The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-05-26
The Arrangements.

the first settlement in the town of Gorham
and to-day the town appropriately observes
the event.
The Arrangements.
Preparations for the celebration were
rapidly nearing completion yesterday not
withstanding the rain which fell steadily all
day, and the low lying clouds were anxiously
watched for signs of change in the weather
The decorating was necessarily DELAYED but
will be finished before the arrival of visitors
this morning. The town will receive its
guests in holiday attire Besides the many
public and private buildings to be gaily de-
corated in honor of the occasion, an imposing
arch has been erected across Main street.
IL Is covered with evergreen and at the sum-
NIT in black letters on white ground bears
the inscription "1736-Welcome- 1886" The
mammoth tent siXty-two by one hundred
and twenty-five feet, is already up in the
large field on Governor Robes farm in the
rear of the railroad station. The canvas
covers seats for 1900 people and there is
room for many more in its shade. The
literary and musical exercises will be held
here in the afternoon and evening.
At the academy building the ladies have
made ample preparations for the reception
under their charge to be rendered to f rmer
pupils of this school from which so many
noted persons have graduated, past and
present residents of the town, and the
visitors at the celebration. The large room
on the lower floor contains collection of the
utensils and ornaments of our forefathers
which form valuable lesson of the lives of
the sturdy settlers who laid the foundation
Of the town. The collection comprises rare
old furniture loaned by descendants of the
founders of Gorham portraits of the early
residents of the town, the implements with
which their work was performed, the arms
they carried when engaged in war and hosts
of other curious articles which will well re-
pay careful inspection.
The staircase leading to the large recep-
ton hall in the second story of the building
has been handsomely draped and the hall
itself trimmed with banners and bunting in
tasty designs. A draped platform occupies
one end of the room and among the quaint
old portraits on the wall are those of Mary
Gorham Phinney the first white child born
in the settlement and also that of the first
child born in the block house on Fort Hill to
which the inhabitants fed in the frequent
and sanguinary struggles with the Indians.
The evenings reception, judging from the
care with which the preparations have been
made will be among the most enjoyable
features of the occasion. There will be
music by the band and vocal selections.
The various secret societies of the town
have also made careful arrangements for
the reunions to be held in their halls.
A peint of interest to visitors will be the
old Mcclellan house, short distance be-
yond the academy, commenced in 1863 and
finished in 1878 by Robert Mcclellan. This
is the first brick house ever erected in the
county, if not in the State. 1t has never
passed out of the hands of the family and
today looks much as it did in 1873, although
the chimneys have been changed from the
ends to the centre and the original roof
replaced by a new one.
Superintendent Peters, of the Portland
and Rochester Railroad, has made ample
arrangements for safely and swiftly convey
ing people to the celebration. Trains will
leave Portland for Gorham at 7.30 and $50
a. m, LOS, 2 and 6.20 p. M; Gorham for
Portland at 9.03 a. NJ, 1856, 5.J5 6.35 and 10
p. m. The people of Gorham have made
provision for large attendance, and the
crowds who enjoy the festivities will be well
taken care of.
Among those who are expected to be pres
ent are Governor Robbie with his staff and
council; Samuel j. Anderson, Collector of
Portland; John B. Redman of Ellsworth; S.
w. Lane of Augusta, commander of the
Grand Army of the Republic of Maine; Cen
| eral George l.. Beal OF Norway; Ex-Gov-
| ernor Plaisted of Augusta; John NJ. Adams
| of Portland; DR.. George Prentiss of New
| York, brother If the late Sargent Prentiss
| Rev. Edward Robbie of NewHampshire ;Lynes
| Woodman, Esq, of Cambridge, Mass; Rev.
George Lewis of South Berwick; Edward
| Gould of Portland; Mrs. Martha c. Went
worth of Saccarappa and others. Mrs.
Wentworth is grand daughter of John
Phinney, the original settler of the town.
The arrangements are under the care of
| the following committee: Frederick ROBBIE,
John A. Waterman, George B. Emery,
| Stephen L. Stephenson, Charles W. Deering,
Samuel R. Clement, Stephen Westcott Otis
Purinton, William L. Larrabee, Mark Mosh-
er, Joseph w. Parker. Stephen Hinkley.
The Programme.
The celebration will be ushered in at sun
rise by the firing of salute by section of
the First Maine Battery, o. 7. Despeaux,
| lieutenant commanding. The battery is now
| in position on Fort Hill.
THE PROCESSION.
The procession will form on South street,
right resting on Main street. at 9 a. m, and
march at 9.20 a. m. sharp, in the following
order:
Chief Marshal-Col Fl. R. Millett.
Aids-Edward Harding, j. A. Hinkley, DR.. w. P.
Watson, B. W. Feeney, George I. Pratt.
Chambers Band, of Portland 25 pieces.
Portland Cadets, Capt. Harry Eastman COM
John R. Adams Post, No io1, Department OF
Maine, G. A. R., Theodore Shackford,
commanding.
c. H. Warren Post, No. 70, Department of Maine
G. A. r., E. R. Wingate, commander.
| President of the Day. Orator, Officiating Cler
General Committee and Invited Guests, in car
riages.
Harmony Lodge, No. IS, F: and A. NJ, Fred w
Buxton Lodge, No. 115, F. and A. NJ, Frank H
Hargrayes. w. M:
Dirigo Lodge No. r. ! <, q of F. c. A. Brack
Narragansett Lodge &c., No SO, X. of p c. M
Present and Past aI 0fficers of the Town.
Present and Former Residents.
| School Committee.
Gorham High School, F. w. Davis, principal.
| District Schools.
Gerham Grange, No. 81, T; of H., G. M. Parker
| Buxton Grange, No. 95, p. of H., r. f. Carter
| Master.
Mounted Company, l.. III. Bean. captain.
Section of First Maine Battery, O.. I. Despeaux
Lieutenant commanding.
Indians, G. ID. Weeks, War Chief.
| Trades.
Phinney Memorial Rock, with boat attached.
The procession will march down Main
street to the Gray road, countermarch, up
| Main, up State, down High, down Church,
| through Water, through Elm, up Preble, up
| Green, up Pine, down State, down South,
| through Lincoln street, to the tent in Gov
ernor Robes field near the Portland and
| Rochester Railroad station.
EXERCISES AT THE TENT.
The forenoon exercises at the great tent
will commence at IL o'clock. Here the
guests will be formally welcomed to the cele-
bration by the president of the day, Governor
| Robbie. The programme is as follows:
| Music-Anniversary March, composed by c. r.
| Cressey of Gorham.
| Chambers Band.
| Prayer-By Rev. II. S. Huntington, Pastor OF the
| First Parish Church. Gorham.
| Singing-American Hymn. Keller