The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-05-06
FOUNDED 25O YEARS AGO
NEW LONDON CELEBRATING THE
 ANNIVERSARY OF ITS FOUNDATION.

Opened Last Evening-Historical Address
 sion-Ex-Governor waller's Address
 Other Features.
 New London, May 5.-The celebra- ton of the two hundred and fittieth anniversary of the founding of the town of New London was instituted tonight at the Third regiment armory. The entertainment opened with a con cert from 7:30 to o'clock by the Third regiment band. Hon. James P. John- son, mayor of the city, presided over the meeting, which was called to order immediately after the concert was end ed. Rev. John R. Steubert, pastor of offered prayer, and a choir of four hun- dred school girls under the direction of J. A. Van Kuren sang the Star Span- gled Banner
 The armory was filled with citizens of the town and the hundreds of visit ors who have been fiocking here during the past two days to attend the anni- versary The interior of the armory was gaily decorated with red white and blue bunting and the state coat 'of arms The city tonight presents a gay appearance. There is hardly a door or balcony from which flags and bunting are not streaming.
 The principal address of the evening was an historical address on the "Foun- ding of the Town, by Walter Larned, from which the following are extracts:
 In 1880 began the Puritan exodus from England. In 1885 John Winthrop, the younger, made a settlement at Say brook, from which place he coasted along the shore, apparently contemp- lating the occupation of Fishers Island and the mouth of the Thames river. But from the time that Adrian Block explored the coast in his yacht proba- ply no civilized foot trod these shores until Captain John Endicott in 1636, re- turning to Boston from an expedition against the Indians, landed at the pres ent site of New London, crossing the river from the Groton shore; and later, in 1887, Stoughton's expedition pitched their camp here and built here house. the first English house ever erected in New London. In i645 he [Wintlrop), with Thomas Peters, began ihe work of clearing up the land and laying cut the new plantation; and with them was Mrs. Lake, the sister ot Mrs. Wir throp, who probably came here from Say brook with Mrs. Peters. With them ;nd y,Is tt ufhnSa names appear on many records. Thus some sort of a settlement was effected in 1G45. But it was on May t, l6i6, that the power of ord aring and governing the new plantation was given by the C. urt of Massachusetts to Winthrop and Peters, and on that date the sown, as a town, began i's existence. It was the early wish of the settlers that their adopted .ewn should lear the name of London For tse first few eGrs of it's exist-n 'e it was called n. differently Pequod and Nameaug. Two apIl cations we e made to the general court and were refused, Faire Earborr being SuggeSte1 as an appropria'e @ nane. Fortunately the inhabitants ad- hered to their opinions, preferring to be called by an Indian name until their request should be granted. At last the general court yielded to their insist ance, and on March A, 1856, granted the petition. For two centuries and a half the town thus founded has endur- ed, nor has it been false to it's tradi- tions. Prosperity was of slow growth There is little resemblance in the growth of that day to the rapid expan- sion of later cities. Between 1860 and 1864 vessels of some twelve or twenty tons were built at a cost of fifty pounds and eighty pounds, which ran to the West Indies With the beginning of the new century, however, the foreign trade declined, not only here, but all over the country, partly in consequence of the depredations of belligerent for eign nations. Then the whaling indus try, which for half 8. century or more was to be such a factor in the growth and life of the town, began to push to the front. The first whaling vessel cleared from New London in 1794. and from that time until 1860 this industry was the most prominent feature of the town.
 We shall not have rejoiced over this anniversary in vain if it leads us to a more complete recognition of our own individual duties. We love this town, whose natal day we celebrate. We 1 who are it's children by birth and its children by adoption join hands to-day, rejoicing that the lines have fallen unto us in pleasant places, and we have a goodly heritage. New London, New London, New London, Ahoy! The singing of the hymn. Speed Our Republic by the school girls choir was followed by the reading of the poem New London, composed for the occa- sion by George Parsons Lathrop, IL D. NEW LONDON.
 The river whispered to the sea: Bring me the men of destiny, The men of faith, the men of power.
 From whom shall spring a nations flower"
 Lonf, long the waves of ocean bore
 That message to it's father shore:
 At last from ancient realms there came The makers of the New Worlds fame. Then, in the warning Indian land,
 Brave Winthrop and his gallant band
 HeWed clearings; and from fallen oaks Rose the first hearth fires signal smoke. Long, long they strove and slowly
 reared
 Homestead and school and church re-
 vered,