The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-09-09
ESPECIAL TO THE PRESS

ESPECIAL TO THE PREss.1
Boston, September s.-The journey OF
the Portland city fathers to Boston was
without special event.
Arriving in Boston at 10. 16 o'clock the
Portland party was welcomed with true
Boston hospitality by delegation from
the Boston city government, headed py
City Messenger Leary. After an exchange
OF greetings and introductions the Boston
city messenger conducted the party to
special cars which were in waiting and
the Portland city fathers were soon IN
stalled in their rooms at the Revere
house.
1t is one of the-peculiarities Of Boston
hospitality that something shall be do
ing all the time,' and today this has
been true for every minute since the
Portland contingent landed at Union
station. Allowing their visitors just time
to deposit their baggage, the Boston
people once more conducted them to the
waiting cars and start was made for the
subway.
The entrance to this great tunnel was
made from Boylston street, and those
members of the Portland party who
visited this wonderful triumph of engi-
neering skill in Its embryo state last
year now had an opportunity Of witness
ing the subway in working order. The
special cars containing the Portland party
were run through the north bound tunnel
to Park street, then around the loop and
back to the point of entrance. The sub
way is now the thing which Bostonians
are Dragging about. Until September
first very few of them had ever visited it,
and knew very little about it. Several
years ago resident of the Athens Of
America was wont to pilot his country
cousin to Bunker Hill or Fanueil hall
ana cry "behold the cradle and the play
ground of the infant Liberty" Now 1t
is different. The country cousin sees
these things by himself If he sees them at
all To the Bostonian these things are
passee and out of date. The subway and
the great park system are the things
strangers now see and these are what the
Portland people saw today. Doubtless
few of them were able to gather all of the
particulars and items regard ing the oper-
alton, construction and cost of the great
tunnel Such fragments of explanation
as it will cost over seven millions when
completed, "can go from Boylston street
to Union station" "sub-subways, the
greatest engineering conception of the
age," and "no grade crossings" were
picked up as the cars whizzed through
the long passages where the cold, damp
air might well make one believe that a
plunge was being made into the deepest
and darkest passage of the great Mann
moth Cave. The subways are great
novelty and the Portland party were told
| that 1870 cars an hour were being run
through them, and at every station along
the way there were crowds of people who
were unable to secure cars. Next to the
| ''chutes" the subways are the greatest at.
traction at the HUB
| Before returning to the hotel for lunch
the visitors were taken to the palatial new
hotel, the Touraine, at the corner of Ire.
mont and Boy lston streets and for hall
an hour gazed at what are probably the
finest public parlors, dining halls and
suites of apartments in Boston. Every
room was artistically perfect in itself, and
the carpets. pictures and furnishings were
the richest many of the Portland people
had ever seen. A funny thing was told
the visitors at this hotel. 1t seems that
with all it's gilt and gold, it's elaborately
n Tod i+o oail 4v,rv
and costly paintings and statuary, this
house has no bar. In vain have the pro-
prietors of this public palace begged the
Legislature to grant them special rights
and license. None can be given them
because the Touraine Is within a short
distance of public school, and the law
of Massachusetts, will not allow of a bar
being maintained within certain dis
tance of public school. The city govern
ment of Boston has seen way around
this difficulty for the proprietors of the
Touraine and bar will surely be added
to the other attractions Of the house. The
wise city fathers have discovered that the
walls of this particular school building
are settling, and down will come the
school to give the hotel Touraine bar.
Having inspected the hotel the party
returned to the Revere for lunch and at
1. 80 O'Clock took the special cars again
for still more delightful trip in the
afternoon.
After most enjoyable ride the Port
land men were landed at the entrance of
the South End ball grounds, where they
saw the game between the Boston and ST.
Louis league teams, and picked up points
for the more sanguinary contest on the
morrow. The visitors were heartily ap-
plauded by the ''bleachers'' when they
entered the grand stand, and indeed they
attracted fully as much attention as the
players themselves.
When the game was over they found
cars again in waiting to convey them to
the hotel.
AT the banquet at the Revere house to-
night Mayor Quincy was present, together
with nearly the entire Boston city govern
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