The Portland daily press., 1882-09-22
OUR PATRIOT DEAD.
Dedication Of the Soldiers
Monument at Augusta.
A DRIZzLING RAIN INTER-
FERES WITH THE EXER-
CISES.
Twelve Hundred Grand Army
Boys in Line,
INTERESTING EXERCISES AT MEo-
MAN HALL,
INTERESTING EXERCISES AT MEo-
MAN HALL,
Special to the Press.

| Especial to the Press.
/ AUGUSTA, Sept 21.-The pleasing ceremony
OF dedicating the Augusta Soldiers Monumen
recently erected was arranged to have taken
place to-day in a truly magnificent manner
Every plan Yves perfected for great gather
ing of people from surrounding towns and
from all part of the State and a procession Of
immense proportions YVES to have t5en parti
cular feature of the occasion. But the day
opened dark and lowery and about o'clock a
fine drizzly rain set in which partially de-
molished the plans for the carrying out OF the
dedieatory services.
The accommodation train from the east at g. &c
brought the West Waterville Band and w. s.
Heath Post G. A. R., of Waterville, Charles
Bridges, commander, and large number Of
Grand Army members from other places up
river, including many visitors. The 9.45
| train from Portland subsequently steamed into
| the depot, bringing Bosworth Post, G. A. Alb.
bott, commander, and the Mexican Band of
Portland; Heath Post, Gustavas Moore COM
mander, and the Gardiner Band of Gardiner;
Custer Post of Lewiston, d. P. Field, comman-
der; Burnside Post of Auburn, Thos. Tyrie,
commander; j. B. Hubbard Post of HalloWell,
ID. b. Lowe, commander; v. Mountford Post
of Brunswick; David E. Coombs, commander,
and four fire companies from Hallowell,
Gardiner and Pittston.
Teams then arrived in town bringing Cutler
Post. George N. Jenkins, commander, and one
hundred and fifty veterans from the Soldiers
Home, e. H. Bradstreet Post of Liberty, e.
y. White, commander; A. FL. Frost Post of
Winthrop, Franklin Wood, commander, also
came in teams. About 10 o'clock steamer
Ioella Collins arrived from Bath, having on
board Sedgwick Post of that city, 7. Snipe,
commander, and large crowd of passengers
together with the Continental Band.
All this time the rain continued to fall with
out cessation and the streets were rendered al
most ankle deep with mud. The procession
was to have moved at 10 O'Clock from Market
Square but delay was had in the hopes that
clearer weather might come The entire en-
campment of militia was to have participated
in the procession, but General Chamberlain
concluded that the troops would not be in con-
dition to return to their temporary camp if ex-
posed to severe drenching, SO at 12 o'clc ok
the procession moved through Water to Bridge,
to State to Monument Square near the
Augusta House in the following order:
Chief Marshal Geo. W Martin and Aids.
Augusta Band
Seth Williams Post S.W. Lane commander, Augusta
Mexican Band.
Bosworth Post Portland
Custer Post Lewiston.
Burnside Post Auburn
West Watervllle Band.
w. s. H ath Post, Waterville
j. D. Hubbard Post hallowell
Gardiner Band
Heath Post, Gardiner
" Mountford Post, Brunswick
Detachment of Troops from Kennebec Arsenal,
Sergeant Barrett, Commander.
Togus Band.
Cutler Post and Veterans from the Soldiers Home
Eath Continental Band
Sedgwck Post Bath.
e. H. Bradstreet Post Liberty.
A. II. Frost Post, Winthrop.
Drum Corps.
Tiger Engine Company, Hallowell
Hecla Engine Company Pttston.
Albert Hose Company, Gardiner.
continental Hook and Ladder Company Gardiner.
Carriages containing the president of the day. Gen.
Selden Connor; the orator, Gen. John L. Swift of
Boston; Gov. Harris NJ. Plaisted and Staff, State
Oficials Gen, VS.. Tilton, Maj. j. P. Farley, U.
). A; Mayor p. o. Vickery and City officials,
Officers and Building Committee of the Monument
Association Clergymen Invited Guests and Citizens
Arriving at the monument the dedicatory
exercises were conducted by Seth Williams
Post, G. A. r. Commander Lane, accepted
the monument as a fit tribute to Augusta's
patriot dead, and then turned it over ito Mayor
Yickery as the city's representative.
The heaviest shower of the day fell during
the progress of the brief ceremony, and the
attendants were completely drenched. The
literary exercise were postponed to evening
and the procession proceeded to Granite Hal
where it was dismissed, and the participant
sat down to bountful dinner furnished qy
Augusta ladies,
In the evening the literary exercises were
held at Meonian Hall. Gen. Selden Connor
presided and prayer was offered by Rev. P. S.
Thatcher. Gen. Connor, gave brief history
OF the inception and consummation of the
monument enterprise; according deserv-
ed praise to Bethlehem Lodge of Masons where
the matter first originated. Gen. John L.
Swift of Boston pronounced the grafton. It
was splendid production, replete with glow
ing tributes to the departed dead, and spark
ling with Rhetorical brilliancy and oratorical
power.
Upon the platform were Gov. Elect Robie
Councillors Hinckley and Campbell, Mayor
i Vickery, Judge Whitehouse, Secretary CT State
Smith and others.
I1au bne uay Deen pleasant Augusta would
have welcomed vast concourse of people, and
would have had procession Of more than
5000 mem AS it was, thousands of people
were in town, and the procession numbered at
least 1,200. 1t was great disappointment to
our citizens. though the success, in view of ex-
isting circumstances, was far greater than the
most sanguine expected this morning.
The monument is an imposing grant, shaft
fifty feet in height, surmounted by a bronze
female figure, and embelished with bronze
tabletsEin relief. It's cost was about S9Oco
largely obtained by personal contributions and
as the result of entertainments, the city appro-
priating the balance. T. f.. M.
by Associated Press.1
AUGUSTA, Sept. 21.-Despite the threatening
weather large crowds arrived in this city by
the early morning trains to attend the exercs-
es of the dedication of the soldiers monument.
A steamer also took large number of people
from Bath and other places along the river.
Rain began to fall early in the forenoon, how
ever, and it was decided to give up SO much of
the programme as had to be performed out of
doors The procession took place, but the ded-
icatory exercises were omitted. sThis evening
the address by Ex-Governor Connor and the
Grafton by Gen. John L. Swift were delivered