The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1894-08-15
Stoves Centennial.

The people of Stowe have laudable
pride in their picturesque mountain town,
and as the centennial of its settlement ap-
preached elaborate preparations were made
for a celebration that should always remain
fresh in the minds Of those who participated,
that should ftly honor the memory of the
founders of the town, and pay due respect
to the living who have contributed to make
the town what it is to-day. AT the annual
town meeting in March, the citizens voted a
liberal appropriation for the purposes Of the
celebration, and from that time prepara-
tions for the event went steadily on. The
speakers for the occasion were natives Of
the town who had won distinction in other
fields, and in them the committee of ar
rangements was not disappointed. Nothing
occurred to mar the pleasure of the day,
and the only drawback was the serious ill
ness of the venerable Governor" W. II Fl.
Bingham, time-honored resident, who has
done very much for Stowe during his long
and busy life.
AS early as three o'clock on Wednesday
morning, August 8, the centennial day Of
the towns settlement, the inhabitants of
the surrounding towns began to pour into
Stowe, until, at ten o'clock, at least 10000
people had entered the towns gates to do
her honor and enjoy the festivities Of
the occasion. A salute of one hundred
guns announced the dawn OF the one hum
dredth year OF the towns settlement Old
Mansfield looked benignly down upon the
pretty hamlet whose birth he had wit
messed and over which for a century he had
stood guard. His massive contour, in which
fancy finds the outlines of the human face,
gilded by the morning light, sent down to
the multitude assembling in the valley a
smiling assurance of q day OF summer sun
shine and glory. The village from end to
end was adorned with arches, decorated
..,.Nl 4 L. -..l
with notices. Near the center OF the vii
lage arose huge arch of native timber, un-
marked by saw or hewing axe, adorned
with the red, white and blue, and
bearing appropriate inscriptions. The
electric light cleaning from its summit at
science during the century that has passed
since the night when Oliver Luce first
struck a light" in the wilderness Of
Stowe. An object Of great interest was a
log cabin, erected in the heart of the town
by Hon. w. Fl. Fl. Bingham at his own ex-
pense. Primitive in its stone chimney,
huge fireplace and all its appointments, it
was an interesting illustration of the way of
the lives OF the pioneers in the wilderness,
by one who has been Stoves foremost
benetactor and her most eminent citizen,
and whose memory stretches far back
to the times before the settlers had
learned-or found the time or acquired the
wealth-to " hew the shaft or lay the archi-
trave." Near by was the Hall of Antiqui-
ties with large and rare collection of ar
ticles in use, and recalling the days of
auld lang syne"
The procession formed at the CLOVER
village" preceded by the Montpelier Mill
tary Band and officered by G. S. Mcmahon,
chief marshal, with Jackson Sargent, G. K.
| Burt and Chandler Watts as aids Oliver
Luce's entrance into the wilderness amid
| whose recesses, the first settler of the town,
Il 1,. .Nn1 hat
commemorated by representatives: of the
pioneer, hauling rudely-constructedh hand
! sled, piled with the meagre effects of the
! sturdy first settler and his bride. Other
! features of the parade were carriage con-
tanning residents eighty years old and up
ward; OX-cart, representing old people GO
| ing to church float drawn by twenty horses
containing live bear and a mastodon OF
| full stature; Stowe drum corps, of thirteen
pieces, in Continental uniform; Algonquin
Indians and cowboys; wagons and gigs from
eighty-fve to one hundred years old, con-
tanning aged people. On one float, bearing
a log cabin, the olden process Of weaving
flax, from the hatcheling to its dismissal
from the loom, was shown with the utensils
of early days, worked by aged hands to
which the employment was once not spec
tacular but part OF life painfully real
An old blacksmith shop, such as existed in
the days of Oliver Luce, was carried Oh
another float. with bellows fire and anvil
and venerable smith at his work. a zone
hoss chaise," with wooden axle and leath
ern thoroughbraces, relic of ninety years
had escaped the fate of Holmes famous
vehicle, and, with 3" hoss" of thirty yeai )
added its attractions to the procession. Ar
and genius were combined in the production
of the mastodon. Ringling's largest pachy
derm had apparently been drafted 10 give
zest and distinction to Stoves triumpha
march 1t was however, the production o
] toll I -
The animal switched his tail, tapped his
huge ears and manipulated his insinuatinl
trunk as true to nature as any OF his coun
terparts under the showman's canvas
tempted with peanuts and sweetmeaIs
And so along mile or more of the highway
between the lower village and the main vii
lage, the procession was formed and Oegal
its march, Every phase of life, every stag
of progress, from the primitive times OF th'
towns first settlement was presented 10 TN
eyes of the thousands of spectators ant
claimed their wondering attention, aroused
their mirth and stirred their enthusiasm.
The exercises in the afternoon were hell
under huge tent. On the platform wer'
many prominent people of this and othe
states, and an immense auditory filled th
seats below, After a selection by thu
band Rev, G. A. Savage offered prayer, am
"A chorus OF fifty voices, led by A. Ii. Che
ney, rendered a fine selection.
Hon. George wilkins delivered the his
torical address, detailing stories and histor.
from the first settlement down to the pres
ent time,
Governor Fuller made brief speech
which was cordially received. He referred
TO the early settlers of the town, spoke o
the increasing number of the memorial cele
brations that are held as the years go by
and further said To-day we meet as citi
zens of quiet town up among the hills OF
peaceful and prosperous state, called to
gether by your voice to join in suitable
recognition and celebration of all tn
events of hundred years. Your history i
part of common life, and amid the fast
nesses of mountain homes you hav
breathed in the pure air of loyalty that il
some mysterious and wonderful name
creates a sentiment that stands alone in tn
history of races and peoples. In mountain
homes and among free people there nee,
be no fear OF the spread of anarchy, tn
breeding of corruption or the creation of
community of discontents, but rather tn
outflow Of pure and devoted lives tina
strengthen and make enduring our publ
institutions, which rest 80 largely upon tn
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