 1867, coming on an English trading vessel from South ampton.
 Being of convivial habits, Vivian soon was the center of a group of seven or eight fellow spirits with mu- sical and theatrical connections who sought relief from the rather strict excise laws of the day in New York. At these attic gatherings an outsider was occasionally invited in, with the request that he bring with him cork, each one present being similarly pro- vided. A simple cork trick would be proposed, the loser to provide the re- treatments. The newcomer was in- variably the loser, and his payment for the refreshments constituted his initiation fee into the club, which be- came known as the "Jolly Corks."
 Selection of the Name "Elks"
 Before leaving England Vivian was identified with the Royal and Ante diluvian Order of Buffaloes," with a long and illustrious history and the names of kings and queens on it's roster. In 1866 he had listened to Charles Dickens deliver a lecture on the subject of a Benevolent and Prevalent Charity Fund" which he afterwards confessed had left its im- pression on him. This may have had something to do with an early prac- tice of the "Jolly Corks" for raising $5 to S10 by assessment, to be sent to some ill or needy associate. About this time a committee was appointed to draw up a constitution for ''ben- evolent order" and Vivian was its first signer.
 Early in 1868 it was decided to give the organization new name. A com- mittee was appointed for this purpose, consisting of George F. Mcdonald, chairman, William Sheppard, Charles A. g. Vivian, Edgar N. Platt, and Thomas G. Riggs. This committee followed up it's investigations in books on natural history by visit to Bar num's Museum near Broadway and Ann street. It is of record that Viv- ian stood for the name Buffalo" but voted to make unanimous the selection of the name "Elks" when it was shown that the Elk is distinguished for fleetness and for timidity at any wrong doing, and that the animal avoids all combat save in the defense of its weak and young and helpless, and the female of it's species. It was the aptness of this simile with the ideals of the development of the or der that put the final confirmation and approval on the word "Elk."
 Vivian Recognized Founder of Order
 Vivian was the son of clergyman of the Church of England and was born in Exeter, Devonshire, October %, 1S42. He died in Leadville, Colo, March 20. 1880, of pneumonia, after a short life time of many theatrical vicissitudes, ranging from touring with his own company to being stranded in Denver, penniless. His grave, unmarked save for a message scratched with some hard instrument in pine board at its head. rested undisturbed until on April 28, 1889, the order exhumed the remains and I placed them in Elks Rest, Mt Hope l Cemetery, Boston. There, on a mass i've, irregular boulder in whose face [ fhat1 ,ts Ia. ~1nNa .,. xa,,e