The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-06-25
BRETHREN OF THE MYSTIC TIE
Celebrated st. Johns Day in Portland
Brilliantly.
Nearly Twenty-Five Hundred MasOns
March in Procession.
Our Streets Crowded With AdmiriDg
Spectators.
The Clambake and Grand Promenade

posed Masonic celebration "a failure yester-
day, were happily dispelled when the sun
rose and soon drove away the clouds that
fingered for short time thereafter. There
was just enough east wind to make marching
agreeable, and Portland streets never looked
lovelier In their wresth of summer foliage.
Before nine o'clock the Portland blue lodges
were astir. and Masonic hall, swarmed with
brethren Of the mystic tie, as hive swarms
with bees. All along the proposed route Of
procession door-steps, windows and side
walks were filled with people. Flags were
displayed from public and private buildings.
Vendors Of all kinds Of notions did thriv-
Ing business. The man with the whirligigs.
the fruit dealers, peanut men, even the organ
grinders drew In the "nimble sixpence" with
large profits to themselves.
On State street, where the procession coun-
termarched, the scene after the procession
arrived, was most attractive. The arching
trees overhead, the green turf under foot,
across which the sunbeams threw long bars
Of light, the handsome residences and flower
gardens; the ladies and children in their
light pretty summer dresses; and the long
winding line Of the lodges with their gay
banners, the bands in their glitterIng uni
forms, and the officers in regalia, all made a
picture to be remembered.
The Parade.
Promptly at the hour appointed General
Beal, the chief marshal, gave the order to
march and the procession moved. Tho first
two divisions had been forming in the yiclDi-
ty Of Railway square, and the third on Cum
berland belw Elm. The fourth division con-
sisting Of Maitland's Fifth Regiment Band
Of Brockton. Mass, with Portland lodge as
escort, started from Masonic hall, with the
Grand Lodge In carriages, and marched down
Chestnut street, taking Its position at the
end Of the line.
The third and fourth divisions met the
first and second at Longfellow square, passed
through State street, countermarched, and
rested for about fifteen minutes, and then
continued down Congress and Pearl streets
to the City of Richmond and Casco Bay
Steamboat Company's boats, which
were taken for the islands, where the clam
bake was to be served.
The Portland, Portsmouth, Deering, Lew
iston and Auburn contingents made par
ticularly good appearance Ia line. fhey all
dressed either In black, or very dark clothes,
black silk hats, pretty bout0nnieres, and the
regalia of the officers added much to their
dress. The Auburn officials wore their jew
els, fastened to long silver link chain that
was thrown over their shoulders, and the
silver and black harmonized admirably. The
men sized up well and marched we'll. Bu
all the lodges in the procession made g0oC
appearance and we merely mention
these because they stood out In
rather bolder relief The bands
furnished excellent music and their uniforms
we're sufficiently varied so as to be quite pic
turesque Some wore white uniforms with
scarlet trimmings, some scarlet uniforms
trimmed with blue and gold. others blue and
gold, and one or two were in gray. The
drum majors were all men Of fine physique
and handled their long batons with great
skill, especially the drum major of the Lew
iston Brigade Band. The lame and halt
rode In carriages, but they were very few.
When the procession halted on State street
a count was made and all told about 2250
men were in line, including IT bands. These
figures do not Of course include numbers OF
Masons who came to town and went to the
clambake, but did not march In the process
sion. 1t took 10 minutes for the line to pass
given point. This was the order Of pro-