The Portland daily press., 1874-11-17
PREsUMPsCOT PARK.
A Deficiency Amply Supplied.

cnarter I0f an ASSOCIATION W NC Cdieu tHe Ic
sumpscot Park Association, having for its OBJ
ject the purchase and preparation of grounds
to be used for agricultural exhibitions. The
charter was granted, but the association die
not organize under it and it lay unused unit
this fall While the Forest City Park was
available there was no pressing need for new
one, though that possessed many defects and
was hardly adequate to the wants of our state
and New England agricultural societies. When
that park was sold and converted to business
purposes, Portland was entirely destitute OF
any grounds to offer to the agricultural societies
which naturally sought this city as the most
profitable point at which to hold their exhibit
tions. At this juncture the gentlemen who
had obtained the charter for the Presampscot
Park Association undertook to supply the de-
| ficiency. A thorough examination was made
of all eligible sites in the vicinity of the city,
| and finally spot was found in Deering which
seemed to combine all the requisites OF such a
park. 1t was but a mile and q half from the
| city, was easy of access, being but about forty
| rods from the line of the horse railroad and
| short distance from the steam cars at Wood
fori's Corner; it was level or nearly so, and
| there was an abundance of water easily OBJ.
tainable. The lot contained twenty nine acres,
grounds, and could be had of Hon. F. 0. j.
| Smith, its owner, together with the hotel upon
it, for the reasonable sum of $4,000.
Having fixed upon this site as the most elig-
ible in the vicinity, the next step was to obtain
subscriptions sufficient to purchase the lot and
| put it in suitable condition DR.. S. H. Tewks-
bury undertook this work and without much
much difficulty $4,000, the authorized cap
ital of the association, were raised, most of it
from prominent business men In this city,
Among the largest contributors were the Horse
Railroad Company, DR.. Tewksbury, Deering
& Millken, F. o. j. Smith, Charles r. Milf
ken, G. P. Kimbal, Mayor Wescott, D. Fl. In
graham w. H. Anderson, Phnney & Jackson,
owner of Mystic Park.
The amount raised, the land was purchased
and the work of putting it in proper condition
commenced. The undertaking was somewhat
formidable. The land was covered with trees
and bushes, and water stood upon it in some
places to a considerable depth. Ground was
broken the 25th of September. After it was
cleared up it became necessary to drain it and
for this purpose 5000 feet of stone and tile
drains We're laid, converting the swampy waste
into dry and hard tract of land. The work
of building the track then commenced. 1t was
laid out on the Wilkes plan, half mile in
length and sixty feet wide on the home stretch
and forty on the back stretch. 1t is built of
sandy loan, which will make compact and
at the same time elastic track, thus obviating
the injurious effects which the hard, unyielding
surface of the old Forest City Park produced
upon the horses which trotted over it. Owing
to the sloping nature of the ground considera-
bic grading was necessary, which was done in
an efficient manner under the supervision of
Mr.. Geo. f. Hitchings, the well known rail-
road contractor Within the track the ground
has been leveled and rolled, will be, for base
ball ground. The grand stand will be built in
the spring, and will be covered building, pro-
vided with private boxes and furnished with
all the convenences found in such structures
on the best.parks in the country Opposite the
grand stand will be a stand for the judges and
reporters. The whole park and fair grounds
will be enclosed in the spring with fence six
feet in height. A road has been opened from
the grounds to Pleasant street, through which
the horse railroad extends. Near the course
reservoir Is feet by IL feet has been built, and
will furnish an ample supply of water. The
hotel has been thoroughly renovated and leased
to Mr.. Frank Foss, late of the Cape Cottage.
About % acres are occupied for the race
course and its appurtenances. The remaining
seven or eight acres are reserved for the exhi-
bition of neat stock at agricultural fairs
The amount of work done may be inferred
from the number of men employed and the
amount of wages paid weekly. The force of
laborers has numbered from 60 to 100 day,
and the pay-role has averaged from 500 to
| $1,000 week. Last Saturday, when the work
| for the fall was about concluded, nearly $4,000
were paid out to the workmen-so that twill
| be seen that this work has furnished support to
| large number of laborers in dull season.
| But little more work remains to be done. Of
| course under the action of the frost and rain
the track will settle some, and considerable
grading will be necessary in the spring. Sheds
and fences will have to be erected then also,
| but the bulk of the work is finished and paid
for, and some money remains in the treasury,
though mora will have to be raised to put the
park in frstclass condition.
The work has been under the superintendent.
cy of Col. George w. Kicker, who has given
his efficient services without money and with
| out price,
| The gentlemen interested in this have no
doubt their investment will prove paying one
| They have no doubt but Agricultural Societies
will seek this city as favorable point at which
to hold their exhibitions in the future as they
would in the past, had there been suitable
| grounds, and already negotiations are pending
with some of the most prominent of these So
cieties.for holding their exhibitions here mex
summer. Then, too, the land has risen for gen.
eral purposes enough to more than pay for the
outlay upon it, SO that in any event the enter
| prise cannot be attended with loss.
| The Association under whose auspices the
| park has been constructed was organized in
September last, with the following officers:
Presidents. 81. Tewksbury.
| Vice President-WiliamG G. Davis.
Treasurer-D. Ii. Ingraham.
| Clerk-John G. Small.
Directors-S. Fl. Tewksbury. Geo. r. Hitch
| ngs, Geo. Burnham, Jr., C.. r. Milliken, w.
| G. Davis, Amm Whitney, Isaac jackson, j.
| w. Lane, j. F. Libby.
Executive Committees. H. Tewksbury, G..
| +. Htchings, w. II. Williken.
The MUsEUM-The audience at the Museum
last night was only fair. Red lights, steam
boat explosions, desperate combats with glitter
| ing knives and a general din and confusion