Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-07-07

PORTLAND, July 6.
The sailing regatta va. the opening festure
of the day.
The exercises at City Hall Tuesday morn
ing commenced at 10 o'clock Mayor Chap
man presided. The following program was
carried out:
Music, -Chandies's Band
American Overtuae Chandler's Rand
The American Hymn, Haydn Association
Prayer, Rev. L. III. HalIack
The Star Spangled Banner, Haydn Association
Welcome TO Sons and Daughters Of Portland.
Mayor Chapman
Centennial Ode, Haydn Association
Grafton, Hon. Thomas b. Reed
Chorus, Haydn Association
Poem, Miss Abba Gould woolsen
Centennial Hymn, Haydn Association
Benediction, Rt Rev. II. A. Nicely, d. d
The following is brief abstract of
Mr.. Reeds Grafton.
Whoever stands on clear summer day on
the verandah at Cushings Island, and looks
across the harbor, will find his eye resting
upon scene which for loveliness and varied
beauty has no superior, and perhaps no par
allel anywhere on the broad earth. If you
shut yonr eyes and let the lofty spires dis
appear, the happy homes gli.ten out of sight,
and the wharves give place to a curving line
OF shelving, pebbly beach; if you imagine the
bright water unvexed by traffic, the tall Pc
ninsula covered with forests and bushy
swamps, with the same varied expanse OF
island and of sea, and the whole sea undis-
turbed by any sound, save the changing cries
of innumerable birds and water fowl, you
" i'll be looking upon Machegonne as it ap-
peared to George Cleaves in the year 1852,
when he landed.
The history of the first thirty years of
Portland was closely responsive to the great
events which marked those years in England.
The battle OF Nasby which made Oliver Crom-
well lord protector of the great common
wealth of England, made George Cleaves the
governor of the little province of Lygonia,
and by enc of the singular apparent inconse-
quences of which history is FULL the approach
of the day Of Charles the Second overthrow
his short-lived supremacy, and broadened
the boundaries of Puritan Massachusetts.
The year 1875 was the year of the first H.
dian war. In the attacks on Falmouth, which
the savages made that year, the whole town
was rendered desolate. Thirty-two people
at one attack were killed and carried into
captivity. The minister, George Burroughs,
who was afterwards executed at Salem for
witchcraft, took refuge with ten men, six
women and sixteen children on Cushing's
Island, and was not rescued until ten DAYS
after. Two years elapsed before the people
returned to their homes, but for the next ten
years Falmouth grew apace Seven hundred
found homes there and l25 lived at the Neck
But the signs of new Indian war began to
show themselves from many drectiens.
hxyt he oaL,,, nj
his house at Bagaduce, had in 1898 captured
the fort at Pemaquid and the next year a large
expedition was fitted out against Falmouth
Neck after the war of 1915. The fortunate
arrival of Muj jor Church the very nj yht before
the ATTACK, saved the town after fight in
which the enemy were completely routed and
driven away.
The next year the country, deserted by
Massac chusetts was overw helmed by an incur
sion of French and Indians, and for two
years there was not white man east of the
town of Wells. For twenty-six years, mere
than quarter Of century, almost the life
time of generation, what is now the city OF
Portland was deserted. But after the Peace
of Utrecht, one after another of the old inhab-
itants or their descendants, came back and
took up the line of progress and growth which
has never since been broken. From that time
until Mowstt burned the town in 1775, our
people no longer suffered aggression but be-
came themselves the agressors. In l7l6 one
Ingersoll. built hut on the Neck and lived
there. He was called, therefore, Governor
Iugersoll. Next year after there came two
others, Major Moody and Captain Larrabee,
In l7lS there were IA families, and in 1925
came Parson Smith, who found q families.
In l749 there were 700. ten years afterward
a thousand. In 1894 the census gave $40
for the whole town of Falmouth, which
perhaps imply eleven or twelve hundred for
the Neck. When the town was organized
just 100 years o,there must have been 2000
people.
The speaker eloquently drew a comparison
between the Portland dthen and of now. the
privation of those times and the luxuries of
today. Then it took nine days bv post for
the news of the capture of Bargoyne to reach
Portland; candles gave all the light for the
family of the poor. The heads of the family
had chairs. but blocks of wood were good
enough for children. There were no street
lights, no amusements, not even fire engine.
There were no hacks. Not ship was owned
in town. There was no lighthouse on Port
land Head, aud there were onlv 6S arrivals
and so clearanees that year. The first bank
had yet to be Incorporated thirteen years
alttTWdTus OF UNe letters came into
town every week and as many went out
The roads were so bad that the mail was
sometimes delayed over a month. 1t took
five six DAYS to get to Boston. One news
paper was published once a week on a half
sheet People who did not go afoot went Oh
horseback. There was one church, but that
was unheafed even in the celdest weather
There was plenty of fish, flesh and fowl for
those who had the money, but the poor could
have had very little white bread. Rye. In
dian I'd corn bread with molasses must have
been large part of their diet. 1t was quite
respectable to get drunk; even the Clergy at
ordinations sometimes ''forgot decorum"
There was one school and ESQ year was
spent for education.
Between that day and this you can each for
yourself make the comparison. Is there one
who listens to me today who is not glad that
his lot has been cast in the Portland OF today
rather than on the Neck in l776? And vet
you will not go through the next political
campaign without hearing some praiser of the
days gone by, on either side, bemoaning him
self over the degeneracy of our times.
You will hear the phrases, "the poor poorer
and the rich richer" rolling in rotund SEN
tences out of those who have so long ceased
to be babes aud sucklings, that out of their
mouths is perfected no praise of God. The
rich have grown richer, but SO have also the
poor. Richer in rights and privileges. richer
in comforts and in happiness l hold him to
be heather and publican who doubts that