Knights Templar In Boston

Boston has just entertained one of the tinest bodies of organized raen ever gathered in the United Status in time of peace. The tri-ennial conclave of the Knig-üts Templar of America was held in that city of culture and baked beans a'nd the American Athenians were amply repaied for the elabórate preparations they made to entertain the ïSir Knights, of whoni over 30,000 had made the pilg-rimage to that oity. The first great feature ei the conclave after the arrival of the numerous commanderies was the parade, in which 25,000 Sir Knights participated. It is estimated that fully 500,000 people crowded the sti-eets of Boston to witness the grand pageant, and business was entirely suspended throughout the day. Boston has seldoin if ever been so elaborately decorated. Practically every building along the line of of inarch was clothed in color, with appropriate mottoes and emblems intertwined with streamers and bunting. As the marching columns passed the reviewing stands before the Most Eminent Grand Commander McCurdy, of Michigan, and Gov. Greenhalge, of Massachusetts, and before Chief Marshal Lawrence and Mayor Curtís, many of the commanderies executed intricate military evolutions which won the admiration of the thousands of spectators who witnessed them. Detroit commandery, as special escort to Most Eminent Grand Commander McCurdy, attracted much attention and was vociferously cheered as they executed many difficult evolutions. Ohio was well represented, having 17 commanderies in line. The exhibition drill, participated in by six of the best drilled commanderies of the country, was held at the League ball park and was witnessed by ixiany thousands. The six commanderies which drilled were from Washington, D. C, Troy, N. Y., Chicago, Louisville, Minneapolis and Detroit in the order named. All of them did good work, but when Detroit No. 1 marched out, with 48 men in line, and performed evolutions of a most intricate character with all the precisión of a machine, the cheers of the crowds were tremendous. In order to avoid jealousies no official judgement of the merits of the competing commanderies was given, but the universal opinión of all was that Detroit No. I was the finest drilled body of men ever seen in Boston The election of officers for the next three years resulted in the choice of Kight Eminent Sir Warren La Rue Thomas, of Kentucky, as most eminent grand coramander. - The other officers are: Deputy grand commander, Very Eminent Sir Reuben H. Lloyd, of San Francisco; grand generalissimo, Very Eminent Sir Henry B. Stoddard, of Texas; grand captain-general, Very Eminent Sir George M. Moulton, of Illinois; grand senior warden, Very Eminent Sir Henry W. Rugg, of Rhode Island; grand junior warden, Very Eminent Sir W. B. Melish, of Ohio; grand treasurer, Very Eminent Sir Wales Lines, of Connecticut; grand recorder, Eminent Sir W. II. May, of Missouri. The committee announced the next tri-ennial conclave would be held at Pittsburg in October, 1898.