The Newtown bee., 1889-10-04
STRATFORDS TWIN CELEBRA-


 brightlv beautiful overhead and glor- iousiy celebrated by citizen and guest. Fully 10000 people crowded into the vil- lage by rail and private conveyance, vastly different from the little company of r families that accompanied Rev Adam Blakeman here from Wethersfield l in 1889 and settled about their first church in Sandy Hollow But, great IS was the throng of Thursday, it could not oyertax the royal hospitality Of gen erous citizens and was easily handled and accommodated in wide, shady streets and upon Academy hill, in the midst of which stands the new soldiers monument. The only flaw in the program was that Strat- ford should have tried to crowd two such important events as the quarto-millenial of its history and au enduring tribute to I it's patriot dead into one brief day. Each was worthy of Il day and celebration all it's own.
 Never was village gayer with flags and bunting than the line of march, every house, with hardly an nexception, making "a brave exhibition of red, white and blue. Spots of historical moment were also in- dicated by inscriptions, among which were two houses built in 1864 and the house of Gen Walker of Revolutionary fame. The Grand Army boys were giv- en their innings first and held the field until o'clock, the hour set for the other part of the twin celebration, the 250th . birthday; the quarto- -millenial was post poned until the hungry crowds could be fed, which gave Bridgeport papers q chance to sell reports of the speeches on the streets of the city before they were delivered in Stratford. The quadruple procession, Col Selah G. Rlakeman mar shal, started about II o'clock and was half hour in passing given point. Col Watson and his Fourth regiment boys led the van, escorted by the Wheeler & Will son band and followed by Lieut. Gov Mer- win and other distinguished guests. The second division included the Grand Army veterans, fast growing grizzled and gray and the younger Sons of Veterans; the suits of several of the drum corps were very fine. The firemen were next in line, a company of uniformed Stratford boys drawing miniature fire engine of an- eient pattern. The fourth division was composed of Odd Fellows and other or ganizations. with the Cupheag club rig ged out as savage red men, woman in ancient costume on horseback, an old time wagon and blacksmith shop, not to mention members of the press and others in carriages.
 Arrived at Academy hill, Stiles Judson, Jr, presided as master of ceremonies, on the stand put up west of the monument. Rev MT Ives led in prayer, after which the monument, presented by II. F. Stagg and accepted by Mir Judson, was turned over to Commander ". H. Pierpont of the State department of the Grand Army, whose crutches were eloquent tributes to patriotic service. Commander Pierpont and his associate department officers, for mally dedicated the monument according to the prescribed ritual and then Rev I. NJ. Foster of New Haven gave the most eloquent address of the day. He pictur- ed the success of the Union cause as a vindication to the world, especially the old world monarchs, that democracy had passed through the severest trial and stood the test. The security of the indi- vidual man and of the common people had been unalterably established, but the victory won must be preserved. Virtue is the life blood of freedom, while vice ruins any nation and it is along this line that our enemies are now to be met and battled with. Frequent applause greet ed the speaker and his stories brought down the house. The press, which owes a grateful debt of obligation to Chairman w. M. Peck, principal of Stratford's High school and his assistants, were warmly welcomed by T. B. Fairchild, who also entertained Senator Hawley's wife and her sister, Gen w. $. Johnson port, Judge A. E. Tappan of New York and other distinguished guests.
 It was about o'clock when the after noon program began. Rev C.. l.. Pardee offered prayer and $. T. Fairchild, a New York wholesale druggist and Rev G. w. Judson of Orange, Mass, spoke for their native Stratford. The historical address par exeellance was given by Curtis Thompson, Bridgeport's attorney, whose early home was in Stratford. His ora- tion extolled the sturdy virtues of the Puritan, with its especial development in the goodly land of Cupheag, from which have been set off Huntington in 1799, Trumbull ill 1797, Bridgeport in 1921, which also gobbled up West Strat- ford, this year, Monroe being set off Huntington in 1923. Stratford belonged to the Connecticut, not the New Haven colony and it's land was taken from the Indians by Connecticut as a trophy of the successful Pequot war. Many in the past have testified to the charms of Strat- ford, which is still a happy village, with
 "a marked equality and high average of moral and intellectual manhood; homes of comfort and peace, of plain living and deep thinking, in which few are very rich or very poor and people interested in public affairs" Gen Hawley was un- able to be present, although his name
 was placed on the program.
 l The tableaux in the evening were in charge of Principal Peck and were shown
 near the Episcopal church. There were eight of them, all founded on the early l history of the town. The arrival of Rev
 Adam Blakeman and his flock of 65 per- | sons was the subject of the first; then they were shown trading with the Indi-
 ans and going to church with gun and
 foot stove. The trial of Goody Bassett, Stratford's witch, was the subject of the fourth tableau; the poor creature was hung. Moses Wheelers ferry across the Housatonic river came next and then the wolf hunt of 1893, at which time the town paid three shillings day for man
 and horse to hunt them. The visit of Washington and Lafayette to Stratford illustrated the Revolutionary period and the marriage of Gloriana Folsom, beau tiful daughter of Stratford's blacksmith, who captured the heart of Scot and be- came Lady Sterling. Many of the cos
 tunes were prepared with great atten- tion to detail and made a beautiful effect.
 There were 40 numbers on the fireworks l program and these, with the general use I nf Ian nase lantarns ahnnf fha streets