Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-12-17
TIE CLOSING DAY.
Successful Ending Of the Grand Ann,
Fair.


which since Tuesday evening had been in
progress in Granite Hall, this citv came tn
successful close. Day after day eveniu.
a"er evening the hall has been throneed and
Pooiic interest has never tagged for an in.
stant
saturday afternoon the pottery worker.
hr. Cover of Bangor, folded his tent and r..
turned home. He had piled his trade in the
naii since Wednesday noon and furnished 3
rund OF amusement for both old and Young
u" services we're furnished gratuitous-
~ by the Bangor Stoneware Companv
which has the sincere thanks of the Post for
their generosity. This company has been in
operation about three years. and operate.
nve wheels. They find ready sale far
their products One member of the firm
went from Gardiner, originally.
The afternoon was the occasion of tho
glass blowers matinee There was a good
attendance. majority being children. The
glass blowers were located in the Aldermen's
room as dnring the other days of the Fair.
The apartment proved altogether too
the spectators. However, those who gained
admittance were much interested in
what they saw. The museum of Curl
osities was examined with much interest, and
the Corliss engine proved a constant attrac-
on both to the children and the older people.
The glass blowers themselves, were pressed
by crowd which gazed with wonder on the
professors rs they skillfully manipulated the
glass. Many got the false impression into
their head that the performance was to oc-
cur in the hall. As an outcome the front
row of seats in the gallery was occupied
nearly all the afternoon anxiously by persons
awaiting the advent of the glass blowers They
patiently waited and watched, but all to no
purpose. One old lady who had been waiting
for two hours, more or less, anxiously en-
quired what time it was. We told
her 1t was about three o'clock,
"When will they begin to spin glass;" she
asked. We explained the situation to her
Every child was given present in glass.
EVENING
The closing evening of the Fair was not
one whit behind its predecessors, both in at
tendance and interest manifested People
began to arrive at an early hour in the even
ing. The rush for seats was unexampled.
At o'clock every seat in the hall was oceu-
pied, and whoever came afterwards were
obliged to fill standing space. Indeed, sew
eral people were so eager to secure eligible
seats that they sent small boys as early as 5
o'clock p. NJ, who, securing settee, chung
to it until the arrival of those by whom they
were employed. Many ladies had their sup
pers served in the hall, not venturing to- stir
from their seats for fear of losing them.
Each department of the fair was in full oper-
atson. The ''wheel of fortune" continued to
turn and distracted scores of dimes from the
pockets of the bystanders. One man spent
FIVE dollars "trying his luck" but didn't Sc
cure one article. A. F. Wilson, of the Ken
nebec Confectionery Establishment, contin-
ued to pull tafiy on his hook and deal it out
to the crowd. A fireplace and appurtenan-
ces, displayed by Ward & Cogan, attracted
much attention; also an exhibit of skates and
other articles by S. S. Brooks & Co. on the
side eff the hall.
At o clock the exercises of the evening
commenced. Col. Andrew J. Smith, treas
urer of the National Soldiers Home, appear
ed on the stage and gave dramatic reading
entitled 1.-The Dream of Eugene Aram.'
The rend ton was simply perfect, and the
audience was agreeably surprised and testi-
fed to their appreciation by an encore, which
was heartily given. Col. Smith responded
gracefully. The mystery of "Who Stole the
Umbrella" was next in order. TIL. riddle
was solved and the great umbrella case came
to trial before mock court. The following
was the cast:
Judge Josephus Blackstone.
Counsel for Prosecution serg't Balentine, Q. C
p..on0 W. s. choats s.,.,. w.,,. q r
Counsel lot r'''"f Il. M. Heath Ss "A'' V "
Clerk of Court rhilander Homespun.
E. X. Pierce.
sheriff Accelerando Bundle.
G. A. Robert on.
Prisoner Thonas jefferson Brick.
Jurymen-Johann Speikleheimerhausen fore
man, Hieron Lymber. l., sander Jones, N en- ael
Adams, '.Ioriander Jeems, Mons. Michael Mulcne,
Charles Fresh. Polhemus aediop, Benz. f. Butler.
illnesses, spectators, etc., etc.
The Judge, officers of the court, prisoner
and attorneys were all arranged in fitting
costume. A jury box, witness stand, ETC.,
appeared on the stage. The farce was very
well carried through and the audience rosred
with laughter.
The drawing Of the season ticket gifts came
next This WAS a momentous affair. Each
one of the holders of season tickets hoped
that his ticket was g lucky one, and the
strictest attention was given. Everything
was conducted fairly and above board.
Messrs. William X Smith, John w. Fogler.
Treby johnson and Fred w. Mathews were
selected to conduct the drawing. Two closed
cylinders of tin we're employed, in the larger
of which were placed the numbers of the
tickets sold, on slips of paper; in the smaller,
60 sealed envelopes, each one containing the
name and number of one of the gifts. The
contents of the cylinders having been thor
oughly shaken up and intermixed, one of the
numbers from the larger was drawn out, and