Dade County FlArchives History - Books .....Lodges, Trade Unions And Other Organizations, Chapter 5 1925
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Book Title: Historical Sketches And Sidelights Of Miami, Florida

CHAPTER V
LODGES, TRADE UNIONS AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS

   MIAMI'S numerous fraternal organizations have in a large measure contributed
to the high moral standard of the community. Their tenets being non-sectarian,
their disciples find a common source of moral inspiration. The lodge influence
is conducive to church affiliation. It binds heterogeneous groups into common
brotherhoods. Their neophytes are not required to renounce their cherished
religious ideals. They are taught the golden rule, the universal adoption of
which will banish bigotry, racial antagonism and intolerance.

   These fraternal orders, like the community churches, stand as a bulwark to
civilization. The doctrines inculcated in their adherents tend to
self-repression and to mutual benevolence. However, like all human institutions
the lodge is often profaned through the careless admission of those whose
motives in joining are questionable. Such members not infrequently abuse their
privilege of passing upon the eligibility of worthy applicants by causing their
rejection. These offenders are in a large measure responsible for the gradual
withdrawal from active service in the lodges of tried and conservative members
whose fidelity to their tenets is unimpeachable, as a result of which some
secret societies are becoming discredited and remain unsought by those who are
too sensitive to risk being "blackballed." In spite of these imperfections,
however, the fraternal order like the church will continue to contribute to the
moral uplift of mankind.

   Miami became noted for its secret society propensities even prior to its
incorporation as a municipality. The initial agitation in this direction
emanated from a small but active group of Knights of Pythias. The next order
prominently spoken of was the Odd Fellows. These were followed by efforts to
organize Trade Unions, Woodmen of the World, and finally a Masonic Lodge was
organized.

   While this agitation was fomenting, an A.P.A. society (American Protective
Association) was unobtrusively formed; but it failed to take root in a community
which was destined to develop on broad American principles under which bigotry
and intolerance could not thrive. It was fortunate for the community that the
membership roll of that radical organization included some true patriotic
American citizens who joined without knowledge as to its true objective. After
taking the oath of the order, however, they continued their affiliation and
served as a deterrent force against drastic and un-American methods, which were
attempted to be employed by the organizer of Miami's first but short-lived
secret society in the execution of his questionable designs.

   The Carpenters' Union was the first trade organization in Miami. Among its
leaders were the late B. Sutton, the late Arthur Weaver, W. E. Glenn, J. F.
Coleman, Charles Brady, W. A. Mitchel, Charles Mann, Bill Thorn, the late Pete
Ryan, R. L. Osborn, W. E. Collins, John Whitney and M. J. Ryan. This was
followed by other trade organizations and their influence soon made itself felt
in the life of our little community.

   The prevailing wage scale for mechanics had been materially raised and the
hours of labor shortened. Our merchants were warned against carrying articles
not made in union shops. This intensive activity excited unfavorable comment
among those who were directly affected by the new regime. However, this
condition was soon accepted as inevitable and things ran along smoothly, until
the zeal of the professional labor agitators carried them to excesses, which
resulted in temporary suspension of building operations.

   In this, too, Miami was fortunate. The true union leaders, having made this
town their permanent home, became imbued with the town's boosting spirit and
refrained from joining the radical element in attempted unjustifiable strikes or
other labor disturbances. Some of the pioneer labor leaders eventually became
employers of labor and were instrumental in the propagation of friendly
relations between employers and employees. This feeling of mutual consideration
proved a highly efficacious aid to the conservative element of organized labor
in keeping the town free from destructive strikes.

   In the summer of 1896 a small group of Masons had assembled in a loft above a
hardware store, which was located in the center of the block on South Miami
Avenue between First and Second streets, and proceeded to organize a lodge of
Free and Accepted Masons. The leaders in this movement were Rev. W. W. Faris,
the late Dr. J. M. Jackson, the late Dr. W. S. Graham and the late George C. Friar.

   This lodge was operated under dispensation until January 19, 1898, when it
received its charter from the Florida grand lodge. Upon the receipt of the
charter the late Dr. J. M. Jackson, who acted as Master under the dispensation,
was the unanimous choice for Worshipful Master; the late Geo. C. Friar, Senior
Warden; the late Dr. W. S. Graham, Junior Warden. The lodge was named Biscayne
Bay Lodge, No. 124. This lodge has been functioning continuously until the
present day. Its successive Masters are as follows: the late Dr. J. M. Jackson,
1898; Rev. W. W. Faris, 1899-1900; Dr. Gillespie Enloe, 1901-1902; Z. T.
Merritt, 1902-1903; F. B. Stoneman, 1904-1909; the late F. G. Erfert, 1910-1911;
W. H. McDonald, 1912; the late C. F. Filer, 1913; the late James T. Sanders,
1914; G. H. Clop ton, 1915; W. Cecil Watson, 1916; J. P. Knight, 1917; R. M.
Dillon, 1918-1919; DeVyr Freeman, 1920; W. F. DeLaney, 1921; Russell Hand, 1922;
J. D. Frazier, 1923; and William Strahn, 1924 (the writer attended the
organization meeting).

   The following is a complete list of the charter members of Biscayne Bay
Lodge, No. 124: the late Dr. J. M. Jackson, the late Geo. C. Friar, the late Dr.
W. S. Graham, Isidor Cohen, William D. Archer, Smiley A. Baker, Robert M. Brown,
Cornelius C. Cutrell, the late Adam Corell, Joseph S. Chase, the late John
Douglas, Rev. W. W. Faris, Alexander L. Gravelle, J. M. Grayson, the late Jas.
W. Jackson, Jacob T. Johnson, Frank M. Kushe, Thomas D. Newman, John Omweg, the
late Samuel H. Pollock, the late J. I. Turnage, William Varnadoe, H. A. Braddock
(entered apprentice), the late Geo. W. Woodall (fellow craft), the late J. H.
Hays (fellow craft), J. W. Johnson (entered apprentice), and John Dewey (entered
apprentice).

  "Masonic charity," which is the corner stone of the Masonic fraternity, has
been exemplified in this city, not only for the benefit of the elect, but for
the general community whenever an opportunity presented itself. True to Masonic
traditions, Biscayne Bay lodge steered clear from politics and from all other
activities not germane to Masonic aspirations. This, also, applies to the
several offsprings of the mother lodge now functioning in this city and adjacent
territory.

   The year 1904 marks the beginning of the transition period of Miami's first
Masonic Lodge. In that year Frank B. Stoneman was elected Worshipful Master and
served with distinction for six consecutive terms. During his administration the
membership had shown a remarkably rapid increase, and the lodge became an
important factor in the progress of the city. There appeared a decided
improvement in the social relations of its numerous members who had been given
frequent opportunity to cultivate mutual friendships at the social sessions
which followed the convocations of the lodge. Mr. Stoneman, through his
influence with his brethren, has been instrumental in the rehabilitation of many
families and the preservation of the integrity of many individuals.

   Another fraternal order which has contributed to the city's social progress
is the Miami Lodge of Elks. This lodge has been instituted in 1905. For a number
of years its club room was located in the Townley building. In 1910 the lodge
had acquired its present valuable location (corner Flagler Street and Northeast
Third Avenue) where a modern club building was erected. In 1923 the edifice was
remodeled and the ground floor commercialized, making it yield sufficient
revenue which, with the accretion of membership dues, takes care of its bonded
indebtedness and provides a sinking fund for the lodge's ministration to the needy.

   Miami Lodge, No. 948, B.P.O.E., is noted for its practical charities and
unheralded relief work among its members as well as non-members. It is also
commended for its tolerance, as revealed by its roster which includes men of
diverse faiths. One of its chief tenets is the inculcation of patriotism. This
is accentuated in the initiatory ceremonials in which Old Glory is the most
prominent feature.

   This fraternal order is also noted for its ingenious devices employed in the
promotion of social diversion for its members and their friends. Its frequent
initiatory ceremonials are looked forward to with joyous anticipation (not by
the candidates). The local lodge occupies a prominent position in the state
organization as indicated by the election of two of its members, at various
periods, as state president, namely, Gus A. Mills and George A. McKinnon.

   The following members served terms as Exalted Ruler: W. M. Brown, 1905-1907;
John B. Reilly, 1908; George A. McKinnon, 1909; A. J. Kolb, 1910; John C.
Abernathy, 1911; T. H. Bogue, 1912; J. N. Jones, 1913; J. A. Conrad, 1914; W. S.
Gramling, 1915; S. M. Tatum, 1916; V. G. Farr, 1917; Chas. A. Mills, 1918; the
late Don Ferris, 1919; Fred W. Pine, 1919; Edwin N. Belcher, 1920; Geo. F.
Holly, 1921; W. F. Blanton, 1922; and David J. Hefernan, 1923-1924. L. F.
McCready is repeatedly elected to the office of secretary.

   Among the organizations that have passed out of Miami's history after
accomplishing the purpose for which they had been formed, the "North Miami
Improvement Association," has, in no inconsiderable degree, contributed to the
community's progress. That organization was composed of boosters who had arrived
in Miami following the agitation incident to the Everglades-reclamation project.
Among its active members, the writer recalls Frank Baker, Percy Threadgill,
Horace W. Scott, Sam T. Young, Phillip Clarkson, John E. Holland, J. H. Meyer
and Eugene C. Stahl.

   Upon the extension of its usefulness beyond the locality which it had set out
to boost, a number of older settlers became identified with that organization;
among them R. E. Hall, who was one of its delegates who attended the
Philadelphia convention of the "Atlantic Deeper Waterways Association," in 1916,
which held its following convention in the city of Miami. The presence in this
city of its president, Congressman J. Hampton Moore, had furthered the interests
of Miami Harbor.

   The "North Miami Improvement Association" was instrumental in giving Miami
and Dade County very valuable publicity through its creditable Dade County
agricultural exhibit in the city of Philadelphia. It has also been instrumental
in the eventual widening of some of the arteries of traffic in the northern
section of the city. That booster club had functioned, rather aggressively, in
the period between 1915-1917, when it frequently clashed with the Miami Chamber
of Commerce.

   In keeping with the general progress of the city, its diverse philanthropic
agencies and eleemosynary institutions have been relieved of their financial
problems through the adoption of the community-chest method of collection and
distribution of funds. The Miami Community Chest Association has been organized
in the month of April, 1924; and it has done away with the necessity for
individual fund-raising campaigns by the various welfare organziations. It has
also solved the problem of meeting the growing demands for relief without
duplication of effort and wastage as was frequently the case in the unsystematic
treatment of applications for help.

   The Community Chest Association acts as the exchequer for all of Miami's
welfare societies. After receiving their respective budgets for the ensuing year
it sets out to raise the required total amount through public subscription. It
employs a paid secretary who, under the supervision of an Executive Board,
composed of eleven citizens, administers the fund and is the connecting link in
the chain of Chest units.

   The Executive Board is composed of the following personnel: Chairman, E. B.
Douglas, J. E. Junkin, Sr., Marcus Milam, John B. Orr, T. J. Pancoast, Judge F.
B. Stoneman, Rev. Robert T. Phillips, Clifford H. Reeder, Mrs. Mamie Terrell, R.
M. Price, treasurer, and the writer, secretary of the Executive Board. The
administration office is in charge of Miss Mary C. Raymond, Executive Secretary.

   The preliminary work in the adoption of the Community-Chest system has been
performed by Paul R. Scott and Rev. Robert T. Phillips, representatives of the
Miami Kiwanis Club. The Miami Rotary Club has contributed in a large measure to
the success of this enterprise. The combined budget of the Chest units amounted
to $127,281.83. This sum had been raised in a campaign lasting three days. The
teams of workers, under the general supervision of R. B. Burdine, were headed by
the following citizens: A. J. Riach, C. A. Mills, Hamilton Michael-son, John B.
Orr, Dan Hardie, John T. Weathers, Hamilton Hopkins, Geo. C. Stembler, F. G.
Railey, Mrs. C. E. Dunway and Miss Lulu McLendon. The budget committee was
composed of the following personnel: J. E. Lummus, James H. Gilman, C. D.
Leffler and J. I. Wilson. The motto of the Community Chest is "One Cause, One
Campaign, One Community."


Additional Comments:

Extracted from:

HISTORICAL SKETCHES AND SIDELIGHTS OF MIAMI, FLORIDA
BY ISIDOR COHEN

MIAMI
PRIVATELY PRINTED

1925

Copyright, 1925,
By ISIDOR COHEN,
MIAMI, FLORIDA

PRINTED IN THE U. S. A. 
UNIVERSITY PRESS, CAMBRIDGE, MASS.


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