The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-04-02

ness and faithfulness with which the customs
business was transacted was always acknowl-
edged. He was glad to see the determined eff
forts to make Portland greater than before In
domitable perseverance cannot fail to bring
success. He spoke of the movements in pro-
gress for the increase of manufacturing, and
babe the people God speed. But said he, you
have still greater opportunities, and hope the
the time will soon come, when they will be
taken advantage Of
Mr. w. S. Dana, President of the Board of
Trade, was invited to speak in behalf of that
association. Mr.. Dana said he felt some EN-
barrassment in being brought forward as the
representative of body of men whom the city
of Portland were proud of; mon who had done
much to advance her interests. He spoke of
the present gathering as suspicious event,
and he hoped that the business men OF the
city might often be called together in a social
way and thus engender greater personal friend
ships and a more combined activity in the great
enterprises which are necessary to our prosperi-
| ty. ..t..
Mr.. A. II. Waite, President of the Maine
| Charitable Mechanic Association, was called to
speak for the organization, and expressed his
qualification at the completion of SO fine build
ing, which might be regarded as an indication
| of greater business prosperity of the city,
and in which all classes could not fail to par
tcipate. III.
| Hon. John Lynch, who had but just arrived
| from Washington, was next introduced. Being
weary with his long ride, Mr.. L. spoke briefly,
but in vein of humor He congratulated the
merchants of Portland on having the best Gus
tom House and the best Collector in the
country. He was glad to know that the affairs
of the office were administered to the satisfac-
ton of the department at Washington as they
were to the people of Portland.
Capt Dutton of the English steamship Prus-
sian, spoke of the new edifice as the most
chaste and one of the finest buildings for GUS
toms purposes that he had ever been in He
believed 1t would be found too small when Port
land shall have acquired the business that will
come when she has completed her great rail-
road enterprises already begun. He had visited
this port regularly for seventeen years and
spoke Of Portland harbor as the most accessible
and capaciOus on the Atlantic coast, and COM
plimented the citizens for their unvarying cour-
tesy and friendliness. Portland, he said, is
celebrated as being foremost in every good
work. in art, mechanics and manufactures.
Edward II. Elwell of the Transcript, respond
ed for the press in humorous and witty
strain, indulging in some "reminiscences of old
times to illustrate the former and present
methods and requirements of the business of
the port.
Gen. Anderson, speaking for the railroads,
remarked that the present meeting would be
productive of one good result; it showed the
necessity of some central and spacious apart
ment where the business men could assemble
regularly and talk over their varied and mutu-
al interests and their relations to the Site,
and he proposed to absorb the custom house for
that purpose. Speaking of the favorable loca-
ton of Portland, he said 1t was the point
through which the great Western cities ought
to receive large share of their importations,
and export their products; and that the time
will come only when we have afforded the facil-
tiles for communication which they require.
Mr.. j. H. Hamlen was called on to speak for
the lumber interest," and Mr. Kimbau for the
excursions officials, but neither gentlemen
was present. Nt
The company then, at the invitation of the
Collector, repaired to the warehouse in the base
ment where, I he said, there was some
goods in bond, which he proposed to have taken
out of bond and entered for consumption. The
apartment had been transformed into sump-
tuous banquet hall. The walls were hung with
American and foreign flags, intertwined, and
the ceiling was hidden by canopy of gay bunt-
ing and colored streamers, arranged with great
taste. Conspicuous in the decorations was the
flag of the celebrated rebel cruiser Tacony,
whose crew made havoc in our harbor in 1864
by the capture and destruction of this cutter
Caleb Gushing, and the capture Of the steamer
Chesapeake.
The table was elegantly disposed. On one
end was a.huge round of English beef with the
inscription Montreal Ocean Steamship Com
pany to u. S. Customs" At the other end a
huge ham from the same source, reposed as
an earnest of Success and Prosperity to Port
land" The intervening space was made beau
tiful with boquets Towering heaths, pyramids
of frnit, cake and fancy dishes, v~hilc the more
substantial articles of food were spread in gen
erous profusion. The divine blessing was asked
by Bishop Nicely, and the guests proceeded to
the pleasant duties assigned them. After half
an hour spent in the room, the company grad
ual!y diminished, and before eleven o'clock the
last guest had paid his parting respects to their
generous host and his assistants.
We may be allowed to remark here, that the
table, which showed such consummate skill in
furnishing and adorment, was arranged by Mr..
Charles Saunders of this CITY,
SAD ACCIDENT.-On Saturday last, two little
sons of Henry B. Walker, one of the select