The Portland daily press., 1891-07-27
STEAM RAILROAD MEN
Enjoy an Outing and clambake at
Long Island.

The annual general excursion Of rail
road employees was enjoyed yesterday at
Long Island, Sunday being the only day
when these men can meet for recreation In a
body. Last year they went to Frye's Island,
Lake Sebago.
The Maine Central, Boston & Maine. Port
land & Rochester and Grand Trunk compa-
MES furnished special trains and free trans
portation for their employees, for which the
men feel under great obligations Many
were accompanied by their wives and lady
friends.
1t was great day at Long Island, up
wards of 5000 people being taken there by
steamers of the Casco Bay Steamboat Com
pany for the grand clam bake and the Wild
West show. The show was not permitted
to show to any great extent.
The special train on the Maine Central,
consisting of seven cars, came from Water
vile by the lower route; by the Boston 81
Maine, IL cars from Boston, by the western
division; several over the Portland 81 Roch-
ester from Rochester, and four over the
Grand Trunk from Island Pond, Vt. The
railroad people handled upwards of 1900, as
shown by the tickets. The Maine Central
and Boston & Maine trains were run to Com
meIcial street. close by the steamers land
ing place.
General Manager Cooling had everything
arranged to nicely, and steamer after
steamer was quickly loaded and the passen-
gers comfortably accomme dated and safely
landed until, when the last boat reached the
island at 3 p. M, the official count showed
that over 5000 people had been carried
there.
The weather was delightful and the time
was as pleasantly passed as possible in wait
Ing for dinner by a crowd hundreds of
whom had arisen at an early hour and were
decidedly hungry. The number was unex-
pectedly large to everybody except the COM
mittee, who expected it with good weather.
The bake was prepared under the super
vision of Capt. Joe Mitchell. and 1t con-
tanned 60 bushels of clans, 500 Holsters, %
dozen ears of sweet corn, AZ dozen OF eggs
two barrels of sweet potatoes. The addition
ais were clam and fish chowders. tea, coffee,
crackers and bread aud some 60 odd water
MELONS.
The first table of 438 plates was ready at
ten minutes past twelve. but great deal of
time was lost by crowding to get in, and 1t
was nearly an hour and a half before the
dining hall was In order for crowd number
two, ard later came number three. so that
three different times were 43S plates set and
few dozen provided for in an overflow into
the main hotel. The clans held out well, but
Holsters, eggs and corn gave out for late
corners. Of course there was more or less
Kicking" as there always will be on such
occasions If the pretext is presented, but the
great mass took things good naturally and
made the best of the situation. The terms
of the agreement for the bake were that the
committee guaranteed $500 in any event and
$500 If the weather was fatr-or 600 people.
Mr.. Ernesto Ponce, proprietor, and Mr..
Hoyt Greene, manager, contracted on the
part of the hotel to provide for 1900 people.
Experts in clambakes and lovers of sea-
shore dinners can judge for themselves by
the contents of the bake. The committee
talked the matter over and voted to pay Mr..
Ponce in full as per agreement, conceding
that he had done the best he could under the
circumstances, but believing that it might
have been much more satisfactory had 1t
been served in two places.
Some three hours were consumed over the
clam bake feature of the day. 1t was ex-
pected that there would be addresses by two
or three speakers of note but none of them
were present. and the Wild West show with
the COW boys. bronchos and colored quartette
was the centre of attraction. The exodus
from the island commenced about $50 and
all were safely landed without the slightest
accident. The Maine Central and Boston &
Maine trains were on Commercial street
again and left about $50.
The excursion Of the railroad men was
held under the auspices of the Portland
Steam Railroad Protective Union. and the
committee in charge are deserving of much
credit. They were Messrs. E. E. Rounds, ID
Decelle. Henry Heath, B. Briefly, M. Rowe
and J. Mcguire.
The company was an exceptionally good,
substantial looking body of men and their
conduct was of unexceptionable character.
There was not the slightest sign of disorder
or rowdyism drought the day, which was
creditable to the outside visitors as we'll as
the railroad people.