The Portland daily press., 1894-12-08

man who bought it and presented III 70 'ne
club for the latter was man vi s'e"e
wealth and probity.
In the spring of 1865, the handsome tnree
story brick building with mansaro rooi was
erected by Hon. John b. brown on 'ns
corner of Congress- st. and Ioiman Hi"o o,
and several of the members OF tho < t' i"A'
Club conceived the idea of turning IL INTO d
clubhouse BETTING the size anu ilnpo
ance OF the city, and forming new GU"
that would embrace some OF the Souhsoi
blood of the town. On December 20, Oh th''s
year meeting was held In inc ooatu VI
Trade rooms with Horatio N. Jose chalr-
man and Gen. John Marshall Brown secre-
tary pro tenn. An organization was eHecteu
and these officers elected:
President-Gen. George f, Shepley'
Vice President-Philip II. browh-
Treasurer-James E. Carter
SecretnTy-John Marshall Brown; IT
Directors James NJ. Churchlll, henry r.
Kurdish, II. 4. Machin, Ammi Il; Mltcheii,
Francis Macdonald, and Charles d. Merrill.
A constitution and bylaws were al opted,
1t was voted to lease the building on the
corner of Congress St. and Tolman race
for club house and the executive COM
mittee were authorized to furnish the nulld-
ing and make it ready for occupancy, De-
cember 6, the building was leased ana
within few weeks was in the full tide of
operation and success. Mr.. Thomas NC
Cleary was installed as steward, with iull
staff of servants under him, and
it was not long before the club became fam
iliar to the leading clubmen of the country.
The exterior of the house was quite lmpos-
ing; it stands to-day and is occupied as
boarding house. The interior, during
the clubs tenancy, was luxuriantly appoint
ed. On the 26th of February, the year OF the
great fire, the club was for the first time
thrown open TO the public, when an exh1-
bition of paintings and sculpture was given
for the benefit of the Freedmen's Fair. so
elaborate and valuable a collection has
never since been seen here, for the members
brought from their homes, pictures and
statuary that they had purchased abroad
in order to make the exhibition marked
event. To these were added the works of
foreign and native artists, not few, the
property of the club. The exhibition re-.
suited in large sum for the fair. On the
fifth of December of the same year ball
was given, and as only two hundred in
vitations could be given there was natural
ly great desire to secure them on the part
of those whose husbands or brothers were
not members of the club. 1t was learned
that admission would be- by card, and SO
one of the club walters was bribed TO hand
over some of these cards to anxious out
siders for a good round sum. When the
night of the ball came, and the possessors
of these cards, with their lady companions,
assembled the club stairs, there they found
the youth who had sold the cards acting
as ticket taker. The youth with great sang
froid regretted he couldn't receive them as
the cards were not signed by any of the
club members. The parties retreated boil
ing over with rage and modification. No
expense was spared to make this ball the
most magnificent ever attempted in the city
before or since. The floral decorations,
the supper, :he wines. were In part sent
from Baltimore and New York, while the
resources of the club furnished the rest.
This club-named the Union-started with
twenty resident and two non resident MEM
bers and at the last annual meeting in 1870
there were 80 resident, four non resident
and four army members. These were the
officers and members of the club from its
organization
Presidents-George F. Shepley, James E.
Vice Presidents-Philip H. Brown, James
E. Carter, Henry H. Furnish
Neutrality-suspicious. E. Carter, Manassah
Smith, Geo. F.. Moody, Charles Davis Jr.,
SeeTetaries~-John Marshall Brown.
Henry Il. Machin. Charles Davis ST., Henry
p. Wood. ,u
Frank Macdonald, Charles B. Merrill. Man
assah Smith. Geo. H. starr, II. n. Jose, -.
E. Garter. J. N. Brown. 4. B. MoultoB. \.
d. NJ. Sweat, James Hopkins Smith, +. r..
Brown. W. H: Anderson. L. G. Lougee, II.
j. Murray, j. W. Deering.
MembersI,Gaorge F; shepley, =. IL. Browmn'
d Ii II ur asnry murray Hen4s Imam
frank Macdonald. Horatio n. Jose, J. E.
Carter. H. r. Machin. Ammi r, Mitoheli,
Mansssah Smith Chas. r s. Merrill; Eaw. M
VIM. F. Stafford. Thomas. Aseneio,. B. T..
Manson, i. d. NJ. Sweat. Louis G: Lougee,
John B. Brown Geo5ge E Davis h Gst
Wade. A. B. Moulton, John A S. Dana, A.
NJ. Dezea j D. Fessenden, Henry Bailey Jr.
Moody, Henry P, Wood. WILLIAM H. Clifford,
VIM. IA. Fessenden. Clarence Z; Corning j.
Hickson, Payson Tucker, VIM; II Anderson,
W. Coolidge, J. W. Deering. Col. Albert W..
Brad bury Charles E. Morrill, Francis Fes-
sender, Geo. Burnham Jr.,. t. I. Snow. s.
s. Marble, Edward E. Preble, VIM. ID. At
twood. 1t. B. X. Roberts, John Rand.
In January 1871 the club decided to go in
to liquidation for reasons that were emf
nently satisfactory tothe members. During its
existence the net receipts averaged $4,000
annually. The Visitors book contained the
names of many distinguished men. The
army was represented by Generals, Sher-
man. Hunt, Howe, Porter. Wietzel, Devens,
Ayers, Totren, Gordon Granger, Kirby
Smith. Griffin and others. The Navy by
Adlnirals Farragut, Porter, and Palmer.
Hon. Capt. Talbot. R. N. afterwards Earl
of Shrewsbury and Talbot, Commodore ). b.
Hull, Capt. Melancthon Smith. Capt.-now
Admiral of tho fleet-Commerell. X. N the
officers of the Pea body fleet, young ChIlders
Ctben midshipman in the Royal Navy at
tached to sthe Monarch, son Of the Eng
lish First Lord of the Admiralty, and lost
in the i'll fated Captain) Capts. Macomo'
Shufeldt, Ransom, and John Webster the
ever courteous commander of the Mahon-
ing; among artists J. O. B. Inman, W. Il.
Norton and H. B. Brown; among editors
GeorgeWilliam Curtis, of Harper's Weekly,
W. II. Hurlburt of the New York World, j..
K. G.. Hazard of the Tribune, J. nj. Bundy
of the Mail and Express Geo. w. Butler