The Lamar register., 1922-04-19
CORNER STONE OF ARMORY
Laid With Impressive Ceremonies by
The Grand Lodge of Masons of
Colorado on Monday,
Afternoon.

Cooper of the Colorado Grand Lodge
of Masons arrived in Lamar on Mon
day for the ceremony of laying the
corner stone of the new armory now
in course of construction for the pur-
pose of housing the two Lamar COM
panies of the National Guard and
their equipment The work of con-
structing the building is being rapidly
pushed by the contractors, the w. +.
McCue Mere. Co., and the time having
arrived for the laying of the corner
stone the military board Of the state
requested the Grand Lodge of Masons
to conduct the ceremonies.
The Grand Lodge was organized by
Grand Master with the members of
Lamar Lodge No. 80, A. F. e. A. NJ,
and visiting members of the order in
the city, and the following acted as
substitutes for the Grand Officers not
present:
j. A. Carrico, Deputy Grand Master.
TX. Doughty, Senior Grand Warden.
Herschel Horn, Junior Grand Warden.
l.. Writ Markham, Grand Treasurer.
C. C. Goodale, Grand Orator.
C. B. Thoman, Grand Lecturer.
Geo. B. Merrill, Senior Grand Deacon.
]. A. Downing, Junior Grand Deacon.
C. C. Huddleston, Senior Grand Stew
ard.
f. r. Jones, Junior Grand Steward.
A. N. Parrish, Grand Marshall.
l.. C. Elver, Grand Chaplin.
]. s. Hasty, Grand Tiler.
r. E. Eaton, Architect.
J. F. Keairns, Chas. A. Owen, J. 8.
McClung, Bearers Of Working Tools.
l.. M. Markham, s. s. Smith, ]. f.
Brownlee, Bearers of Vessels Of Con-
secration.
]. H. Wing. Bearer Of Great Lights.
The Grand Lodge was opened and
at two o'clock marched to the site of
the new armory where after singing
America" the deposit of records to
show the history of the date of the
laying Of the corner stone should it
ever be reopened was made. The de-
posit consisted of the names Of the
national, state, county and city Of
ficers, the school directory of the
county, copies of the local papers, the
roster of both Company E and the
Headquarters Company, the officers Of
the various Masonic grand bodies, and
Of the local fraternal bodies Of all
orders, and the Lions and Rotary
clubs; also the latest silver coins is
sued by the government. The stone
was then lowered and placed with the
Grand Masonic honors and the usual
impressive ceremonies.
The acting Grand Orator, Chas. C.
Goodale, then delivered the Grafton of
the day setting forth the history of
the organization of the national guard
company in Lamar years ago, its war
record and the development of the pre-
sent two companies, paying a well
merited tribute to the Lamar young
men who formed and maintained these
patriotic organizations. He explained
that this was the first state or gov
ernment building ever constructed in
Lamar, and marked a new epoch in
our growth and development. The
speaker drew a vivid picture Of the
raw prairie as it existed here SO years
ago just about month before the
town was plated; how it started with
the capture of the old railway station
at Blackwell on Sunday in May.
1886, and removed to the present rail-
road yard at Lamar on a day when it
was impossible to obtain an injunc-
ton; how the securing Of the land Of
flee, the cutting of old Bent county
and locating the county seat of Prov
ers county here were milestones in the
progress. Then came the drouth and
almost total eclipse Of the new city.
The next era opened with the develop
ment of the great irrigated area
around Lamar, and the result was the
securing Of what all believe to be the
greatest single step in Lamar's grow
tn. the Lamar flour mill. and Mr..
Goodale said it was pparticularly pleas