The Somerset reporter., 1894-10-25
SATURDAYS CELEBRATION
Favorable Weather and Big
Crowds.
EVERYTHING SUCCESSFULLY
ACCOMPLISHED IN ACCORD WITH
THE PROGRAMME
FULL DAYS SPORT.

Everybody Pleased and Happy. No Breaks
No shams-No Accidents-No Disorder.
The opening day of the SkoWhegan
and Norridgewock Street Railway was
warm for the season with no Wind and
favorable for out of door business, but
was trifle threatening all through the
noon, but in reality not enough TO cause
any Inconvenience or discomfort, but
enough, undoubtedly, to keep many
people at home.
The crowd, however, was large one,
one of the largest ever seen in our town.
People commenced to arrive by team
from other towns early In the morning
and by half past eight or nine o'clock
our streets presented a lively appearance.
An electric car, unfortunately, left the
iron on the first up trip to Norridge-
delay and an accumulation of people at
Norridgewock who wanted to get to
Skowhegan and to get there without de-
lay. But the thing could not be helped
and the people good naturally made the
best of the situation. Marshall Stevens
htched up his stage teams and brought
some of the waiting crowd along and
when the car was replaced on the track
the three ears soon thinned out the wait
ing pleasure seekers, and at LOO A. NJ.
when the balloon ascension WAS made,
they were about all on hand
| The special train from Wateryille
arrived at 10 A. NJ. and contained good
number from that city, Fairfield, Shaw
nut ard Pishon's, with Waterville
Military Band, Prof. Hall leader, and the
regular II A. NJ train added materially
to the already large gathering in Rail
road square awaiting the ascension of
the balloon under the direction of Prof
/ Bennett.
The programme announced by the
committee was carried out to the letter
albeit trihe later than the schedule
time as is very liable to be the case upon
such occasions, viz
Slack wire and trapeze performance, o
| o'clock, A. NJ.
| Band Concert, 10.
| Balloon Ascension, IL.
| Canoe races on the river above the Falls by
| Old Town Indians. |. 80 p NJ.
| Boat race Portland Club, 2.
Band Concert, 3.
| Fireman's contest, $50.
During the hours from to II A. NJ.
the waiting crowds were entertained by a
brilliant slack wire act on wire suspend
ed between the stores of w. II. Wildes
and Geo. Cushing, Prof. Bennett giving
this performance. Immediately at its
close came a thrilling and daring per-
Torrance by Prof. Brown upon a trapcse
suspended from window in the third
story of Coburn block, Prof. Brown
following up this daring feat by giving
an exhibition of scientific dumb bell
forth frequent applause. Prof. Brown
is the acknowledged premier club swing
er of New England,
At 1l.40 occurred the balloon asceu-
sion and parachute leap by Prof. Bon
nett from railroad square, in which the in
terest of the forenoon was centered. 1t
was grand success all the way through.
There was no wind and the balloon as
cended directly up from the ground
when the ropes We're let loose and after
it had attained height of 500 feet the
| .ha -, hn1 81.
whole machine, and had from the start
been giving a lively trapeze perfor
nance, let loose the parachute, and the
balloon and Professor parted company.
The first two or three hundred feet the
man came down at an alarming rate of
speed, but as the parachute filled his
ascent decreased in speed, and he scared
along very gracefully finally alighting
in "A tree within thirty feet from his start
ing point. Without doubt it can be
called one of the most successful ascen-
sion and leaps ever accomplished, and
the brilliant spectacle presented will he
long remembered by the multitude who
witnessed it. The entire time in the air
was less than three minutes.
From this time until 30 was allowed
the people for dinner, and beside the
hotels and restaurants, preparations
were made by the adies of the NJ. +.
Society for serving dinner in the vestry
of their church. The celebration con-
| mittec also carried out their propraiuup
for free coffee in G. \. X. liall, and in
addition to The coffee the visitors were
given an abundance of lunch on crackers
and cheese. The ladies of the W. c. +.
L. entered upon the spirit of the new
innovation and kindly took charge of this
affair. Fables were spread, and the wait
ers were young ladies from the first
families in town.
Immediately after dinner the people
began to line the river banks upon both
sides to witness the boat races the first
by three crews of Oldlown Indians in
canvas over course of one-half mile,
and the second between three four-oarcd
crews from the Cumberland Rowing As
ISOLATION of Portland, in shells. The
day was perfect for this sport, and the
water unruiiied by any breeze. The
course of the Portland crews was one
/