Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-09-08
LEWISToNs TRIUMPH.
The Great Rally at the Spindle City Fri
day.


| The republican celebration at Lew istou
\ FRIDAY was a gala day for the spindle city.
/ The list of speakers advertised to address the
people brought a large crowd To town Near
| ly forty carloads of passengers came over
the railway lines by the noon trains and the
volume was largely increased by the influx
of people from the neighboring country towns
by private conveyance. The weather was
splendid, the arrangements for handling the
large numbers present excellent and the
meeting has been a splendid success, eclip-
sing all other rallies of the campaign.
Mr.. Blaine arrived on the l2.40 =. NJ.
train from Portland and was met at the sta
ton by the Blaine and Logan Guards OF
Skowhegan and the Business Mems Bsttal-
ion of Lewiston, so strong, wearing tall
white hats and linen busters, headed by Per
kins Band. The procession marched through
Bates and Lisbon streets to the Dewitt
House.
Frequent and hearty applause greeted the
barouche of Mr.. Blaine as il proceeded
through the streets. and when he rode through
the open ranks of his escort drawn up before
the hotel twice three ringing cheers from
their ranks and from the crowd in waiting
greeted him.
Mr.. Blaine lunched at the Dewitt dining
room. After arriving at the hotel, Perkins
Band in the meantime giving a pleasant con-
cert on the balcony the crowd in the common
had constantly increased and from 6,o0o to
5000 people surrounded the band stand situ-
ated in its centre.
When at $50 Mr.. Blaine and the eminent
speakers ascended the steps leading to it his
appearance was a signal for a tumult of ap.
clause which lasted several minutes. Hon.
J. b. Hows presided and introduced General
Hax ha Hraf snnakar Ganaral
ley spoke for over an hour and his stirring
sentences ELECTED hearty applause. Ex.Gov-
ernor Long followed him and met with most
complimentary reception. Many were present
from Old Oxford and they were bound to
honor its distinguished son.
The crowd was evidently waiting for Mr.
Blaine. and he was introduced by the chair
man, who said that he presented him not as
the man from Maine, but as the purest man
of boundless continent, the Hon. James G.
Blaine of the United States of America Then
the crowd applauded, but applause would not
answer and they began to shout, and every
one seemed to vie with his neighbor in cheer
ing. For several momeuts this tumultuous
applause continued.
Hon. VIM. II. West of Ohio followed. and
received a splendid greeting. His voice rang
out more clearly than that of any other
speaker and every one of his glowing SEN
tences wss interrupted with hearty and long
continued applause. 1t was a speech of rare
eloquence and beauty. full of earnest thought
expressed in graceful language, and held the
audience as did that of no other speaker. He
spoke for about twenty minut, Is and was fol-
lowed by Col. Snowdon of Philadelphia and
Gen. Gibson of Ohio, to each of whom the
audience accorded most generous reception
But the evening was the great event. Hun
dreds came on the train with campaign COM
panies. A collation. was provided for the
companies in City Hall. As an illustration
of the number expected to partake of it, there
were prepared, five thousand sandwiches,
twenty bushels of doughnuts and coffee by
the barrel. As the trains arrived the compa-
nies were marched directly to the hall where
they had supper.
The procession was rather late in forming,
and it was fully eight o'clock before the line
was ready to move. The decorations along
the Tine of march were elaborate. Flags and
bunting in profusion were displayed, and
dozens of handsome residences were illumi-
mated by Chinese lanterns. generous dis
play of fire works was the feature of the
evening. Nothing like the parade has been
seen in the State this year. Over two thous-
and torches were borne in the procession and
~ was tnlIty hiIhutes ~ passing u given point.
The bands from Lewiston and Bangor fur
nished stirring music and the different drum
corps did excellent work. The torch bearers
were enthusiastic and cheered as they passed
the houses of every well known republican
Thousands blocked the streets all along the
route of the procession and at certain points
movement through the crowd was impossible.
The route of the procession was long and
embraced all the principal streets of both
cities. 1t was midnight before the parade
was ended and the tired torchbearers allow ed
to break ranks. Special trains bore the crowd
home tired but elated over the most successful
rally of the campaign.