The Portland daily press., 1872-01-31

| piece of musical and dramatic art, requiring
the drilling and costuming of over seventy per-
sons, but it resulted in a magnificent success
| The pieces were splendidly managed, and the
| scenes followed each other without any of those
| provoking stage-waits which professionals even
are fortunate if they can always avoid. The
music, all will admit we think, was good, the
solos, duets and trios being rendered with cor
| rect expression and clearness, and the choruses
| generally very well sustained and the acting of
more than ordinary excellence. Some of the
acts were pre-eminent in this respect; but it is
not our province to discriminate except SO far
as to say that the scenes where the varied cos
tunes OF the two parties were mingled together
on the stage, as in the fourth act, were espec-
tally brilliant and it is seldom that finer effects
are produced upon the ordinary stage. The
costumes also were good most of them elegant,
where elegance could properly be studied.
After the cantata, five sceues from Longfel-
lows 'Courtship of Miles Standish' were pre-
sented, beginning with Miles Standishs COM
mission of the delicate duty of a lover by proxy
to John Alden, and ending with the bridal of
John Alden and Priscilla. These were given
with fine dramatic action and careful reading
are to be congratulated for their faithful inter-
probation of the beautiful poem. That the
evening was fully enjoyed by the audience was
evident from their close attention and hearty
applause, some of the scenes in the cantata be-
ing repeated at their request.
The musicul direction of the evening was
with DR.. S. G. Fernald and the stage was un-
der the management of Mr.. Dwyer The Ia
dies who had given so much of their thought,
care and labor to the general arrangement are
no doubt rewarded by the knowledge that their
efforts are fully appreciated by the public. 1t
is worth while to remember, too, that the stage,
fixtures, scenery and mechanism belonging to
Post Bosworth, were invaluable The gentle
men of the post were unwearing in their eff
forts, and we hope that they will have many
calls for their beautiful little theatre
t
The EASTERN AND BOSTON & MAINE Con-
soLDATIoN.-An officer of one of these corpora
tions, gentleman thoroughly conversant with
the inside of the management, tells our infor-
mant that these corporations mean business in
their new move for consolidation which is now
pending in the Massachusetts Legislature. Last
year when the Boston and Maine was making
the proposition was favorably discussed but
nothing definite was arrived at. Now it is
deemed important and if the bill is secured will
be surely carried out. 1t is proposed, in case
the plan is successful, to discontinue the build
ing of the Boston & Maine extension from Ber-
wick Junction to this city, except SO far as en-:
tering this city, when the charter granted the
Boston and Maine last winter and its location
under the same will be accepted. This will be
done by extending the P S. & P. road. The
Maine Central will not favor the consolidation
of the Boston roads, for between the natural
emulation of the two competing roads, it has
been able to drive sharp trade, which it can
no longer do when both roads are managed by
one company. 1t is further predicted that the
Maine Central in the event of the Boston roads
accomplishing their purpose, will seek through
line Uia the Danyille and Gorham cut off which
they now fight. ~ b4 ES5 Is
MARGINAL WAY.-The contractors of the
Marginal Way, Messrs E. Moore & Co. are
pushing the work this winter and have made
good start on that part of it which they have
under contract. Their present contract re-
quires them to build the street from Goulds
Wharf in Back Cove to the Grand Trunk
bridge which is some five Thousand feet The
present width of the street will be forty-ive
feet, with an outside buk-head of pile work
and spruce plank to protect the earth from the
wash of the sea. The depth of the fill varies
from thirteen feet to sixteen feet, and it will
take one hundred and twenty thousand cubic
yards of earth to fill the street to it's present
width. The contractors are now at work filling
the street in these parts; on the north side of
Washington street between Tukey's bridge and
the Grand Trunk bridge; also on the south side
of Washington street and midway between
Gould's wharf and Tukey's bridge. At the lat
ter place they have very ingenious arrange
ment for moving the cars on an endless wire
rope, the full cars hauling the empty ones. 4
They have in use one of Southers steam excav-
ators, and can load three or four hundred of
their dump cars in a day, and are at present
running down some two hundred cars daily.
The earth is being taken from Munjoy Hill on
what is called the "city lot'' and whichlextends
from Washington street to the Promenade and
will give the city some 150,0 900 feet of land
which will be made available for building lots.
In the progress of the work North street willbe |
cut down to a true grade from the Eastern
Promenade to Walnut street, the cut at the
summit being about q feet
PREsENTATIoN.-A the last meeting of Port
land Division No. 95, Sons of Temperance, Mr..
Francis Lorng one of the Oldest and most ac-
tive members of the Division, who has been
through all the honors and is member of the
National Division, was presented with splen-
did National regalia by the members of the
Portland Division. The presentation was made
by Mr.. Henry Towle, who made some hand
some remarks. 1t was entirely unexpected by
Mr.. Loring, who knew nothing of the matter
until the regalia was presented to him, and so
unexpected was it that he could hardly control
his feelings so to respond to the presentation
remarks of Mr.. Towle. 1t was pleasant oc-
cason-as are all the meetings of this Divis-
ion-and every member was pleased that SO de-
serving gift had been made to SO deserving a
member.
WE would call the attention to the notice to
all persons interested in Homeopathy to be
found in another column. The Bostonians we
are informed are to have grand Fair in aid of
the Homeopathic Hospital, to be held there,
sometime in April. Numerous circulars re-
questing assistance from friends of the cause
everywhere have been circulated. New Hamp-
shire, and several towns in Maine have already
announced their intention of responding by fur
nishing special tables, and the Homeopathic
here are desirous that Portland should not be
behindhand in helping forward the good work.
1t is hoped that there will be a general response
to the call.
ENTERTAINMENT.-The grand musical and
dramatic entertainment at Grand Army Hall,
corner of Congress and Casco streets, this eve
ming promises to be unusually interesting. An
excellent bill is offered comprising the thrilling
temperance drama of "The Last Loaf and the
amusing farce of "That Rascal Pat" In ad-
dition to these attractions, there will be vocal
and instrumental music of the best character
The low price of admission and the superior at
fractions should ensure crowded house.
THE following petition has been prepared by
some of our most prominent citizens and will
be placed before the public for signatures 1t
is headed by Hon. Samuel E. Spring. The Pc
tition may be found at the Merchants Ex-
| change:
| To ,e Honorable, the Senate and the House of
Representatives IN Legislature assembled:
The undersigned citizens of Portland would
respectfully ask your honorable body to pass
law that shall be effectual to save this State