The Portland daily press., 1899-07-05
Why Farmer McLaugh-
lin Didn'6 Speak.
Creased Pole, Pie Eating and
Other Contests.


The people Of Scarboro celebrated the
glorious Fourth with a parade which
wended its way over sixteen miles Of the
roads of the town, dinner which was
shared by several hundred pleasure seek
ers and collection of pastimss which in
clnded the great and only game of base
ball and such old time Independence Day
observances as the effort Of several OF the
young men OF the town TO climb a
CREASED pole. sack races and that Scarboro
diversion known as pie eating contest
Then there was dance and 1t was late at
night before the teams with the home
ward bound merrymakers had ceased to
rattle over the Scarboro hills. The fes-
tivities were held In that part Of the town
designated by the United States postal
department as North Scarboro, more
generally known as Beech Ridge, and
now acquiring new fame ss the home of
W. H. Mclaughlin, the leader of the
farmers crusade. Mr.. Mclaughlin had
intended to address the gathering on the
issues of the day but 1t was so hot and
the boys made so much noise in their ex-
position OF the national game, that the
speechmaking was omitted from the pro-
gramme. Farmer Mclaughlin, for all
that was a central figure in..the days cele-
bration for representation OF the leader
of the farmers, clad in his long silver
gray buster and his fuzzy old gold hat,
was one of the striking features OF the
parade of fantastics and horribles. Far.
mer Mclaughlin Joined in the laughter
created by this representation OF himself
The great parade started at the square
at North Scarhoro. AS 1t was to cover a
line of march 10 miles in length ths start
was an early one. Horace NJ. Butler was
the chief marshal and gave the order to
move at just seven o'clock. First came an
open Larouche in which rode the presi-
dent of the day, Mr.. J. Augustus Libby,
W. f. Dresser, Esq, Seleotman j. +.
Storey and Farmer Mclaughlin. They
have asband lat Dunstan corner and the
bandmen had arisen ear to get to the
starting point in time. They made
music for procession which strung out
for over q mile. There were all sorts of
loral hits in the displays and the parade
was greeted with shouts of laughter as it
wendell its way through various neigh
borhoods. In the line were also three
large barges carrying the school children.
A parade that travels l6 miles must nee
essarily make a number of stops and
every time the Scarboro army of the
ANTIQUES aud borribles came TO a stand.
still there was an abundance of good
cheer IN the shape OF lemonade. The
parade moved first up the Buxton road
and refreshed its members at the resi-
dence of Supervisor of Schools Fred E.
Moultou. Then the line moved TO Scar
boro corner and from there to the Carter
neighborhood where halt was made at
the residences Of B. u. and Edward B.
Carter and there were more refreshments.
Postmaster George W. Knight did the
honors ut Dunstan and then the line
moved for the last stage of fits journey
which ended at Libby's Grove on Beech
Ridge. 1t was a hot and tired, but still
patriotic crowd which surrounded the
generously laden tables at the grove and
the big dinner soon disappeared. As
every body got enough everybody felt still
more patriotic and went out where the
us
Here the Dunstan Corner baseball club
met the aggregation from East Gorham
Ia battle which lasted long time, and
was made lively by the rapidity with
which the runs accum ulated and the air
shifting yelis OF the spectators The
gAine result d q to 10 In favor of the
Dunstan players, who were given ball
as n uriza No aooner had tha 10 - ,,,,,,
been made than the crowd made a dash
for the grove. Here in the midst OF the
trees was one slender sapling which h ad
heen denuded Of its bark to height of
20 feet Young Joe knight climbed
Ladder and smeared the barkless tree with
grease. Joe put 1t on thick, so thick
that all he could do when he made the
first trial was to slide In heap to the
bottom OF the tree every time he lifted
Els feet from the ground. There was
pause for another contestant and then
Jesse Tapley, a young man who looks as
strong as moose, announced that he
would try 1t. He donned the greasy over
alls and jumper while fresh application
Of lubricant was made to the tree. Then
Jesse Tapley started in to show the
crowd how to climb CREASED pole while
fat man in the front ring of spectators
encouraged him with such remarks as;
You want to go up, Jess. That's where
you're aiming, not dowa, Dig in with
your finger nails. It's only twenty feet
TO CO." and so on and so on, while Tap
ley :inng like grim death to the slippery
tree trunk and BY clasping his arms to-
gether managed TO hold himself station
airy about eight feet from the ground.
That looked like good record until
Moses Trip showed what he could do.