The Washington times., 1923-05-02
SHRINE CARAVAN
ON ITS WAY To
CAPITAL
200 White Automobiles Leave
Oakland, CAL, on Trans
Continental Trip.

The host of Shrine visitors, which
will double the population of the
National Capital during the first
two weeks of June, has already
begun to move toward Washington.
More than 500 Shriners, compos-
ing the nucleus of the immense
transcontinental caravan, the great
est of it's kind in the history of the
world, are now actually en- route to
Washington from Oakland, CAL, in
200 dazzling white automobiles.
Though now only one day out
from San Francisco, the caravan
has already been increased by near
~ 100 cars from Stockton, Modesto
and Fresno.
Expect 10000 Cars in Line.
The caravan will be Joined daily
by increasingly large numbers of
cars as it crosses the continent
by the Southern route, so that more
than 10000 cars will be in line by
the time the column rolls into
Washington on June A, according to
estimates based upon figures re-
cefved by the Alnas Temple auto
mobile parking committee.
The caravan, led by Capt. Bernard
S. McMahan, pathfinder for the Ma
tional Shrine Touring Club, left
Oakland and San Francisco at noon
yesterday, following dedication of
the Pacific coast milestone, CORE.
spending to the zero milestone in
Washington.
Robert Warwick, the noted
actor, christened the big white
pilot car of Captain McMahan with
Pacific ocean water, Mayor Davie
and Congressman John H. McLaf-
fcrty taking part in the ceremony.
Spent Winter Here.
Captain McMahan and his big
pilot car are familiar sights in
Washington, Captain McMahan hav-
ing spent the winter in Washington
this year In preparation for the
trip, leaving Washington in the
middle of March for the Pacific
coast. He last year piloted the
first transcontinental caravan from
the White House May 1, 1922.
The War Department, interested
in the caravan movement as a
stimulus to highway development,
has appointed DIR. s. M. Johnson
to represent the department. DIR.
Johnson was in charge of the San
Francisco milestone dedication.
American Highway Educational
Bureau, of this city, is also accom-
panying Captain McMahan and is
making motion pictures of the trip.
Shriner Wild Bill Child, of
Reno, Is one Of the picturesque
figures accompanying the caravan.
Entertained In Stockton.
, The caravan was entertained at
dinner and theater party by the
Stockton patrol of Ben Ali Temple
last night at Stockton, Calf, the
first stop. Ben Ali Temple is the
youngest in the Shrine, having been
authorized last year. 1t is the
only one created during the admin
1stration of Imperial Potentate
James S. McCandless, who will be
the man OF the hour in the coming
session
The caravan stopped for break
fast with Shriners at Modesto this
morning and for lunch at Fresno,
according to kilograms received
here today.
Ihe campaign to clean up Wash
lngton in preparation for the decor
atom or the CITY, which is to be
completed by Decoration Day, May
30, is to be pushed through the
pubic schools, according to plans
under way today.
superintendent of Schools Frank
W. Ballou has been asked to an
lhorlze the writing by all public
school and high school students of
essays on THE City Beautiful" as
q stimulus to the cleanup plan.
This work will also be pushed
through the medium Of every
church, fraternal organization, civic
ana business body in the District.
George Pitt, chairman of Commits
sloner Cuno H. Rudolph's subcom-
mittee on The City Beautiful, Is in
charge of the work.
one hundred per cent decoration
or the downtown section of the citv
was assured in reports made by the
chairmen for each block of the
business section at a meeting of the
cltlzens decorations committee, Chas.
J. Columbus, chairman. last night
In the Homer building.
Plans Shrine PostOffice.
A feature of the decorations asked
by the committee in the residential
sections will be the lighting of porch
lights on every dwelling in the city
so equipped during the nights of the
session.
Postmaster General New has au-
thorized Postmaster "Bill" Mooney,
who took office yesterday Is post.
master Of Washington, to establish
a special Shrine postoffice and as
many branch stations as may be
necessary for the convenience Of the
visitors. Wagons. similar to those
used at Christmas time, will be used
to visit the various Shrine headquar-
ters
Those addressing mail to Shriners
in Washington are asked to put the
word "Shriner" prominently on the
envelope and to specify the name of
the visitors home temple, If pos
sible.