The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-03-27
THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
Holds Two Interesting Sessions at Bax-
ter Hail.

The Maine Historical Society held two
sessions yesterday at Baxter Hall, yes
terday afternoon and evening.
At the afternoon session, in the absence
of President Baxter, Hon George f.
Emery was called to the chair to preside.
The report of the Librarian was pre-
sented by that efficient officer, Mr.. H.
W. Bryant The report is list of the
various additions of the year to the libra
ry and cabinet of the Society, the princi-
pal ones of which have been daily chroni-
cled in the papers when they were re-
ceived.
Mr.. Blake presented to the Society
some fragments Of bones found upon the
old Landell farm at Harpswell, which he
said in presenting them, as the marrow
had been exhausted from the bones,
opened the interesting question of
whether the early inhabitants OF that
locality practiced canibalism.
Mr.. Samuel I. Dole of Windham read
the first paper, which was well written
and traced the history of Little Falls
village with especial reference to the
Little Falls water power from the time it
was first utilized in 1866 by William
Knights. This story of Little Falls is
a chapter from the interesting history of
the town Of W1ndham, which Mr.. Dole
ia preparing.
l.. B. Oh apman ESQ.,, of Deering, read
a long paper showing the most careful
research. He traced the early history
and settlement of Sacarrappa abiding
to many of the old landmarks and exhib-
iting number Of sketch and photo
graphs. illustrating his subject.
A very interesting paper of personal
remin iscences of the late Governor Fair
field was presented by his daughter, Mrs
Sarah Fairfield Hamilton, of Saco. 1t
was largely made up of extracts from let
tiers written to his family from Washing
ton, while the Governor was in Congress,
in which he graphically and with de-
lightful simplicity tells of doings in
Washington in The thirties, when the
stage of national politics was occupied
by such interesting and famous person
ages. The Governors descriptions OF
men and events are intensely interest
ing. A unique scrapbook of his WAS also
exhibited which contained many rare
antiquities.
Rev. Henry o. Thayer's paper was an
account of pioneer minister of the
Kennebec and his paper was very interest
ing.
EVENING SESSION
Rev. DR.. Burrage read paper written
by Hon. j. W. Bradbury of Augusta, en-
titled "Some railroad "reminiscences.
The paper of Ex-senator Bradbury was
largely devoted to review Of the once
hot war between the Boston & Maine
and the Eastern, and the part played by
the distinguished writer in securing for
the Boston & Maine it's independent line
from Boston to Portland, and the con-
troversy of Judge. Rice, the then president
of the Maine Central with the Eastern,
and later with the Boston & Maine.
Senator Bradbury prepared the bill fol
the foreclosure of the mortgages of rail
roads, and said that he saved the small
stockholders from being frozen out. d
A similar law throughout the Union
would have saved millions to the smaller
stockholders. His able and interesting
paper showed his prominent part in the
early RAILROAD history Of Maine.
Hon. James P Baxter then read pa
per on municipal government. He spoke
of having received letter from the 770tt
mayor of Truro, England, to which hi
replied as the 35th mayor of Portland
There is something little short of mar
vellous in that great length of munich
pal life. He said that he would go mid
way in that long list of mayors of tina
old municipality, and he sketched thu
life of the mayor of Truro, in the 10th
century. For one thing, and it was nc
slight duty, he had to watch the brewer
and to make sure that the beer sold t,
the poor was of the proper strength. Hi
showed the great advance made since
then. A despatch giving official in
formation to the English secretary O.
state, was forwarded 1854 miles in s!
hours. He spoke Of the municipalitie
OF Exeter, Winchester and London, ant
dwelt especially on the peculiar munioi
pality of London, restricted in area ant
population with its picturesque guilds
He then descri bed the installation O
lord mayor of London and quoted Theo
dore Hooks description of the life of
lord mayor, with an almost royal state
abruptly ending at the close of the off
oial year. The 'tciuy of London - is
municipality of 10000 in the midst OF
population Of six millions, and he CAV
an interesting description of the manne
in which ''greater London" is governed
He predicted that the time is Not tar dis
tant when the complex and antiquate
municipal system OF London, ancient an
modern. SO strongly denounced by Mr.
Gladstone, will be greatly changed.
Rev. DR.. Burrage moved, and tn
society adopted, a resolution similar t
one adopted by the Massachusetts His
torical Society, favoring the printing b.
the United States government Of the re
cords of the Continental Congress. o.