Portage Township (part 2 of 2)

The Masonic order is well represented here with three lodges, one chapter, and one commandery, together with an Eastern Star Lodge for ladies.

Si. Joseph Lodge. No. 45, was Instituted hj charter in 1842, having worked two years previous under dispensation. The lodge has always been in a flourishing condition, and meets the first Monday in each month, at its hall in Lincoln Block, 118 Michigan street. The present officers are John E. Kelley, AV. M.; JohnW. Harbou, S. W.; John McBain, J. W.; Jasper E. Lewis, Sec; Ed. Nicar, Treas. ; John M. Smith, S. D. ; Frank Stimson, J. D. ; Geo. H. Alward, Tyler.

South Bend Lodge, No. 294, was instituted in 1863. It has regular meetings the first Friday in each month. Its present officers are Herbert S. Fassett, W. M.; Henry C. Knill, S. W.; Lewis T. Van Nest, J. W.; C. Sanders, Sec; J. A. Barnhart, Treas.; O. H. Palmer, S. D. ; Charles J. Smith, J. D. ; George Macomber, Tyler.

Germanta Lodge, No. 301, was instituted in 1862, and conducts the services in the German language. It has its regular meetings the first Thursday in each month. The present officers are John Klingel, W. M.; C. Iverson, S. W.; John Stefi'ens, J. W.; William Stacker, Sec; John Kleindinst, Treasurer.

History Of St. Joseph Countt

South Bend Comma ndery, No. 13, was instituted in 1866. It has regular meetings in their Asylum, at Masonic Hall, the first Tuesday in each month. Its officers are W. A. Foote, E. C. ; Edwin Nicar, Gen.; C. G. Conn, Capt. Gen.; J. II. Nevius, Prelate; Samuel T. Applegate, Treas.; James E. Mills, Recorder; William S. Saunders, S. W.; Henry Speth, J. W.; John Graveson, Sd. B.; F. M. Jackson, Sw. B.; A. N. Knapp, W. ; George Macomber, Sentinel.

Eastern. Star Lodge, No. 2, was instituted in 1871, and has regular meetings on the fourth Wednesday in each month. Its present officers are J. H. Nevius, W. P.; Mrs. C. N. Lawton, W. M.; Mrs. C. H. Underwood, A. M. ; Mrs. Helen Macomber, Sec.

Odd Fellows

South Bend Lodge, No. 29, was the first lodge of the order instituted here, its charter dating back to 1846. It now holds regular meetings in Odd Fellows Hall, every Wednesday evening. Its officers for the present term are George Ford, N. G. ; Jesse W. Jennings, Jr., V. G. ; Elias W. Hoover, Treas.; F. G. Brown, Rec. Sec; D. A. Newton, P. S.

Robert Blum Lodge, No. 278, was instituted in 1867, and has regular meetings every Thursday evening at 112 Michigan street. Its present officers are John Rupp, N. G.; Gnstav Ronaski, V. G.; Godfrey Poehlman, Treas.; Chris Neidman, R. S.; John Haslenger, P. S.

South Bend Encam2)ment, No. 9, was instituted in 1867. It holds its regular meetings the first and third Friday evenings of each month, at its hall, 7-4 Washington street. Its present officers areD. A. Newton, C. P.; Daniel Dayton, H. P.; Alfred Hall, Scribe; C. W. Martin, Treas.; Charles Kimball, S. W.; G. W. Sumption, J. W.

Knights Of Pythias

Crusade Lodge, No. 14, is the only representative of this order, and holds its regular meeting every Tuesday evening in Homer Block. Its present officers are L. A. Hull, P. C; John Steele, C.

Good Templars

The Independent Order of Good Templars is represented by Guiding Star Lodge. No. 371, which was chartered in 1866. Its officers are H. A. Weston, W. C. T.; Mrs. Eliza Ilain, W. V. T.; A. N. Weston. W. R. S.; Fred White, W. F. S.; George Frink, Treas. ; Eddie Spencer, W. M. ; Mrs. Emma Quick, W. I. G. ; Lewis AVebster, W. O. G.

German Societies

South Bend Turn- Veveln meets at Turner Hall the first and third Tuesdays in each month. George Rockstroh, Pres.; George K. Meyer, Vice- Pres.; Jacob P. Futter, Sec.

South Bend Maennerc/ior meet in their hall near the corner of Water and Sycamore streets, east side, the first Monday in each mouth. Henry Scliaal, Pres.; "William Schermann, Vice-Pres.; Robert Seifert, Sec.

Grand Army Of The Republic

This body meet at hall corner Washington and Michigan streets. Its present officers are Edwin Nicar, Post Com.; John Worley, Sr., V. C.; William Dodd, V. C; Herman Culver, Chap.; George W. Loughman, AY. E. Gorsuch, Q. M.; Dr. Daniel Dayton, Surgeon; A. T.Putnam, Officer of the Day; John Steele, Officer of the Guard; John J. Mayer, St. Major; Joseph Turnock, Q. M. Sergeant.

Pleiades Club

This club was organized in 1867 with seven members: hence its name. The membership was afterward largely increased, some of the most talented young gentlemen and ladies in the city becoming identified with it. The society was social in its nature, meeting at the private residences of one of their number and passing the time in social conversation, reading essays, and in music, both vocal and instrumental, declamations, recitations and orations. Sometime during the holidays of each year an entertainment was given, to which special invitations were extended to those they were desirous of having present. As an illustration the following programme of their annual entertainment is given:

This club was organized in lS7i, composed of ladies entirely, and devoted to the systematic study of art, literature, science and history. It has now about 20 members and is in a flourishing condition, meeting weekly. The ladies own a choice library, which is soon to be thrown open to the general public. The club is exerting a great influence upon society and awakening a strong interest in the "general and generous culture of the mind.

The first hotel opened in South Bend was that kept by Peter Johnson in 1831. Others were soon after opened, and the place has never lacked accommodations for the traveling public. At present there are three hotels that are first- class in their appointments, depending upon the traveling public for tlieir support. These are the Oliver House, situated on the corner of Main and "Washington streets, and under the management of Knight Brothers. This hotel was opened in 1879. The Grand Central, situated on Michigan street, Frank Knill, proprietor. The St. James, near the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern railroad depot. Besides these are the Kuntsraan House, Dwight House, South Bend House and Union House, all of which are patronized more by regular boarders than the traveling public.

Public Halls

South Bend has two' large public halls suitable for concerts, theatrical performances and other purposes: Good's Opera House, Washington street, opposite the Court House; and Price's Theatre, Michigan street.

Decoration Day

Annually, on the 30th day of May, are honor.=i paid by the living to the noble dead. On this day the widow and the orphan, the surviving comrades, citizens and friends, all gather together and with loving hands strew the graves of the lost ones with beautiful flowers. As illustrating how the day is observed in South Bend, and elsewhere in St. Joseph county, the following account of the services of May 30, 1879, is given - the one day being typical of each annual recurrence of the dav since the close of the war. Says the South Bend Trlhune :

"There could be no more appropriate time in all the year for strewing the graves of our fallen heroes with emblems of love and affection than this, when spring, stepping down the corridors of the seasons, with generous hands adds her rare blossoms to the bounteous wealth of summer's bloom. There is a time of year when we can find richer flowers, but this is the season of the simple wild fiowers and of the border beauties of the garden, and they, after all, better represent the simplicity and hardihood of the soldier's life, than the luxurious mid-summer roses.

" Vesterday, too, was as beautiful, blue-skyed, spring-tide a day as could have been wished. There was no lowering weather to interfere with the outward ceremon}' of the occasion. It was a day to bring thousands to see how the dead soldier is honored by his country and thereby emulate the youth of our land to those deeds of patriotism which make men true citizens of a republic.

"This day's ceremonies, originated so many years ago by that bluff, rough-riding soldier. General Logan, has taught us all, we believe, to give more thought to our dead. A glance through our own cemeterj' yesterday showed that loving hands had been busy all day placing floral offerings on the graves of children, husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, brotliers and sisters. There was not a grave whose inmate had a living friend or relative in our midst, but that friend had left some floral tokens on the grassy mound above. All honor to the day.

in South Bend was all that the most ardent lover of a soldier's memory could wish. Business was generally suspended during the afternoon, and several of the factories closed the entire day. Flags flouted, not only from most of the manufacturing establishments, but from many business houses and private residences. By every outward act was sliown the inner desire to make the day what it was designed to be - a day sacred to the soldier dead.

" Unusual care was taken this year for a proper observa.ice of the day, by the following committees: Executive - George Pfleger, Edwin Nicar, Wilbur Gorsuch; Finance - J. P. Creed, John w. Harbou; Music - A. B. Clifford; Speaker, etc. - A. N. Thomas, J. P. Creed, G. W. Loughman; Decorations, etc. - J. M. Pierce, Herman Culver, M. G. Huey; Marking graves - Wilbur Gorsuch, Hanford Koberts; Invitation - L. J. Ham, John G. Greenawalt, J. E. Gerhart; Flowers - G. B. Liebig, D. W. Gillen, N. J. Bernhard. These committees made the'most complete arrangements and prepared a programme which was faithfully carried out.

" Early in the forenoon people flocked into the city from every part of the county to witness or to participate in the ceremonies. Shortly after the noon hour crowds began to gather at the courthouse square, the front at which the procession was to form and march to the cemetery. By three o'clock the square was one mass of humanity, and in the streets about it were such throngs of vehicles as to fairly blockade the passages. At this hour the different organizations which were to march in procession began to file along the streets from their respective places of rendezvous and into the court-house square. They consisted of Anten Post of the G. A. R., the South Bend Encampment, the Knights of Pythias, of Mishawaka, the Knights of Pythias, of South Bend, and six hose companies of the Fire Department, the Relief Truck Company, the City Officials, the Polish Sunday-school, the South Bend Cornet Band, the Mechanics' Cornet Band, musical chorus, etc.

"Promptly at 3:30 o'clock the organization, marshaled by Capt. Joe Turnock, officer of the day, and his aids, Major O. S. Witherill and Lieut. J. G. Greenawalt, formed on "Washington street in the following order:

"Platoon of Police; South Bend Cornet Band; Officer of the day and Aids ; Auten Post, N"o. 17, G. A. E. and other honorably discharged soldiers and sailors; Speaker and Chaplain; Memorial Day Chorus; Polish Sunday-school; Mayor, Council and other City Officers; South Bend Fire Department; Mechanics' Cornet Band; South Bend Encampment, No. 9, I. O. 0. F.; South Bend Lodge, No. 29, I. O. O. F. ;' Mishawaka Lodge, K. P. ; Crusade Lodge, No. 14. K. P. ; Citizens in Carriages.

" The procession was the largest ever seen at any Decoration day ceremonies in this city, and as it passed up the center of Washington street presented a magnificent appearance. On each side the walks were lined its entire length with pedestrians, and the yards were filled with enthusiastic spectators.

" At the close of Mr. George's address a chorus, the words of which were written for this occasion b}' Judge T. G. Turner, of this city, were sung to the old and well-known melody of the ' Sweet By-and-by.' The piece was well rendered and the effect was grand. We also give Judge Turner's words entire: