The Portland daily press., 1889-07-02
THE TEMPERANCE ReFoR oLusM
Their New island Home to be pedI-
Gated July 4th.

The "Island Home" Of the Portland Tenn
perance Reform Club is now about the same
as completed, except that there are some fin
ishing touches to be put and it has yet to
be paintel Still the greater part Of the
work is done, and the building committee
will only have to ask few more of the many
friends Of the club to help them little more
and their work will be fully completed.
The building will be dedicated July 4th,
and the great pressure Of matter to be ex-
pected in all newspaper offices the next day,
seems to render it necessary to say some
things that under ordinary circumstances
would be made part of the report.
The Reform Club was just struggling out
from under big Ito them) load Of debt, when
in the spring of last year friend in need
appeared in the person of Hon. William
Henry Clifford. He delivered an address
before the club. and few days after con-
tributed most generously to the funds Of the
association. At the time he requested that
no public acknowledgment should be made
of the gift, but the members feel that time
has removed that restriction, and so they de-
sire that due credit be given for that timely
assistance they can never forget.
But When fall approached the question
"What shall we do ?" was often asked. True
the club was out of debt, but then there
were some very discouraging circumstances.
The hall was out of repair, and what the
members called the small hall' was in
still worse condition. Then one of the MEM
hers happened to be in a public place, and
was asked to drink. Il can't" he said.
why not?"
because of this" and he touched the
badge.
A few questions followed, and as a result
the first money in aid of what proved to be
quite fund, was handed the next day to
President Phillips.
"Our stoves are all burned out, and we
must have new Ones" was said, and again
the members wondered where the money
was to come from. Hon. Nathan Cleayes
solved the problem in the most direct way.
He sent his check for S35 to President Phil
lips, and the stoves were promptly bought.
That S35 was the largest sum contributed TO
that fund. although Hon. William l.. Put
nam and John b. Curtis gave S25 each, and
several other gentlemen contributed In
very liberal manner. That S35 Judge Cleaves
sent the club was enough to give all encour-
agment, and they went ahead.
Assisted by a generous public, the Club
set their city home in order, and settled
down to their winter campaign. No public
meetings were held, but instead, wide cir
culation was given to the addresses made at
the annual meeting, and the personal work
OF the organization was never better attend
ed to.
In January, President w. ii. Phillips was
reelected for the fifth time, and soon after
the suggestion was made that an effort be
put forth to build on Peaks Island what
should be the summer headquarters" not
only Of the Reform Club OF Portland but of
the reform boys throughout the State.
This was talked over, fully discussed, the
absolute necessity OF something Of the kind
II the club was to carry on its work during
the summer admitted, and at last building
committee, Of which President Phillips was
chairman, was selected by the club. This
committee was originally composed of w.
III. Phillips, |. III. Mcdonald, A. Il. Griffin,
John w. Thorndike, M. N. Eldridge and +.
r. Fay. Mr.. Thorndike left the State be-
fore the work fairly began, and his place on
the committee was filled by the selection of
j. A. Kennedy. Mr.. Griffin was chosen
treasurer and Mr.. Kennedy secretary Of the
committee, and to Mr.. Fay was assigned the
duty Of soliciting subscriptions.
John b. Curtis, Capt. b. j. Willard and @.
w. t. Cooling, representing the CascO Bay
Steamboat Company, gave 500 to the fund,
and the committee went ahead. Before that
money was quite used up-Mr. Griffin had
81 left-Gen. II. b. Cleaves, without solicit
Cleayes the fall before, sent President Phil
lips his check for S25. Before that money
was gone, Gen. s. j. Anderson, Goudy &
Kent, His Honor, Mayor Melcher. Hon. w.
S. Dana, A. T. Hall, Hamlen q Son, and
others helped out the committee.
Yet the work was up hill, and more than
once the outlook was dark. Once when the
committee had no money Hon. M. p. Frank
set them on their feet. Twice Peleg Barker,
Esq, gave much needed assistance, adding
to most generous donation a kindly come
again III nan't mil thr0nOh vvfthAuf
more" Twice, too. George s. Hunt, assist
ed the committee over hard place, while
Colonel John M. Adams, sent his check for
$50, with most encouraging note assuring
the committee Of his sympathy ''for the good
cause"
The plans originally made were subject to
later suggestions, and what was designed for
local Island Home" will serve as a sum
mer headquarters for the State Reform
Club: While the committee at first thought
that $500 would build their building, they
long ago more than doubled that limit, and
have yet little more to do.
Our lumber dealers were most generous in
their dealings with the club. Hon. John w.
Deering, Gilbert Soule, Rummery & Burnie,
keg1Gw SaaS n.Io,i brothers; Rgins GI peering Co.
and others assisted the committee to the full
extent asked.
Rev. Theodore Gerrish, was another of the
good friends Of the club. who stood by the
committee and helped them out Of one un-
commonly hard place.
1t is not the design Of this article to give
the name OF every man who helped the club
last winter, because no list of the friends Of
theclub would be complete without the names
of Hon. L. b. Reed. Hon. Charles j. Chap
man, Major Thomas p. Shaw, Col. +. N
Dow, and Mr.. James p. Baxter. The dona-
tion Of the latter gentleman will be
devoted to special purpose, the paying for
the desks OF unique design which will be
placed during the vacation term in the large
nall, for the use OF all the organizations that
WaX be tsp tteppants Of the club. as well as Of the
made out without the names OF Judge Sy-
S. Palmer.
The building committee will turn the new
Island Home" over to the club the Fourth.
but In order that they may make the build
ing what 1t should be, they propose 10 ask
generous public for at least $50 more.
The following viii be the programme for
the dedication:
Prayer by Chaplain Facey.
presentation OF the "lsland Home to the Club
by j. a; Axe Kennedy, for the Building Committee
Address by Capt. L. III. Mcdonald.
Our Club-Response by A. f. Grifin.
our Club Father-Response by Capt. w. II.
II The e,A Memory of J.K. osgOOd-RespOuse by Geo.
NJ The Ihss, Ladies Relief-RespOnse by Mrs. 1. H.
Our Pledge-Response by ID. II. Towle.
Our City Homes-Response by Lewis w. A.
johnson. W. NJ
Our Frlends-Response by NJ. N. Eldredge.
Choate. Si0S H.
Our Past-Response by Rev. S. +. Pearson.
Bean ooOiso I've
Our Outlook-Response by Nahum Murch.
:, Music will be furnished by the Ladies' Re-
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GENERAL NEWS.
The wreck of an unknown thraa mastad