The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-09-08
AN EARNEST OF NEXT MON
DAYS VICTORY.


out door display. At shutdown few clouds
came up to hide the moon and stars, thus CIV
ing the torches monopoly of the business of
lighting up one of the brightest scenes ever
seen in campaign in this state.
The arrangements were carefully prepared
and as carefully executed. To handle 5000 men
arriving from all directions is no easy matter,
but Gen. Beal and his staff performed this
difficult duty without single mishap
All day yesterday the several committees hav-
Ing the matter in charge were busy arranging
the details, and at Lancaster Hall lively scenes
were enacted. The committee having charge
of the uniforms were besIeged on all sides by
the members of the several ward companies.
Ii the main hall an excellent committee COM
posed of j. M Stevens, franklin Sawyer and
l.. M. Kimball, were arranging for first class
collation.. Four long tables were run the whole
length of the hall, an1 were just loaded with
the most tempting viands, including coffee,
milk, corned beef, fish, sandwiches, hard bread,
&c, &C. Rice & Calderwood donated 1000
turnovers, J. E. Noyes, 40 gallons of milk, and
G. E jose loaned the crockery. The supply
proved abundant, for 1900 hungry men were fed
from the loaded tables.
The first note of alarm was sounded at six
o'clock, when the Bath company arrived at the
Maine Central depot. They at once formed
and marched to Lancaster Hall, headed by the
Bath Band. Here they were introduced to the
collation., to which they did ample justice.
At $40 the special train of p cars and drawn
by two locomotives, from Bangor rolled into the
dapot amid ba nhaarc Of 1or b;oI,
had gathered to greet them. This train was
densely packed with humanity from the loco
motive to the rear car. 1t contained the COM
panies from Bangor, Augusta, Waterville,
Brunswick and FIeeport. This train load made
up very respectable procession of itself, and
as they passed up Park street and down Con.
gress to Lancaster Hall, they were loudly greet
ed by the people thronging the streets. They
were treated to fine collation. at the hall, af-
ter which they took their places in line
Then came the Biddeford and Saco companies
by special train at o'clock, and the Auburn
companies over the Maine Central about the
same time. In the meanwhile the Grand
Trunk brought special train from Lewiston
containing upwards of 800 persons, including
the uniformed companies and bands. A specla
train from Gotham little after o'clock brought
a large concourse of people and the Gorham
Phinney Continental Guards, under command
of Capt John Summersides They came into
line with sixty-fye men, The company is
composed entirely of voters. They were uni
versally complimented for their hardy appear
ance-we should judge that the farmer boys of
that old town were strong for Republican sue
cess. The officers and men made splendid
appearance. Following this company were the
Gorham Cadets, under command of Captain
Ferris. The boys attracted much attention,
and their fine appearance and military step
were much admired.
1t is nearly impossible to estimate the num-
Der of strangers in the city, they came from SO
many directions and by so many different con-
veyances. Heavily loaded trains came in on
al the railroads aud the Republicans of the
suburbs poured in almost en- neasss. A man in
a hurry elbowing his way along the crowded
sidewalks would have felt that the population
of the city had suddenly doubled. The crowd
was not confined to the streets through which
the procession moved, but the cross streets were
thronged with people eager to reach favorable
point at which to see the torchlghts pass. 1t
was an orderly crowd, too. Republican crowds
generally are. There was no drunkenness, no
boisterousness, no stoning of the procession
Occasionally, when a Democratic stronghold
was passed. a youthful performer" would invite
Continental or Pioneer to "pull down his
vest" but this was the extent Of his demon
strations. 1t was harmless way of express
| log disapprobation, feeling which certainly
| we cannot blame our Democratic friends for
| experiencing at the sight of 5000 Republican s
| in line and thousands more on the sidewalk
THE PROCESSION.
At s o'clock. gun fired by the Artillery no.
| titled the men to light their torches and make
ready to march. The companies were nearly
all in line and at the signal the dark gloomy
column of men was seen transformed to a scene
of glit.ering splendor. At 815 the signal CUR
for starting was fred, and Gen. Beal at onc'
took up his position at the head of Myrtl
street. and the line began to form at the wort
| of command. The first division on Myrtl
street composed of the Continental companie
and the ward clubs of this city were the frs
to fall in. When they reached Pearl street tn
second division, composed of Bangor
Augusta and Waterville clubs joined them
At Wilmot street the third division, compos
ed of the Lewiston, Auburn, Gorham and Me
chanic Falls companies, fell in, stretching GU
the procession to great length At Franklin
street the fourth division, composed of the Bid
deford, Saco, Brunswick, Bath and other com
panies, fell in. Before this division had ha
got into line, the. head of the procession ha
gone up Congress to Atlantic street, turned an
came back, and were passing through WASH
ington street. Thus standing at the corner o
Washington and Congress streets, there coul
be seen the procession forming a letter o.
the side hill and letter ] as they turned from
Franklin street into Congress street.
The procession must have been mile i
length, as it required thirty minutes to pass
given point. The line of march was up Coz
gress to Atlantic, and countermarch on Cor
. gress to Washington, through Washington
Cumberland, and down Cumberland to Ne
High street. Then up High and through Dee
ing to State, up State to York, where halt
fifteen minutes was made. Here the either
turned out and furnished refreshments
abundance to the men in line. After the ha
? | they countermarched on State, and passed l
a Congress and through Carleton street to Pin
, They then passed through Emery. Sprin
f Storer, Danforth, Park, Spring, High and Co
| press to Citv Hall where the line was dismis