The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-07-26
PORTLAND HARBOR.
Something About it's Islands,
Correspondence of the Press.l

correspondence OF the Press
OTTAWA HOUSE,
Cushing's Island, July %. !
Your correspondent has wandered up and
down the country in search of quiet hooks
and attractive summer lettering places for
many years. Long ago he drifted into the
Glen at the foot of Mt. Washington, found it
delightful beyond description, and under the
great shadows of the everlasting hills rest
and peace; and with the assistance of Milliken,
that prince of landlords laid up store of
health and energy that has carried him brave.
ly through many winter of turmoil and care.
And years before this he sailed into Nantuck.
ct harbor, and there with the boom of the
waves forever in his ears, and the ceaseless
dash of the salt spray in his face sat down and
rested and found new life. And SO he has
starred these Spots and talked of them and
written of them as the places where the seeker
after health, the searchers after the grand and
beautiful the summer loiterer and the mousers
after amusement can sit down and be more
than satisfied. But (and Mr.. Editor, this very
large "but" grows out of my cruising about SO
much, and an accident,) I must add one more
spot to the tive above mentioned, and that is
your grand Portland Harbor. 1 have dis
covered it and L want to tell the world about
1t, and sound its praises as they should be
sounded, but my trumpet is only a twopenny
whistle, and l am discouraged over the little
noise 1 can make.
Why, Mr.. Editor, if New York or land I
may get killedfor writing this, but I'm going
to say it, Boston had it, the whole wide world
would know about it, and Coney Island and
Nantasket Beach would be augmented about
a thousand fold.
saw it once in mid-winter, in the midst of
driving snow storm. 1t was shown to me by
the chicken fanciers of Portsmouth, from the
land road and the porch of Ocean Cottage,
with the thermometer at 200 below freezing.
L saw it again in the early spring from the
deck of one of Morris's spiteful and swift
going, cute little steamers, and the beautiful
Little Chebeague Island, and the members of
your Commercial Club with some of YOUR
mining millionaires did their best, and more
too, to have me understand it. / piled ND a
great stock OF information on that trip and
strong determination to sometime see it at its
best
1t is at its best now, but my whistle isn't
powerful enough to do it Justice.
Why don't Portland do something to make
it known?
Take, for instance, Cushing's Island. nut m
hotel like the Falmouth at Portland, or the
ManhansetJ at Shelter sland, or the Fenwick
at SaybrOok Point, and how long do you sup
pose it would be before every available site on
every other island in the harbor would be tax
en- 1or the same purpose. In very few years
your harbor would be the finest and best pat
ronlzed summer resort from Long Branch to
the Bay of Fundy-all it wants is a starring
point.
Just look at it! Here is the Ottawa, with
accommodations for 100, crowded to overflow
ing and turning away people. There is
splendid chance here for some one to do a GOOD
thing for himself and for Portland too, for that
matter. Probably large part of this crowd
must be credited to the reputation of Landlord
Blckford and the splendid way he is running
the hotel but the natural attractions have
much to do with it. All that is needed is
sufficientroom, and there would be thousands
here where today there are hundreds.
The season, so far, has been very successful
and the guests from the best classes, so that
one finds it very delightful place in every re-
spect.
the Sabbath in the large hall in the amuse-
ment building, and were conducted by Rev.
Donald Ross of Lachine, Canada, assisted by
Rev. b. j. Douglass of Georgetown, d. G.
The music was under the direction of Mrs.
Geo. HarwoOd of Boston, Mass
Saturday the Portland Archery Club made
an excursion to the island and in the evening
had very enjoyable time in the dancing hall.
They brought their own music und voted to
come again. If this is a good specimen of
your Portland clubs please send over one a
dav, we like them.
Among the guests registered here at this
time are the following we'll known persons:
Rev Samuel Longfellow, Germantown, Pa; Miss
hongtelow, Portland; j. j.. Sullivan, (the~ actor
Boston; A. D, Wagner and wife, Wagner Carr
New York; Walter Burns and wife, Geo. S. Har-
wood and family, G.. F. Quincy and wife, Boston;
Gibson Peacock and wife, Philadelphia, Pa; Mrs
c. " Kelly and daughter, Chicago; VIM. Hendrie
and family, Hamilton, Ont; Geo May and family
St. Johnsbury, VT; Mrs. Maj. W. Nj. Dunn and
family, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; Miss Lottie E.
Morrill,, Augusta, Me-; Miss Emily Perkins, H.. T.
Sperry and family, Hartford Ct; w. j. R. Evans
and family, Thos. W. Evans, Boston; H. G. Reyes
ter, Philadelphia; Geo. Wright, Chas. Wright and
Helen Wright, e. W. Spelman and wife, E. W.
Longfellow and wife, Cambridge; C. F. Fellows and
wife, New York; Rev. Donald Ross and family,
Lachine; Henry Graham, Boston; DR.. j. Thorburn
Ottawa, Canada; Rev. B. j. Douglass amp wife,
Georgetown, DEL; DIR. B. H. BartoI, Philadelphia.