The Somerset reporter., 1888-08-30
Roweli Mountain Picnic.

A
The morning of the 23rd dawned clear,
and at an early hour along every road
leading to Rowell Mountain poured
constant stream of vehicles loaded with
Jolly picnickers and well-hlied lunch
baskets. The barns of X. +. RowelL
halfway up the hill, were thrown open
for the accommodation of the horses
and three hostlers worked ten hours with F
hardly breathing space. One hundred
and stventy-hvc horses were cared for at
the two barns. and upwards of that mum /
Der were scattered through the orchard
and along the fences. BY noon, fuily
fifteen hundred people had reached the
summit The sky was overcast by clouds
till about three o'clock when the sun re-
turned and brought out clear and distinct
the magnificent view. The northern slope
of the mountains is covered with woods,
but to the northwest one can see King
field. to the west the hills of Strong, TO
the south Fairfield and Skowhegan, with
HAYDEN Lake like mirror between, TO
the east St Adams Mountain.
Shortly before eleven. the Scion ana
Harmony mines took their places on the
ball ground, with w. W. Brown of Har-
mony as umpire The word Play was
given, and for the first half of the game
the Harmonys had apparently their own
way. But the tide turned then, and the
Solons won by a score OF II to 3.
AT eleven O'CLOCK, according to pro-
gramme. "Old Glory was unfurled to
the music of The Star Spangled Ban
ner." j. f. Holman, Esq, was introduce
ed by the presiding officer of the day, Mr..
/ ID. +. Hobart, and spoke briefly of the
Significance Of the stars and strpes-pro-
lection TO every American citizen, at
home and abroad, equal rights for all,
won by the sacrifice of many lives-say-
ing that the first duty of American citl-
zens is to keep that flag unstained, After
/ three hearty cheers for the old flag, the
audience dispersed upwards of three
4 hundred to MI up on "Rowell baked beans
and brown bread" while the remainder
scattered over the summit into several
/ hundred picnic parties.
Promptly at one o'clock the drum beat
| from the stand announced the afternoon
programme Rev. Miss Haynes offered
prayer and addressed few words to the
assemblage.
A brief historical sketch was then
given by Mr.. d. C. Rowell, who was two
years of age when his father moved upon
the mountain. His father, Zeoedee
Rowell came from Lowell, Mass, with
his young wife and child in 1902, being
three weeks or his journey. From low
ell to Boston the party Travelled on an OK
sled He first settled in Madison, but
moved to the farm on the mountain in
IT,. a hnr al, To
and eight sons, of whom the speaker was
the Youngest and is the only one living.
All but two of these settled within two
miles of the old homestead Zebedee
Rowell the father, taught in the war of
1872 and the muskets and equipments
used by him then, are now in existence.
The quartctte, composed of Miss Eva
t Brown and w. W. Brown of Harmony
5 Mrs f. II Halves and A. X. Smiley OF
, Skowhegan, sung Come to the Noun
tain" Hon. S. j. Walton was then in
troduced, and made a brief but forciblt
= statement of the Republican position on
= the tariff question.
After song by the quartette, THE
world is full of song the Democratic
; side of the same question was ably pre-
: scented by j. J. Parlin, Esq.
: Mrs W s. Bemis of Harmony read a
n poem describing the settlement and cult
vation of the mountain by the Rowel
family, which drew forth many favorable
. comments.
G Mr. S. +. Emerson gave his reason fol
, acting with the Prohibition party, say
ing those who hold that there are but two
great parties in our nation, will think diff
I ferently next November. After eth,
Y Old Oaken Bucket" by the quartette
+ brief remarks were made by Mrs. q
Nolin on Woman's Rights, DIR. S. A. Pat
ten, and by s. +. Emerson in behalf OF
: the Grange A duett by Messrs. A. X
T Smiley and w. w. Brown, "Robin Ruf
and CATER Green" called forth much ap
plause. Hon. S. j. Walton then propos
ed three cheers for the committee of ar
engagements, the.quartette and the band
Y which were given with a will
Mr. S. S. Woodman of Cornville, egh
, ty-three years of age, told how he taught
school in that district about sixty years
j ago, and had for scholars most, if not all
$ of the first Zebedee Rowelrs children
p To the music of america" the GROVE
: slowly dispersed.
Too much credit cannot be given to the
committee of arrangements for the com
plete success of the program. The music
, was excellent the speeches short and u
the point. "Does the gathering meet
your expectations" was asked of Mr.
: S. ID. Arnold as he was leaving the sum
r nit eyes, indeed. There were five
/ hundred more people than | expected tC
, see, and the programme went through
without hitch" Indeed "Uncle Sam.
: who had much to do with the program
| and was the presiding genius on the oc
, casion, who did the newspaper part of the
work in scientific shape, must be highly
pleased at the complete success of the
occasion, and richly deserves the con
gratulations he received on every hand.