The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-12-17

Calls were made for the Hon. w. w
Thomas, Jr.. who responded.
MR.. THOMAS SPEECH.
| IL Is rather difficult for Portland man Il
talk about Portland, for there are so many
GOOD things about her that we hardly know
where to commence or where to stop. Wher
we take trip out West and visit some o.
those towns that commenced since we o.
middle life were born and now number theil
population by hundreds of thousands.
think we feel little bit weak about the
prosperity Of Portland. and little bit as
though we would like to live with the great
rush IN these larger places that are going
anead. But after staying In those places !
little while we begin to find there IS some.
thing else In life beside the increase in pop-
ulaLi0n, something else in life besides the in
crease In wealth; there Is such a thing as
health and comfort, and good neighborhood,
and good old friends, and those we all have
here In Portland. / recollect when Presi.
dent Arthur came TO assume the duties Oi
President he took with him a cOlOred ser.
want that he picked up as little boy around
tne custom house when he was collector He
had him In the White House, and after be-
ing sometime in Washington, the President
came back to New York and his servant
with him. While there l called with a
friend, and while waiting for the President
NY NY companion began chatting this servant.
you have been in Washington In the .Wbite
House and got to be great man YOU don't
think much Of New YOrk?' "Lor' bless
you, mass2," said the darkey, 81 tell Won
lore God, rather be put out gas lignt in
tne city q New York than an electric light
In Washington" lLaughter.l And l feel
Just the same way about Portland as com
pared with any other place on Gods earth.
and Know you all do. [Applause.l
HON. W. L. PUTNAM's SPEECH.
Hon. W. L. Putnam, upon being called,
endorsed most heartily the suggestion made
by the president. / think nothing which is
within our immediate reach will tend so
much to aid the trade of Portland as com
Portable, pleasant opera house. Applause.
There Is not a city In the Union which com
pares with Portland, relatively speaking. for
Its hotel accommodations and cOnveniences.
That Indicates that there is a natural drain
OF PUBLIC travel towards the city largely in
excess OF its population. That travelling
public can be increased; itean be drawn here
at all seasons OF the year, and held and en-
tertained here, II you see fit to entertain
them, and In nay judgment the merchants Of
fortland, and those who are engaged in
trade, to say nothing Of what can be gather
ed from the capitalists outside, can afford TO
put their hands in their pockets and build
an opera house suited to this city, 1Ap-
plause. Not as an investment simply. not
something out Of which return Is TO be re-
celyed every year, but something that
will be attractive and useful, Something
built up by voluntary contributions, IL need
be, so that the receipts can be turned in to-
wards maintaining place that shall be a
credit to the city. l assure you that you win
md there Is nothing within your reach that
can do more towards aiding the mercantile
interests OF Portland, the retailers and the
Jobbers, than the promotion Of this sugges-
tion for an opera house.
l recollect the day the Republican eonven-
ti0n met in Portland last summer-I believe
you all heard Of IL, did. Laughter. IA
young man came into my office. He said he
had been up to the convention and heard
Judge Sym0nds make one Of the finest
met the judge on the street shortly after
wards and told him what was said in my
office. We'll" he said, 81 don't know about
that, but do know that my speech didn't
get any votes" Well, thought would try
It, 50 / went over the State and made some
fine speeches and / came out about the same
as the judge did. lLaughter.l So fear If
make speech L shall defeat the purpose |
had In rising and l will therefore sit
down. ILaughter.l
MIR. A. A. sTRoUT's SPEECH
Mr.. A. A. Strout said this was a cleanly
city, good city, but we are little late in
doing some Of the things that other cities
have done before US. We are little late
in erecting memorial to the brave heroes Of
the war but in the end 1t will be done as well
as by any city. So we are a little late in
erecting place Of amusement but the
leaven that has started here tonight will
leaven the whole city and it will be a fitting
one when built. 1t will be place where, in
case OF accident or nre, we can reasonably
expect to get our wives and children out 1t
will pay in business point Of view, not i'm
mediately perhaps in dollars and cents. and
said he, II possible, hope committee will
be named tonight to take the matter In hand
JUDGE HAsKELL's SPEECH.
Judge Haskell, upon being called upon,
said: The suggestion mentioned by the
Mayor that Portland is declining Is not justi-
fed by the facts. On the contrary, 1t Is, a.
we all know, steadily growing and increas-
inf. Within the past five years have held
court once at least in every shire town in the
State. and the general impression all over
the State is that Portland Is not only thriy-
Ing but Is something OF a metropolis In the
way Of trade. Another thing have noticed
TO the credit Of the merchants of Portland
have yet to find case where any CONNER
cial traveller employed by a Portland mer-
chant has been charged with embezzlement
or the wrongful collection Of money. Ii
speaks well for the business Of the city, and
for its merchants; IL speaks we'll for the
commercial agents themselves VINO. as a
class, are wide awake, energetic persons OF
good character. [Applausel.
COL. j. A. SMITH.
| Lieut.. Col. j. A. Smith was called for and
said: don't know why should be called
| upon to speak unless 1t may be the:ntimation
that heard from more than one gentleman
that there were people here representing the
general government, and in some indefinite
way connected with gunpowder plot. Col
Smith gave the history of the negotiations
| for the use Of Fort Gorges by the city for a
| powder house, and said he had been autho r
lied TO arrange with the Mayor Of Portland
| for the storage Of powder In that fort, and
he had no doubt in very short time, II it /:
| agreeable to the citizens, the place will bt
available for that purpose. He continued
/ You all remember a few weeks ago dis
/ patch announcing that some large steamers
/ were frozen into the st. Lawrence, and
| could not help contrasting the situation o.
that port with the port Of Portland, where
| we have front of some fifteen hundred
feet, nearly five hundred feet wide excavateC
| to depth OF more than thirty feet at low
| water, and all connected with the deeJ
water outside so that any steamer loadet
| down to depth of twenty-seyen or twenty
eight feet can come alongside the wharves a
| any stage OF the tide. This question o
transportation interests everybody Their
are people who think when the government
expends few thousand dollars In the har
Dor Of Portland 1t is all done in the interes
Of the merchants and citizens here
and they have no interest In
whatever. 1t does not seem to occur to tn
farmer that any facility for the transporta
tion Of products gives him better price 10
his apples at his door, and yet 1t is true. WI
have seen the time when for the need o
transportation the farmers in the West hav
burned their corn for fuel either becaus
they could get nothing for ii or because the,
could not have coal transported TO them.
have thought 1t strange since have been Il
this city that you had no better place TO
public entertainments than City Hall. / an
not In a position to subscribe largely to tn
stock, but II the scheme takes shape so tina
II may be consummated before leave tn
city, as l hope IL may, shall buy larg
amount OF tickets for the first season In OF
der that may appreciate the benefits tha
come by contrast with the abominable an
uncomfortable seats in City Hall ZAP
plause.
1t was now nearly II o'clock, and by com
I Y. ag.