Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-05-22
ONE HUNDRED YEARS.
The Centennial Celebration at Winthrop.
THE CELEBRATION Projected.

State of Massachusetts organized themselves
into a municipality under the name of win
throp," the citizens of that town conceived
the idea of celebrating the event in an ap-
propriate manner, by calling home her abb
sent sons "from far and from near" and unit
| ing in commemorative exercises. Accord
| ingly two or three months since, meeting OF
citizens was held and the preliminary steps
taken for carrying out the projected celebra-
ton. An executive committee was raised in
whose hands were placed the immense labor
of inaugurating plans and laying out the
work for the event that comes but once in a
a hundred years. This committee had the APP
pointment of committee of arrangements,
consisting of c. M. Bailey, E. p. Baker, and
c. A. Wing. These gentlemen had the ap-
pontment of sub committees. That all
worked together harmonously and success
fully, let the celebration of Saturday testify.
The DAY.
Saturday, the Goth inst, was the day Of the
anniversary, as on that day, one hundred
years ago, the first town-meeting was holden
in the new town of Winthrop. Winthrop
village was the place fixed upon for holding
the festivities. Not only have the citizens
been looking forward with pleasurable antici-
pations to the event, but many invited guests
who have no particular interest in the town
more than that naturally felt for prosperous
and enterprising sister municipality, had
voted Saturday as the day that they would
spend in ancient pond town." Therefore it
of the weather on Friday night should throw
cold water on the feelings of large number
of persons. But Providence, which in so
many cases appears to US as frowning, was
only dropping blessings upon us in the gentle
shower that laid the dust, washed the face of
nature and cleansed the atmosphere of all
impurities. Saturday morning was one of
rare beauty, cloudless and serene, the exhil-
Grating spring air giving life and vigor to ma
ture, animate and inanimate. The Winthrop
people needed not to be awakened by the
booming of cannon or the sharp tones of the
bell, for the young people of the Diff
ferent households made sleep uncomforta-
BILE to older eyes long before the advent of
daylight. They had not planned and cooked,
cut and made various articles of costumes to
appear in the procession, spent many days OF
hard toll in preparing all the details so that
there should be no jar in the ''good time COM
ing" to be deprived Of the enjoyment of the
best part of the day, by any morning maps.
| times, the little chores all done up, the chill
dren arranged in their regalias, the cattle
turned out to pasture, the house closed for
| the day and the word was forward march to
the village"
THE GATHERING.
At an early hour the people began to pour
into the village. They came in carriages
from Readfeld, Wayne, Manchester, Hal
lowell, Gardiner, Augusta, and all the region
round about Winthrop. 1t was an interest
ing spectacle to rise to some elevated place in
the highway, and observe the long lines of
teams and foot passengers vending their way
along the various roads leading into town.
The oldest and the youngest were there, none
were left behind. Business of all kinds was
suspended, and the hours of the anniversary
were given up entirely to the festivities and
enjoyment of the occasion. BY half-past eight
o'clock, the streets of Winthrop were filled
with moving mass Of humanity, and the cry
was, still they come. Some of the principal
stores and places of business were taste fully
decorated with flags and bunting, the whole
town seemed to have put on its best clothes,
and everything bore holiday aspect. But
private conveyances having done their best to
fill up the good old town, the iron horse now
came snorting in, bringing long and well filed
trains from Lewiston and Waterville and 9TH
er places on the line of the Maine Central.
BY ten o'clock there were between four and
five thousand persons in town either to take
part in or to witness the celebration.
A SALUTE
of 100 guns was fred at sunrise and one of
80 guns at sunset. The cannon used on the
city and was dextriously handled and without
an accident, by Mr.. E. p. Whiting, an old
and deserving soldier of the 9TH Maine bat
terry.
THE PROCESSION
was formed about ten o'clock, under the di-
rection of Col. C. A. Wing, Chief Marshal
of the day, assisted by his aids, Charles b.
Fllebrown, l.. p. Moody, b. S. Kelley and
A. c. Carr. 1t is proper here to say that to
the valuable services of Col. Wing, ably
seconded by his associates, are the citizens
largely indebted for the management of this
interesting part of the celebration. The pro-
cession was formed near the depot, in the
order as announced in the Daily Journal of
Thursday last.
We will give brief description of the diff
ferent departments of the procession:
An 18th century banner was borne by Isaac
Foster, lineal descendant of Capt Timothy
Foster, the first settler in town. He was fol-
lowed in carriages by f. l.. Norcross, the
oldest person in the procession, Capt Perley,
Benz. King, Mellen Marrow, Ezekiel Bailey,