| Show f f 11 ru B rs a m if the anniversary celebrated IS AN EXTER SiVE eight brundred bftts in the untied aas md april 26 special this is the day that the odd fellows calebrais cale braie there are eight hundred of them in the united states a sixteenth of the entire adala population and today is the seventy eighth anniversary of iho founding of the independent ader it was on april 26 1819 that thomas wildey a young mechanic with a few others like minded braueht into into existence in Balti morey washington lodge jo 1 from that small beginning have grown the thousands of lodges now existing iu the united states together with the rebekah lodges tho women members of which number nearly a quarter of a million tha present value of real estate held by the order is over seventeen millions of dollars the abere gito renta received are three quarters qu aiters of a million and in benefits and aid to members the order expends over three and one half million dollars a year last year ahe revenues of the order was eight and one half mil liona order has numbered in its mem berehie bome of the most distinguished men in american history the late presidents grant hayes and garfield were odd fellows so was the late ciliax Coli ax former president is an odd fellow and EO is secretary of state john Sh ermac the anniversary will pe observed afternoon and evening by every lodge of the order in the united states in some towns the lodges will celebrate individually and in others they wil combine in parades professions processions process ions and public ezera ed |
