Worcester morning daily spy., 1898-01-19
DAYS OF LONG AGO.
Society Of Antiquity Has Night
of "Reminiscences,
Henry H. ChamberIin Reads Paper on
the old-Time Cattle Shows and the
Floating Bridge at the Lake.

The Worcester cattle shows Of many
years ago, held on the common where
Woreester's municipal building now
stands, and the floating bridge at the
lake, replaced by the present causeway
about 40 years ago, were the subjects
considered at the meeting of the Society
Of Antiquity in Salisbury Hall, Tuesday
evening
The attendance was not as large as it
might have been. but the meeting was
thoroughly enjoyable to all, and some
Of the older gentlemen who attended
lived over during the two hours the
meeting was in progress some of the
experiences of their boyhood days so
years ago. Then Worcester was not so
large a place as now, and the annual
cattle show and the ball that followed
it were considered the social functions
of the season.
Henry H. Chamberlin Of this city
presented an interesting paper upon
"reminiscences of the floating bridge at
the lake, and of the Worcester Agricul-
turaI Society and some of it's more
prominent members during the earlier
days of its existence. Then followed a
most interesting informal discussion, in
which Mr. Chamberlin was asked
number of questions, and several Of
those present added to the fund of rem
iniscence and interesting data that the
speaker had already presented.
In the course of the evening, while
speaking of the Lincoln family and its
connection with the agricultural society.
Mr.. Chamberlin took occasion to
roundly score Parks Commissioner Had
wen for his management Of Elm Park,
which was in direct opposition to that
of the late Edward Winslow Lincoln, to
whom the citizens were indebted for the
beauty Of that park. Said Mr.. Cham
berlin 1t has been matter of the
deepest regret for me to learn that the
life work of Edward Winslow Lincoln
has been SO mutilated and demoralized
as it has been at Elm Park. But
am pleased to say that the vandal hand
that has done all this work has no long
er control over the park. Although the
past cannot be redeemed, the future is
safe.
In the course of his remarks, Mr.
Chamberlin, while speaking of the
causeway at the lake, took occasion to
criticise in his own peculiar style the
city council for having appropriated
money for the construction of stone
bridge On this point he said: Just a
word, before I close, regarding the pro-
jected halfway bridge. 1t is an evil
the perpetrators of which will regret all
the days of their lives while the faith
ers of the scheme will always be known
as the fathers of the Pons Assinorum'
Mr.. Chamberlin was introduced by
the president of the society, F. L. Hutch
ms, and began his paper by briefly de-
scribing the old turnpike used by stage
drivers in going from Worcester to Bos-
ton. The floating bridge was used for
so or 60 years until it became actually
dangerous for heavy teams. Then Isaac
Davis, at that time mayor of the city,
agtated the scheme of building the
causeway, and 1t resulted in his hiring
all the unemployed OF the city to fill
in the big pond. THUS it was" the
speaker concluded, "that for the cause
of charity, the beauty and symmetry of
the sheet of water was sacrificed"
Mr. Chamberlain then took up briefly
the consideration CT the Worcester Ag
ricultural Society, which, he said, was
organized on Feb %, 1913. The first
president was Levi Lincoln, at one time
governor of this state, and the first ag-
ricultural exhibition was held in the fall
of the following year. The cattle show
ball was first given in 1925, and for a
great many years was made the swell
event of the social season. To attend
the function, said the speaker, was to
be one of the 400 Of 50 years or more
ago.
The figures and dates presented by
Mr.. Chamberlin showed that the agri-
cultural society purchased it's present
fair grounds site in 1851, and that in 1854
the first trials of speed were held on the
course There were a great many peo-
pie opposed to the purchase of the west
side grounds. as it was thought to be
too far away from the centre of the city
But on the common there was no oppor-
tunity to charge an admission fee, so it
was made imperative to secure grounds
that could be fenced in.
Then followed a general discussion re-
garding the causeway and the agricul-
tural society. In the course of these ne
marks many interesting Incidents and
facts were related by the gentlemen
who spoke.
Mr. Chamberlin, himself, said ne
could well remember attending one Of
the very first fairs, early in the '20s.
He and his brother were each given nine
pence to spend, with the instructions,
the speaker added, to. bring home all
they did not spend. They invested in
some sugar gingerbread, got some oys-
ter soup, and with the remaining PEN
MES purchased a bargain lot of cheap
jewelry.
Hon. Stephen Salisbury told some
thing of the arrangements of the build
ings upon the grounds. He said that the
exhibition Of fruits. vegetables and
needlework were always made in the old
town hall, while dinner was served I'M
der big canvas upon the common. He
never attended any of the cattle show
balls, because when he became old
enough to go they had been discarded.
Among the others who spoke were Mr..
Hutchins, Edmund L. Barton, Edwin
Brown, Harrison G.. Otis, George L. Es-
tey and H H Bigelow