The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-11-21
ODD FELLOWS, FAIR.
Opening Of the Exhibition at City Hall
Fine Display of Usefal and Fancy Ar
tic1es-A Very Successful A fair Assured.

ters in the Harrington block, different ways
were suggested to raise funds to furnish the
rooms After several plans had been canvass
ed it was decided to hold grand Fair at City
Hall, to which all the members of the order
should be invited to contribute. This plan as
samed form some time in February, when a
general committee of arrangements was an
pointed from the several lodges and encamp-
ments to arrange for the Fair and to have the
general supervision of it. A committee was
also appointed to solicit contributions. How
well each of these committees has performed
its duties can be seen by glancing at the in
terror of City Hail. TIE time of holding the
Fair has been we'll chosen, and no one can
doubt of its success.
The Odd Fellows will occupy the entire third
and fourth SORES of the ne W Harrington block
In the third story is the large Sodge room, and
is 60x3S and q feet high; small lodge room is
40x27 and IA feet high; an Office for the Grand
Officers of the Grand Lodge and Encampment
aud the Secretary of the Odd Fellows Mutual
Relief Association Of Portland, besides Lii
brary and Reading room, and several commit
the rooms. In the fourth story is the Encamp-
ment Hail. being 49x32 and IA feet high, an
first of January the apartments will be ready
for occupancy, with the exception perhaps of
the large lodge room, in which the frescoing
may not be completed.
| These are the apartments which are to be
furnished by the proceeds of the Fair now in
session, and it is the intention Of the fraternity
that the furnishings shall be second to none in
New England 1t has been suggested that the
Order already have sufficient funds to furnish
| the halls, but it should be remember d that
| funds on hand were raised to assist sick and I'M
| fortunate members, and they are all needed for
that purpose. Thus this Fair is the only means
the Order have to raise several thousand dollars
for the furnishing Of their new roJms, and it is
hoped they will receive the support they so
richly deserve.
At2 O. clock yesterday afternoon the doors of
City Hall were thrown open to the public. The
general effect on entering the hall is very fine.
The walls have received just bunting enough to
take away the bare appearance, but not enough
| to give the impression that an attempt has been
m ade to disfigure the handsome hall with dirty
bunting. In the centre of the hall is a very
pretty candy and flower BOOTH from the top Of
which flies the American flag AS would be
expected this department. is presided over by
several CT the bandsomest girls in Portland.
| They have choice stock of candies and lots of
| flowers, just what is needed to make nice but
| ton hole boquet.
There are seven dffereat tables around the
| sides of the hall. To the left of the entrance
| is the general table, on which may be found
about everything used in housekeeping and
| many things besides. 1t would take something
| like one side of this paper to catalogue the art-
cles connected with this table AT the cad Of
| the hall there are two loaded tables, one be
| longing to the Encampments and the other to
Beacon Lodge. Each Of them are loaded with
| pretty things, which are to be sold at very low
| prices On the further side of the hall are the
tables of Maine, Ligonia a, Ancient Brothers and
| Ivy Lodges. The last namel lodge is made up
of the ladies belonging to the order. Their
| table is very prettiy arranged, handsome ivy
| running over the pink bunting above, forming
| the colors of the lodge, pink and Creep The
| banners of the several lodges are placed on the
gallery over the several tables The several
| lodges have We'd with each other in getting up
the best display, aud it would be difficult to say
which will bear off the palm. These tables
| like the flower booth, are presided over by
Portands handsomest ladies, who are as en-
| thusastic to make the affair success as their
| husbands and brothers Upon the stage is one
| of Leavitt's tents, which, no doubt, has some
| significance to the initiated. Deane Brothers
also make fine display of their furniture
which will no doubt be used in the new rooms.
In front of the stage is one of the neatest little
| apothecary stores to be found. 1t is replete
with all ''the articles usually found in drug
store" They have a very pretty pair of pre-
scription scales to be given to thu apothecary
who gets the most votes. Also pair of false
teeth for the person who needs them most, be-
sides other ARTICLES too numerous to mention.
| There are four sewing and one knitting machine
| to work 10 front of the stage, which are to be
ratified, they having been presented to the Fair
| They are the Wheeler & Wilson, Domestic, Da-
| Wis and Singer Near the door is the amusiDg
| post Office and the deceptive stock exchange,
| which will give one an idea of the excitement
| on Wall street, if he follows the directions and
| buys stocks
As usual at such fairs there are scores of
| young ladies, (Portland's Handsomely who are
| anxious to direct the steps of the young men
to some article to be ratified, and on which there
are but SO chances at % cents each. The man
| who escapes the vigil eyes of these maidens
/ should have chrome.
The Reception Hall is turned into one vast
dining hall, under the direction of Mr.. j. K.
Martin. who is assisted by large corps of pref
| ty walters. Beacon Lodge aud Portland En-
campment furnished the refreshments yester-
day, and they proved liberal providers Today
Maine Lodge will take its turn.
The display in the picture gallery is highly
meritorious one, the loan collection embracing
many excellent paintings from the walls of our
most liberal art patrons. Considering the brief
time given the result is extraordinarily good,
and though one misses some pictures which
| ought to be there, the merit of the display is
sufficiently marked and justifes long and care
| full study. The new room of the School Com
mittee by Rossini Hall, has been selected for
the exhibition, and has, under the excellent
taste and discriminating judgment of the
Messrs. Schumacher, been converted into an
attractive gallery, which no visitor to the Fair
shoald fail to see.
TIE collection is large one, and especially
strong in the representation of American art
lists, though there are some paintings from
over the water of striking merit. Portland's
own favorite artist, Brown, shows some of his
best work, and Champney, Ennecking, Norton,
Knapp, Sword and TAFT are all represented by
one or more pictures. Of foreign artists, the
names of Page, La Pre, Hubner, Lemaux, Les
sup. Toussant and Hagemaa are found in the
catalogue. The two Pages, from the collection
of Gen. Shepley, are the gems of the gallery.
Of the picture gallery there is more to be
said tomorrow. Meanwhile all who attend the
Fair will be wise not to neglect it, for it possess
SEES great merit and is the most attractive fea-
ture of the show. A word should be said in
praise of the admirable manner in which the
gallery is lighted.
Notwithstanding the inclemency of the wealth
er last evening there was quite good atten1-
ance but not the, crowd that will be in attend
ance in the future if the weather is more favor
able The attendants at the tables and also the
canvassers were busy ard We should judge
they did a thriving business Chambers Band
| was stationed in the gallery and furnished
| splendid music during the entire evening.
l Tho Fair will continua throuoh the weak,