The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1869-12-18

| ErIo ff,i..k Anniversary al Ms' q 0hh
| pu..ntrns n Carriage ManufaCtuser
Tst evening Mr.. John Russell, having COM
Melted the fiftieth anniversary of his starting
| in business as a carriage maker in Portland
celebrated it with dinner to his brother car
| rage makers in this city, at Barnums new
saloon, under Fluent's Hall. 1t may not be
unlnteresting to state that fifty years ago
Mr.. John Russell started in the carriage max
ing business in the building corner of Oak and
Congress streets. Seventy years ago was that
building constructed and has been occupied as
a carriage factory without interruption to the
present time. Mr.. John Russell himself some
time afterwards moved to the building he now
occupies on Casco street, while his brother
Joseph still continues the business at the old
stand.
After magnificent supper was discussed,
which was got up in Barnum's hest style, and
in which Mr.. b. fairly outdid himself, the gem
tlemen were called to order by Mr.. James Bal
ley.
Mr.. BAILEY said he was not apt to interest
an audience, which was received with much
amusement, for Mr.. Bailey. is very happy
presiding officer. There are but few OF us who
have seen fifty years of life like our friend
whose anniversary we celebrate here tonight.
He was born in 49, during the French Rev0.
luton and has lived to see our great struggle
for freedom happily ended. During that time
steam has revolutionized the world and the
telegraph has traversed seas and continents
All this time our friend has continued the even
tenor of his way and his business has attended
him. He has been worker all his life. He
commenced in moderate circumstances like
most of us. Through close attention to bust
ness and industry he has succeeded in bring
ing up large family and acquiring compe-
tency; but more than all this, he has attained
the name of an honest man. May the last
years of the life of the Nestor of the business,
surrounded by his children, be days of happi-
ness. He then read some valuable statistics,
which we shall publish Monday.
MIR. g. p. KIMBALL felt very glad to be one
of the carriage manufacturers, and to be able
to come here tonight and congratulate his old
friend Mr. RUSSELL man who came here fifty
years ago, pursued his business with such in
dustry, and even after he had gained a compe-
tency had such a love for his business that he
wished to continue. He thought that when
they remembered what constant looking after
the carriage business required and how Mr.
Russell had dignfied the business by his ap-
plicaton, he thought he was entitled to be
looked up to by them ALL They all loved him.
One thing pleased him in the meeting to-
night and that was he determined, and had
kept the determination, when he entered the
carriage business, never to get into controver-
sy with any one of his brother manufacturers,
and he believed there was not church in the
city where there was more kindly feeling be-
tween the brothers than between the carriage
makers of Portland. The carriage making
business is great business in Portland to-day,
and he believed that in the business 5000 0CO
year were paid out for labor. Now instead of
people going elsewhere for their carriages they
come to Portland for them. Put Portland
carriage alongside of New Haven OR Dele
carria0n Boston undpr the hamnar
to-day, and the Portland carriage will sell for
70 per cent. more, because Portland carriages
have got the reputation of being throughout
what they profess to be.
He reioiced that his dear friend Ruessell had
succeeded so well in life and that when he died
they would all say ga shining light had depart
Mr.. E. III. SWEET next favored the company
with his admirable rendering of Holmes "One
Horse Shay"
Mr.. A. F. CHASE said he felt delighted to be
able to congratulate his aged friend upon his
attaining the fftieth anniversary of his COM
mencing business, and spoke of his brother GO
ing out to Arkansas and the difficulties he had
to contend with to build up business there.
Mr.. j. NJ. KMBALL said he would like to see
all the carriage makers histories written up
He came here in 1854. What he passed through
would make quite little history. Only the
evening previous he had been reading the his
tory of coach building in the Encyclopedias
He then read some statistics on the subject
which he had copied and which proved highly
interesting He also extended to Mr.. Rus
sell his heartfelt congratulations on this occa-
sion.
Mr.. JOHN RUSSELL in reply, remarked that
he was extremely happy to see them all to-
night and trusted that the band of good fellow
ship and cordaty that existed among the
manufacturers would continue to remain I'M
broken, and that when they had all passed
away and the places that once knew them
should know them no more their descendants
would continue the same feelings of amnesty
and good will towards each other.
The party, which numbered some forty, and
represented all the different firms in the city,
connected with the different kinds of business
associated with the carriages, spent the rest of
the evening in social converse, and many were
the rare jokes cracked and good stories told
until the approach of midnight warned them
that an end must come to the pleasantest gath
ings. 1t was one of the pleasantest affairs it
has ever been our good fortune to attend.