The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1871-07-28
The Rutland Railway Harbor Excursion
and Clam Bake.

A more favorable morning for large harbor
party never dawned than yesterday. The rain
had cleared the atmosphere and tempered tue
heat of an unclouded sun, and the projectors
of the days festivities congratulated them
selves and their friends upon the bright aus.
pices for a season of enjoyment. An hour be-
fore the time of departure people began to
gather at Atlantic wharf, and by ten O clock
the crowd of carriages and people on foot had
grown to large proportions. The crowd in
cluded all OF the distinguished gentlemen who
had come from other States to participate in
the railroad conference of the previous day,
and the tLrOng was augmented by hundreds of
ladies and gentlemen OF Portland and numer-
GUS summer travellers who sought the oppOr-
tunity to see all they could of the reported
beauty of Casco Bay and taste genuine Down
East clam-bake. When the steamer left the
wharf it was estimated that 1900 people were
on board; but we think that the figures were
somewhat exaggerated. The Montreal was
comfortably full, and yet there was scope and
verge enough for the people to go hither and
thither without difficulty. The route was
down the inside passage, by Clapboard Island
and Falmouth Foreside, around Great Che
beague and Sturdivant's Island, up to Ever
green Landing, at the lower end of Peaks
Island. Here the party disembarked little
before o'clock and gathered in the vicinity of
the smoking Pile which James freeman had
erected on the upland Lot far from the shore.
An attempt was made to collect the people
around the speakers stand to listen to some
orations, but it failed. Baked Deans, brown
bread, coffee and other good things OF this de-
scription we're more attractive, and the supply
of Beverly esculents diminished rapidly. Halt
an hour afterwar the sea-weed was raked
off the stones, and the people were invited
to partaks. 1t was splendid bake and large
enough for more people than were pres
emit. A hundred bushels of clans and oys-
tiers, two hundred dozen of eggs and 600 lob
sters with potatoes ad libituna, composed the
savory dish, while the accompanying condi-
ments, with bread, tea, coffee, ice water and
lemonade sufficient for the occasion were not
wanting. Most of the people then went their
Own way for enjoyment, but q considerable
company gathered in front of the speakers
stand. John A. Poor, Esq, presided, and
calle upon Hon. John Lynch. M. G. from the
1st Maine District, who, he said, would speak
for Congress, as they we're beyond the iuris-
diction of the Mayor of the city and Gov
ernOr of the State Mr.. Lynch responded |
in pleasant vein, welcoming the represen-
tat:ves of the interior and the West to the |
advantages of the harbor and the open sea |
beyond. Mayor Klngsbury followed, and was |
succeeded by Judge Allen of New York, |
who remarked that his high anticipations |
of the extent, beauty and value of Port |
land harbor, formed by reading and parole |
testimony were weak with the realities of this /
days experience. Hon. Eugene Pringle of |
Michigan expressed similar sentiments and |
invited the people of Maine to come to his |
State, where the would find hearty welcome, |
and receive, il not clam-bake, the best that |
the West offered. Capt j. B. Coyle, Presi- |
dent of the Portland Steam Packet Co., hui
defended steamboat enterprises
They had had to compete with railroads, but |
had never been vanquished. They operated |
On plane where tracks might be duplicated, |
and quadrupled with immunity, and |
there was no danger of telescoping cars.
At o'clock the steamer Express arrived, |
loaded as full as she could hold, with the rear /
guard of the expedition, whom we lett on the
ground; aud at 8 80 the Montreal left the /
sland on her return to the city Out through
he White Head Passage and in again by the
ship channel, the boat went, the swell outside
Of Cushing's Island stirring the emotions of
some of the ladies, but not enough to hurt
them; and at oclock precisely the boat made
Fast to her wharf and the large party dispersed
with expressed or deep felt thanks for. the
pleasures of the day. --.sT.e
The route Of the steamer was laid out by
Capt. Coyle, and it gave our visitors a fair
dea of our harbor And there were some peo-
Die of Maine, frequent visitors (by land) to
Portland, who realized for the first time that
Portland harbor is not confined to the sheet OF
water that lies in front of the wharves. Our
Western friends were surprised to nd a land
ocked basin of moro than fifteen miles in ex-
ent, well protected from storms and defended
" Notifications, with an abundance of water
anywhere for vessels of the greatest draft, and
numerous openings to the ocean beyond. AS
Mayor Kingsbury remarked in his speech,
we have presented you to-day the
trongest argument possible for another rail-
Dad connection between Portland and the
West; SO we believe, the force of the argument
vas seen and confessed.