Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-05-01
CLINTON'S NEW HALL
Dedicated and Opened to the Public
with Interesting Exercises.
A Building That Is Credit TO Designer.
Builders and Owners.

date is the one which will be written in
large letters in the history of this prosper
GUS town, for it viii mark the time when
the Town hall, one of the best and most
convenient and attractive public halls
which any village in the whole State can
boast of, was formally dedicated and
opened to the public.
For a long time the matter of new hall
was agitated, discussed at town meetings,
talken over on the street corners and beside
the store stoves, but it was not until the
town meeting of the springof 1898 that def
mite action was taken by the town towards
building. At that time there was a vote
passed for the town to raise one-balf of the
money for the cost of the building on condi-
ton that the Odd Fellows lodge raise one
quarter and the Masons' lodge the remain
der, each society and the town to finish their
own halls at their own expense.
Ground was broken early in the spring of
last year and the work has since been pro-
crossing, until now, the whole building is
completed and the town has splendid hall
and the societies each have cosy lodge
rooms.
The plans for the building were drawn
by Mr.. Alpheus Rowell, and this gentle
man has also had the general oversight and
experimenting of the building from start to
finish, and he has indeed performed his
work well.
The building is of wood, three stories
high and SO by so feet on the ground. A
small room in one corner provides a COM
modious postoffice. The main entrance to
the building is on one end, reached by a
short flight of steps which leads to the floor
of the main hall.
On either side of this entrance are stair
ways leading to the galleries which extend
around the hall, while still another stairway
leads on each side beyond to the society
halls above. The floor of the town hall is
53 by As feet and the stage is is by
% feet, supplied with nice drop
curtain and seven changes of scenery. The
floor is hard wood, oiled, and the walls and
ceiling are artistically painted and frescoed.
The hall has seating capacity of about
775.
The building has cost not far from SlO,-
900, and has been built wholly by day work,
no contracts whatever having been given
out. The work has been in the hands of a
building committee composed of T. B. Fur
Der, N. M. Prescott and James Stewart.
Alpheus Rowell has been the master builder
and the painting was done by r. S. Ross.
G. A. Spearing &iCo. furnished and set the
furnace and E. f. Merrill supplied the steel
coof, while the Oakland Chair Company
made the settees and chairs, and the elegant
oned Woodward & Brown piano was from
he store of G. H. Pope & Son, Water
vile.
The building is an ornament to the enter
prise and general thrift everywhere appar-
ant about the village, and Clinton can thank
most heartily the wide-awake citizens who
nave pushed the Town hall movement from
he start to the grand, succe ssful finish
Among the most enthusiastic supporters of
he project all the way along may be men,
toned Messrs. Frank Bessey, S. 2. Felker,
Alpbeus Rowell, John Jewell, Albert Hun
ter, AL Richardson and others.
The citizens are enjoying themselves to-
lay in dedicating the new hall, and it is a
regular holiday for all hands. The exer-
cisss commenced at 2 50 this afternoon and
continued until late hour this evening,
while tomorrow evening the merry dancers
will grind the first wax on the smooth floor
Tie programme this afternoon COM
nenced with a prayer Rev. l.. L. Williams,
oasor of the Baptist church, music by the
Clinton Cornet Band, address by B. Walker
McKeen, secretary of the Maine Board of
Agriculture, Augusta, recitation by Miss
Lena Leavitt, address by Rev. w. l. Bro Sn
# Newport, and speech by Rev. L. L.
Williams. During the intermlssion until
he evening exercises, a fine supper was
served by J. Fields Murry of Waterville.
The evening programme commenced
with piano solo by Miss Eva Robinson,
followed by an address by Hon. Otville d.
Baker of Augusta. recitation by Miss Lena
Leavitt which was lnterspersed with finely
rendered selections ~ The band and the
Philomela Quarte,te OF Lewiston.
Every feature of the days programme
passed off smoothly and was greatly enjoyed
by every citizen present at the excer-
cises. The address of Mr.. Baker in
the evening was product of great interest
to every member of the large audience and
the frequent applau,e showed how well