Morning journal and courier., 1889-09-11
aUILFORp,s GALA DAY.

FlOnxs ana oe ehor Elm blems of tho old
 Towns Progress - The Immense
 Crowd of visitors which Wandereo
 HIther and Thisher About the Decor
 ated ToMn-Exercises at tho Church
 in she NIornlng-The Mammoth Din-
 ner ana she Afternoon Doings-
 speeches ana Music.
 Never before have the staid old residents of Guilford and Madison entertained as they did yesterday. Indeed they have made a lasting fame as liberal and hospitable hosts by this one anniversary celebration. The large number of guests which visited the old town to participate and to enjoy the exer- cises of the celebration of It's 250th birth day went away thoroughly satisfied and pleased with the care and attention which had been given them by the several committees and the like which were in charge of the days doings.
 The day before had been dusty. No one would complain of this yesterday. Just enough rain had fallen in the early morning hours to lay the two inches of powdsr-like dust which seemed to lie everywhere about the thoroughfarss, and the decorated and adorned old town into which yesterdays flock of visitors poured was as pleasant country place as one ever saw. All the morning trains brought large loads of guests and by the time the celebration had become fairly started, the shady streets which surround the green in the center of the town were filled with guests and celebrstors.
 The day was opened by ringing of bells at sunrise and by salute of sixteen guns fired on the public square. At o'clock the pro- cession began to form about the principal strets. An hour and a half later the Guil- ford and Madison divisions began the parade. from the corner of Boston and Uunion streets.
 The procession was an affair which was eagerly enjoyed by the 4,000 or 5000 specta- tors who filled the streets. Captain Lee, of Battery A, the marshal of the day, rode at the front seated upon foaming bay horse. His aides rode about him in agroup. Among rode very gracefully. Next came the Guil- ford battery, O. N. G., in full uniform with guns and caisons. They were followed by carriages containing the invited guests,
 among whom were: Senator Hawley, Judge
 Bradley, the Rev. G. w. Banks, Professor
 Dudley, Rev. Dr. Todd, Senator Platt, Hon.
 Henry Barnard, Colonel T. W. Higginson,
 is, N. Y., Louis H. Steiner of Baltimore,
 Lieutenant Governor Merwin, the Rev. Dr.
 Eliot, president of the day, the Rev. Dr.
 Talcott and the Rev. Dr. Samuel Hart of
 Trinity college. Hartford, and other dis tinguished guests.
 The auilford Grand Army post, to the number of seventy, came next in barge, in "clapboard hill." Green corn grew in the field about 1t and brave and squaw in full war paint were near by. They were followed by Menuneatuck drum corps of Guilford, who led Washington Engine, No. 1. The men wore red shirts and drew the old hand en- zine that performs such good service when- ever needed. Colts band of Hartford came next, followed by St. Alban's lodge of Ma sons, and after them Menuncatuck lodge of Odd Fellows. Then came Engine No. 3, composed of boys between the ages of ff- teen and twenty. They drew a hand engine. Next came number of barges. On the first was an Indian wigwam built of sheaves of wheat. At the entrance was pine tree un- derneath which stood an Indian chief and his little daughter. Following this was band of Puritans in the act of purchasing the set- wedding feast in the year 1641. The bride, blushing maid of not more than twenty, was dressed in the costume of the time, & quaint old dress, while the groom was clad in the suit worn by grooms in ante-revolu- tionary times. The "Old Stone House," old
 fashioned vehicles containing digni6ed old
 Puritans, ,spectacled and frilled old time ehays
 followed in quick succession. Six prim danes sat around quilting frame in an-
 other barge. This was an old quilting party
 The Guilford Grange made a fine appeer-
 snce. A long line of carriages ended the
 Guilford portion.
 Then came Madison. drum corps was
 followed by an old Indian chief, Weekwash,
 selling his lands to the white people for a pair of shoes and other knick-knacks. A
 barge of young men and girls in ancient ;otv patriotic airs and were heartily oheered. Then came succession of carriages and barges gaily decked with flowers of all kinds. In them were nearly all the maids of Madi- son. They ogled, coquetted, smiled and
 blushed, and formed charming picture of youthful beauty and innocence.
 The procession had not disappeared from the streets before the exercises in the First church began. These were to have been
 held at il o'clock, but the parades occupied the attention of everyone till after 12. They were short, but interesting. Professor Sam uel Hart, D. D., of Trinity college, Hartford, read a paper on "Guilford, from 1889 to 1665." Bernard O. Steiner of Baltimore, Md, read one on "Guilford and Madison, from 1865 to 1884," and "Guilford and Mad ison in the Civil War;" was ably chronicled pers formed complete history of the two towns from the time of settlement to the end of the civil war, and were most intently lis tened to by the crowds that filled the First church.
 One of the most interesting events of the day was the dinner which was given between and 2 o'clock. A big tent had been erect ed in lot upon the east side of the green, and in this long tables stood loaded with the choicest viands which Guilford and Madison could produce. Tickets were given out to the number of 5000, and tho whole of this large number of guests were provided with a most excellent and elaborate repast. Colts band of Hartford sat in circle just outside of the wide opening of the canvas, and throughout the entire dinner hour rendered
 most entertaining harmonies. With. in the huge tent most unusual and happy scene presented itself. The tables were surrounded by the hungry multitudes, and all of them enjoyed the re- past as we'll as any dinner that was ever eaten. The tables were waited upon by pret ty young ladies from Guilford and Madison. Captain Fowler had charge of the entire ar rangements. The big tent was surrounded by large crowd all through the dinner hours, and 1t was indeed lively place. The Madison part of the dinner was conducted by tho following persons:
 Hospitality committee-Judge H. B. Will COX, chairman; J. H. Meigs, Anson Norton, J. lyron Hull, H. B. Hunter, s. Arthur Scranton, Ralph J. Buell., James H. Bradley, Timothy A. Dowell, Webster D. Whedon, George N. Champion, George B. Munger, Payson w. Tucker, Joel M. Hill, Washing ton Bristol, James R. Dowell, Nehemi ah Burr, Joseph M. Braman.
 Soliciting committee, most of whom also acted ss waiters-Misses Katharine Scran- ton, Lizzie Scranton, Mamie Meigs, Jessie Wilcox, Mable Munger, Lottie Meigs, Mamie Scranton, Belle Watrous, Carrie Leete, Clara Dow, A. Van Jessimine, Mrs. Webster D.
 wheden, Mrs. Elzur G. Norton, Mrs. o. D.
 RedHeld, Mrs. Edward E. Meigs.
 Waitresses-Misse Ida k. Wilcox, Edith
 Buell., Carrie R. Champion, Edith Smith,
 Lena Chalker, Emma Conklin, Susie Dowd,
 Mabel Redhsld, Mary A. Stannard, Edith
 Tucker, Eleanor Woodruff, Alice Coe, Mary
 c. stannard, Jennie Appleby, Sarah Hough,
 Ella Frances, Lizzie Leary, Leila Norton,
 Louisa Hill, Adelins Jones, Mary Scranton, Hattie Stone, Mrs. Walter Lewis, Mrs. F. T,
 Dowell, Mrs. Wellington Frances, Mrs.
 Clayton Thompson.
 The hospitality committee from Guilford
 was composed of Captain R. l.. Fowler,
 chairman; Mir. and Mrs. J. W. Knowlton, Mr. and Mrs. Jerome Coan, MT. and Mrs. Arthur Fowler, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Lee,
 Mir. and Mrs. Richard Wilcox, Mir. and Mrs. Ralph Parker, MT. and Mrs. Henry Chitten- den, Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Bartlett, MT. and
 Mrs. Francis Dudley, and Mrs. Thomas Lan-
 don.
 The music committee was: B. 0. Dudley, E B. Field