Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-11-23
A GRAND OPENING
New Odd Fellows Hall FRS,
Viewed by the Public,
First Night Of the Fair Prove.
Successful in Every Way.
Good Entertainment. Large Crowd Danc;,,
and Pleasing Photographic Exhibit

Ine nfSt night of the Odd Ea,,or,.
fair was a great success. It wac ~,
first assemblage ever in the nov, hon
and it was a big crowd. There wo,
not room enough in the hall for NJ, VII,
wanted to see the place where the go.
is soon to reign supreme and wbar.
Odd Fellowship will be taught to tbos.
who desire to learn it-providing the,
are accepted by the lodge.
The workmen have lately been rush.
ing in order to have the rooms in read.
| mess for the fair, and from tho anna
ance, Tuesday night, one would have
Imagined that they had already been
used for several days as evervtbino
had finished look. The Odd Fellow
who We're making their first visit were
no louder in their praise Of their new
quarters than the outsider who went to
see what was in store for the Odd Eel
low. 1t is gem of a hall, and the ante
rooms and the banquet hall are so very
conveniently arranged that every one
exclaim at the coziness of all.
The people began to arrive. soon af-
ter supper. to inspect the hall and the
exhibits, and they saw others follow
ing so rapidly that they soon began to
think about seats in the main hall
in which to sit and listen to the enter
tainment by the Hatch & Skillin Con-
cert Co.
Entering the main stairway, one en-
tiers the spacious hallway of the second
floor. In one of the side rooms is a
check room, where all goods can be
checked, and another little room serves
as a ticket office. Another flight of
stairs brings the visitor to the door of
the outer anteroom. From this leads
all the side anterooms.
A room to the left of the main ante
room contains a fancy table, where the
Rebekahs SELL all sorts of fancy arti-
cles made by themselves. There is a
silk quilt made by Mrs. Will Johnson,
to be given to the lady having the most
tickets; sofa pillow with all the en-
blems of the order upon it, that will
also be sold by votes; and the doll for
which two little girls are striving, is
also there. In case is a handsome
silver ice pitcher and goblet with an
inscription that tells all it was pre-
scented to Asylum Lodge, 1. o. o. F.,
by F. H. Hezelton of Portland, through
f. S. Turner of Augusta. A sort of
prize package Christmas tree and
plants add to the attractiveness of the
room.
In another little coat room of the
main anteroom is refreshment booth,
where the Augusta Soda Co. sells it's
drinks.
Going into the ladies' parlor and
ment room. This commodious room is
handsomely decorated in a manner
that shows off to good advantage the
natural finish of the hard wood. Tables
covered with dainties of all sorts meet
the eye. Off this rooms are several
closets of large size, the pharaphena-
liza rooms of the different branches OF
the order These rooms have been
fitted up as eating rooms and more IN
viting places were never offered
On one side is a fish pond. which is
| in another little closet, the fisherman
being outside. There was some hsh-
| ing on, but no great stories OF the
catches are reported. Perhaps though
there were too many around to allow
of the telling OF a fish story.
The main hall looks very handsome
in the blaze of the electric lights ABOUT
the handsome frescoed ceiling. AT the
south end of the room there is now
large stage erected, where the enter
tainment was given, Tuesday evening
and will be given each evening mere
after. This room was crowded 10 the
very doors, by 7.30, so those VINO hao
books to fill out on the voting contests
found it difficult to ply their traoe
The only guessing contest seen III 'he
hall is on the length of the rope tina
holds an umbrella suspended from the
chandelier.
Up stairs in the banquet hail. oahc
ing to the music of Dennis orchest'a
was in progress during the evening
Here is an exhibit OF some Oh 'n'
plants from C. K. Partrldgefs SUI.
which are on sale. Refreshments 2,
, also on sale in the kitchen.
Down in the vacant store on the ~ .
floor. is the amateur photographer ca
hibit. one of the prettiest department
about the4whole fair. Guy -. VicNei )
who has charge of the exhibit oesei'
great credit for having gotten 'ose'"e
so many, and such artistic pi'o'e