The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-02-06
MATTERS In MAINF
The Court House Dedication.
Dedication of the New Court HOuse-A
Citizen who Remembers his Neighbors-
Interesting Exercises-The Legislature
at SkOwheSan, Etc.
Especial to Press.l


SKowHEGAN, Feb. 5.-The new Court House
built by the muniflcence of Hon. Abner Co.
| burn, was to-day formally presented to the
county. Despite the almost impossible condi-
ton of the roads, owing to the late storm, a
large crowd of people were in attendance. A
special train left Augusta at 1920 a. m, with
three cars, filled mostly with members IF the
Legislature. Upon the arrival of the train at
Skowhegan, the visitors were met at the depot
by citizens and provided with en- ertainment.
Hon, Hiram Knowlton had charge of the gen.
eral arrangements and everything was done to
perfection. At o'clock p. M, the Court
House was crowded with people, hundreds be-
ing unable to obtain admittance. The veneer
able ex Governor Coburn occupied the judges
chair and upon his entrance was Loudly APP
plauded VIM. Fulsom, esq, chairman of the
Committee on the part of the Somerset Bar,
presided. After prayer by Rev. Webster Wood
bury of Skowhegan, and music by the Skowhe-
gan Band, Gov. Coburn arose and said:
l have been wishing for sometime past to do
something for the county. The necessity for
new county building presented to me a suit
able opportunity to crafty my wishes, so l
gave contract for suitable building to be
erected, which | now offer for your acceptance
If you think it suitable you may can
Gel the bond and place it in the county
archives. IT not, you may return it to me in or
der to make this a full surrender on my part
1 now present you with all the keys belonging
to the building.
This announcement was received with en-
thusiastic applause.
Hon. S. r. Walton, chairman of the County
Commissioners, in behalf of the county, re-
ceved the keys and cancelled the contract.
III sold. Al A..
Lifcent.structure shall stand or one stone of
this house remain upon another, may it re-
main a monument Of your generosity to the
people of Somerset county,"
After music, the assembly adjourned to Co.
| large crowd of people. The hall will seat 1900
people and was filled in few minutes to over
| flowing Col A. w Wildes called the assembly
to order and spoke in praise of the public spirit
| always exhibited by the brothers Abner aud
| Philander Coburn. After excellent music by
| Morrison's Orchestra, Col Wides introduced
| Senator Webb of Kennebec, as the first speak
er. He referred to the muni6cence of the gift
| as unchallenged in the history of the State, to
| his generosity to Colby University and ascribed
| tie present prosperous condition of that insti-
| tuition to the generosity and influence of Gov.
| Coburn He referred to the fact that through
| this gentleman the college was thrown open to
both sexes. Mr.. Webb then alluded to the
history of the Bar in the State. The first law
yer who ever practiced in the State of Maine
was William Gushing, who became a Judge of
| the S. j. Court of this State, Chief Justice of
Massachusetts, and Associate Justice of the
| Supreme Court of the United States. He re-
| ferred to the en- inent lawyers who practiced in
the old conrt house of this county, and closed
with an eloquent eulogy on Gov. Coburn. He
was followed by Hon. N. Hobbs of North Der.
wick, Hon. L. A.sEmery of Ellsworth, Col D.
W. Spaulding of Richmond, Hon. j. c. Talbot
of East l,achias, w. J. Copeland, esq.,, of Ber-
wick W. p. Whitehouse, esq.,, of Augusta and
P, e. Keegan, esq.,, of Madawaska. Letters
were read from Judges Danforth and DECKER
| son.
The new Court House is built of brick with
| granite trimmings, and is so by so feet 1t
stands ON elevated ground on High street, and
from the base to the top of the vane it is 1913
feet; the depth of the basement story is 10
feet; the first story is Is feet; the second % -
| feet. and the whole is surmounted with hip
roof and dome. The dome is GA feet high, oc-
tagonal. The roof is slated from the Madison
| quarry Water and steam pipes extend through.
| out the building, The first floor is occupied by
Register of Deeds, Clerk of Courts, witness
room, County Commissioners room, Probate
| Court room, and Grand Jury room These
rooms are finished in chestnut and present a
remarkably neat and tasty appearance. In the
corridor is inserted iu the wall tablet of mar
BILE with the following inscription: Erected
and presented to the County of Somerset, by
Hon. Abner Coburn, A. d. 1873, under the SUI
pervlsion or Jonn nusseii, 3. Is. " alton, II. Il.
Pratt, County Commissioners; c. f. Douglass,
architect; Foster & Button, builders"
On the second floor are the Library room,
Jury rooms and the Court room, one of the, if
not the, finest rooms of the kind in the State.
The ceilings of the entire building are richly
frescoed. The building is a present to the
County from Hon. Abner Coburn, and cost
$4,000.
| About six o'clock the members of the Somer-
set Bar, with invited guests, about one hundred
in all. sat down to an deliberately gotten up
supper at the Turner House. In the evening
vocal and instrumental concert was given at
Coburn Hall to a crowded house, after which
dancing was the programme. The members OF
the press are greatly indebted to w. X. Moody
of the Somerset Reporter for courteses shown