Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-05-27

railroad station. o''iano hochester
~ The venerable DR.. Geo. l.. Prentiss of
Ne~ ork, occupied a baroucbe with tho
uoserhor ana the following members of the
eau were IN me procession: Brig. General
onaN uel 1ailagher, Augusta, Ex-Oficio
GuaI!erhaster = and Paymaster General; Col
reruihand w. Guptil, Saco, Judge Advocate
3fherai Lieut. Col. W A. R. Boo,hbv
Waterviile, Aide-de- Camp Lieut Col p
Neailey, Lewiston, Aide-de-Camp: Lient
Col }. Frank Hayden, Bath, Aide-de-Camn.
Lieut.. Col. Ruel T. Mcclellan. Portland
Aide.de- Camp; Major George E. Dole. Ran,
gor, Military Secretary.
-, Ihe procession was most interesting one
Ihree hundred school children tripped along
CARVING Inscribed banners twenty aborigines
III Iuli war paint, swinging their tomahawks
aioH; The mounted company num-
oered sixty and the horses were plumed and
'helr trarplngs heavy and rich. Each horse
man wore buff sash. Probably the
Most Interesting Feature
OF the procession was that of the Patrons of
iius'anuey. body OF women atoot led to
''clear the way" They were followed by a
log CABIN containing happy family and a
succession of barges each drawn by four
-, - TIE lUuT uegreSS or the
order and bearing the degree words in black
ieuers on white ground and suitable in-
scrlptlons. There were also representations
OF Flora, Ceres, and Pomona. Each
OF the barges contained party of Patrons,
attlred In accordance with the representation
Mrs. Robie reviewed the Grange exhibition
with interest from the lawn of the Robie
MANSION, and greeted the occupants as they
passed by. Behind the grangers came a
machine tor loading hay in the field. This
was drawn by three yoke of oxen, one of
which belonged to the Governor and appeared
with their horns carefully sandpapered and
enclrcled by ribbons 1t was estimated that
there were 1000 people in the procession and
that it was over half mile in length. At
ll.3O, the procession reached the grand tent
sixty-two BY one hundred and twenty-five
feet, standing in large field of the Gov
ernor's farm. 1t was filled to overlooking in
a few moments and the forenoon exercises
commenced. Programme:
Musc-Anniversary March, composed by C. r.
p,aver res'fy Sy Ks4 Of GGrhsmi by Chambers Band
First Baptist Church Of Gorham.
Singing-"American Hymn" Keller
By the Chorus. W. L. Fitch, Conductor.
keapins of Selections from the Scriptures by Rev.
+. A. BragdC n, Pastor of School Street u.
f. Church Of Gorham.
le,
Singing-0riginal Ode, by Mrs. Jennie Bodge John.
son of GOrham, by the Chorus.
benediction, py Kew. NJ. ,. Greenhalgh, Pastor OF
The following is
Gov. Robes Address of Welcome:
Ladies and Gentlemen. Sons and Daugh-
ters of Gorham:
We joyfully meet on this lovely morning
90 &c - l. 4
in sight of the valleys Of our own native
heath. The scene appears more beautiful and
suggestive than ever before. Our hearts beat
with ecstacy, and our voices swell with thanks
giving and congratulations on account Of per-
sonal kind greetings and at the sight of so
grand panorama as nature here spreads out
before US. From the commanding summits
around us we can look upon the most de-
lightful scenery. In the distance are the
lofty granite mountains OF New Hampshire,
nearer are the swelling hills and fertile val
leys of our own native State. Sometimes in
our view is the blue ocean with its white sails
of commerce, and dearer than all else about
US are the old homes where many of us were
born. The earth is covered with its fresh
carpet of green, the familiar trees extend
their shady branches, and the birds that have
come and gone for so many centuries are here
again by their representatives, and with their
sweetest songs join in the universal response
of welcome; midst such pleasant surround
ings we meet for an unusual and special pur-
pose, and it becomes my official duty as
president of this grand gala day of our own,
to call this distinguished gathering to order.
and to welcome the presence of large num-
ber of the sons and daughters of the ancient
town of Gorham to the sights, rights and SER
x;oas Of this ovaptful occa siOn. the pplphra
ton of the one hundred and fiftieth anniver-
.ary of its settlement. Our minds are
crowded with the mighty memories of the
past. and common bond unites us all as one
great family. In behalf of the citizens Of
Gorham, bid you all a hearty welcome.
Those of the sons and daughters of our town
who for sufficient reasons have left their an
cestral roof for enlarged opportunities and
the varied responsibilities of life, are only
adopted citizens of other localities, and we
claim such as our own by the royal title of
birth During your absence you have not
been forgotten by US, and are not yourselves
strangers to the manor born, but return bring
ing golden sheaves with you, and with recip-
rocal Joy and affection we welcome you home
again to the land of our fathers. | welcome
the many strangers in our midst, and extend
to such the hospitality of our homes. We
stand in view, and are in the vicinity of many
a sacred and historic spot, and it is meet that
we tarry at our one hundred and fiftieth mile
stone, and fir,t recall the old family names Of
the men and women of Gorham, made illus
trious bv the noble examples and high pur-
poses of early times. One hundred and fifty
veafs ag B., on this very day, on yonder high
summit, we're congregated the family of that
noble Christian man, Capt. John Phinney our
earliest ancestor He had come here from
what is now known as the city of Portland, in
a boat, by a circuitous route through the
waters of Casco Bay to the mouth of the riv-
er Presumpscot, and thence after several
miles of interrupted navigation, on account
of water fall over steep lodges, he entered
Little River, tributary of the Presumpscot
that traverses the breadth of our town. There
was no other practicable method OF
reaching here at that early period, and
after many serious impediments and delays
he reached the point of destination on the
early morning of the 26th of May, 1876. 1t
was but a short distance from what was to be
his future home. DISSEMINATING he fastened
his boat to a rock as a landing place, and to-
day this rock appears in our procession as
one of the distinguished and honored monu-
ments of early times. 1t bears the first foot
prints of Anglo Saxon occupancy of our town,
and in a limited sense is the Plymouth rock
of onr civilization. 1t will hereafter be de-
posited in a conspicuous place at the base OF
our town monument On that eventful morn
ing in May our early ancestor stood midst 4
dense forest of high trees which shut from
human vision everything but the blue sky.
- H. ovop;po ha could ace above him the