The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-07-06
Laying of the First National
Bank Corner Stone.
The Incidents and Accidents
of the Day.

Portland On that occasion Portland cele
brated her 25oth anniversary, although histo-
~ records its FIRST settlement BY GeorseCleeves
In 1852 On that day also Portland saw the
first attempt at recognition of our National
Independence since 1876. 1t is pleasant to
record that the celebration OF these two great
events was eminantly satisfactory. The heavy
showers of the early morning with the loud
reports OF Heavens artillery squelched the
mall boy, broke up the monotony OF the bell
ringing. and afforded citizens, who needed all
their nervous energies, refreshing sleep pre-
paratory to the pleasures and duties of the dav.
The rain washed streets and sidewalks clean,
cooled off the atmosphere, and the clouds dur
ing the morning prevented the suns scorching
rays from beating down too fercsly on the
heads OF those who took part Ia the procession.
In the early afternoon the sun broke forth
from the clouds for a season and dried the
short wet grass on the Western Promenade
50 as to afford comfortable resting place for
those who wished to witness the sham-ieht
and fireworks. The races we're all satisfactory;
the exercises at the Cleeves monument inter.
esting; the procession brilliant and in fact one
of the greatest pageants ever witnessed in
Maine; the exercises in the hall, especially the
grafton of Hon. W. W. Thomas, Jr., something
to be p-oud of as city; and all the other fea-
lures worthy of the occasion.
From very early hour the various trains
began to pour their loads into the city Ii it
had not been for the rain the crowd
woald have been fairly double what it was.
Passengers said that at places in the eastern
n the State uh %la a
left, the rain poured down as if 1t had not
rained before for year. Still there were
enough who braved the elements The Maine
Central and Eastern brought 10000 people;
the Grand Trunk 1900; Ogdensburg, 4co;
Boston and Maine, 250o; Portland and Rocb-
ester, 1909. Besides these there was the i'm
mense throng that came in wagons from places
not more than fifteen miles distant. It is safe
to say that Portland added over $4,000 to her
population Wednesday.
OF course the peripatetic vendors we're out in
force. Every Qangway, side alley, and street
corner had its temporary booth dispensing
mice cool lemonade, five cents glass; pies,
cakes, and all kinds Of comestibles. The balloon
vendors pervaded every place with their coored
globes Of silk painted in strange figures. In
front of old City Hall small house had been
erected for temporary gain, where ics cream
was added to the many toothsome edibles
which took the fancy of the crowd. And
crowd 1t was. AT 10 a. 70. surging, seething
macs OF humanity completely flled Market
Square and the surrounding streets. Owing to
the fact that the procession did not pass over
Congress street, except short piece between
Ina md Infr At
ed to see the dedication Of the Cleeves monu-
ment, good idea could not be gained of the
multitude present until after 3 o'clock The
retail dealers on Congress street complained
for the most part, that their business In the
morning was no better than usual, but admit
ted that in the afternoon and evening they had
all they could jump Il" It was good natured
crowd, and it wanted to go everywhere and see
everything. and it could swallow an immense
quantity OF soda in a very short time. Ponce
corner of Middle and Exchange streets, used
mp two tanks of soda and one Of Ottawa beer
in very short time, and the Congress street
apothecaries averaged four or five tanks Of
soda.
The decorations were for the most part very
simple. The City Hall was festooned with
flags and streamers, bore an eagle surrounded
by glory Of flags, and below the figures Of
1633-1833 The old City Hall was dressed with
flags, while Mayor behring's residence, Ian
caster Building, Falmouth Hotel W. s. Dana's
on High street, Mr.. d. B. Ricker's, j. J. Ger.
rish's, FL. p. Dewey's, j. r. Randall's, b. J..
Willsrd's, and other residences were beautiful
ly decorated, and almost every house displayed
a flag. Tho Observatory looked beautifully,
and all the shipping in the harbor and the
steamship Brooklyn were decked with bunt-
ing The foreign consnls displayed their na-
tional colors in honor Of the day
One Of the finest specimens Of decorative art
to be seen 10 the city was the window of Mil
lett, Little 81 Co. on Congress street. The base
was black velvet In tho foreground was a
cannon with ramrod and swab behind. The
wheels Of the cannon were made'of silk hand
kerehefs and the cannon itself Of old gold
silk; every part was perfect. At the base was
a stack Of miniature silver cannon balls. A
short distance off was telit marked Com pany
A, First Regiment and in front shield On the
front u the base was 1776-Fourth Of July
1888. Eufwlned about the gas chandeliers were
American flags. Everything connected with
the construction Of the articles in the window
was made from goods 10 the store, the whole
icing designed aud executed by Charles Evans,
one of the clerks.
The residence Of George A. Thomas, Esq,
l45 Danforth street., vas profusely decorated.
Among the various representations was spin
ming wheel and flag which have been around
the world.
THE BICYCLE RACE.
a ver5 large number Of people gathered on
tn western Promenade 70 witness the bieycle
racs, these proving qaite novel feature in
anusements il this city. The track was rath-
O. heavy, owing to t morning showers, and