The Portland daily press., 1874-12-02
The Reception at Worces.
ter.
A Plenty of Dinner and o Plenty Of
Speeches.
Especial to the Press,1

WORCESTER, Dec. This morning, at a
o'clock our train rolled out of the Grand Trunk
depot amid the cheers of the people on the
platform and the sound of exploding torpe-
does, driving across the Marginal Way to the
Portland and Rochester depot At that station
the number of passengerslwas largely increased
At 8 o'clock the train started, having on board
about seventy-five gentlemen, representing the
City Government, Board of Trade, together
with public officers and of the different railroad
and steamboat lines centering in the city. At
the different stations along the road the num-
Der was augmented by prominent citizens. 1t
was very jovial party and when at Rochester
a car was attached to the train, wherein was
spread substantial lunch, sent down as a
compliment by the citizens of Worcester, the
spirits Of the company rose and they proceeded
to that car and gave thanks.
The ride was very pleasant The road was
found to be in good condition, the cars good,
the company pleasant and good fellowship the
order of the day. After six hours ride the
train arrived at Worcester where the party
disembarked and were received by Mayor Davis
and members of the City Government of this
were driven about the city for two hours, get
ting good view Of the good streets, large and
commodious workshops and elegant residences.
Arriving at the Bay State House at o'clock,
the party disembarked and began preparing for
the banquet. While this was going on quiet
reception was being held in No. 16, where gen.
tlemen from the two cities were introduced to
each other and exchanged courtesies. At half
past five the line of march was taken up for
the dining hall, where the feast was spread.
Four tables ran the whole length of the hall,
along which the mingled citizens of Worcester
and Portland were seated, while at the head Of
the hall sat Mayor Davis, at his left ex-Gov.
Alex. Bullock, and at his right Mayor Wescott
of Portland, and on either side of these Hon.
George w. Woodman of the Portland Board
of Trade, and H. L. Moen of the Worcester
Board of Trade. Close attention was paid to
the dinner for an hour and then Mayor Davis
called the company to ordsr. His speech or
welcome was eloquent and hearty, and was re-
lowed by ex.Gov. Bullock in an eloquent
speech in which he alluded to the pleasing fact
that the Worcester cais can now get to Port
land without having to pay toll at Boston, and
occupying oaly five hours when it used to take
eleven.
Hon John Lynch followed, and enlarged up
on the facilities of Portland and Maine.
Col. Waters of Groton,a director of the Wor-
cester & Nashua road, spoke of the inception
of the new road aud its progress.
Hon. Geo. w. Woodman then followed with
a plea for Portland.
Gen. S. j. Anderson made one of his elo-
quent speeches, abiding to the early struggles
of the Portland & Rochester and to the father
ly care of the Hon. Chas. @. Clapp. who did SO
much for the road, and closed with hoping
soon to see the Worcester people in Portland.
Mr.. Lincoln, Vice President of the Boston &
Albany railroad, was the next speaker, who
said that his road had nothing but kind wishes
for the new enterprise.
Hon. w. w. Thomas of Portland, Chas. A.
Sweet of Buffalo, A. H. Dunlap of Nashua,
VIM. D. Hilton, late Of the Providence & Wor-
cester railroad, N. D. Whitehouse of Roches-
ter, and others made short speeches.
AS whole the exercises were of the most
gratifying character, and the friendships formed
can but result in the mutual good of the two
cities and the towns all along the line.
The City Government of Worcester and the
Board of Trade spared no efforts to make the
excursion pleasant one to their guests. The
supper was an elegant affair. At one end of the
dining hall the word Portland was inscribed in
evergreen letters. and at the other, Worcester.
The exercises closed at about o'clock, and the
return train left the city at 81 o'clock. A large
number staid ever.
Many prominent gentlemen from Portland,
Worcester and places along the line of the road
and different parts of New England are pres
ent. s.
1.-THE train arrived in this city at $40 this
norning]