The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-08-18
Enjoyable Gathering 1t Prebls
House.
Address By Hon. Amos
Allen of Alfred.
He Pays An Eloquent Tribute to
Citizen Soldiers.

| me seventeenth infantry OF the regu-
lar army of the United States Is engaged
in fighting the ta,tles of its counfry In
the Tar off Philippines and the dispatches
say that 1t II doing there the same gall
liant work for which IL has been diftln-
guished with yer 1t has been called p
on to go Into action. The regiment went
to the war in Cuba ami came back sadly
| diminished in the numbers of its men
bus with added lustFe to Its history. 1t
was recruited again to its full strength
and sent nrooss the Pacific to the Philip.
pines. Wherever the Seventeenth regu-
lars go their deeds are watched by Maine
people with more than passing interest
for the. Seventeenth was formed at the bs-
ginning of the Rebellion and 1t was sta
toned at Fort Prable whils 1t was being
recruited. Many of It's members were
Maine boys and othsrs came from the
mother state of Massachusetts,. Every
year now little band of them meet to
talk over the events of the years gone by
and the proceedings O. these annual gath
erings of the Seventeenth Regimental
association are read by many comrades
= VhO now AoSAAo Ah E41Ooo 81 lar uWdt
that they are unable to attend the gather
ings. Thursday was the date OF this
years meeting and 1t was held at the
Profile house, where many of the meet
ings have been heid in past years. There
were nearly twenty of the old boys pres
emit when the president, Comrade Charles
Rice of Norwood. Mass, called the gath
ering to order late in the forenoon.
| This WAS after an hour spent in the In.
terchange of greetings and "reminiscences.
In the gathering was Mr.. Alfred NJ.
Dearing who has the distinction of being
| the first man to enlist. In the Seventeenth.
| Comrade G. III. Mason of Brockton,
Mass, had many questions to answer foI
he has a son fighting today In the ranks
of the old regiment and everybody want
ed to know Of the fortunes OF the young
man. There were many hearty greetings
for Secretary II. +. Rice of Gray, who
/ has acceptably filled that position for
many years now and Is greatly endeared
to the members of the society. Finally
when the business was taken up the as
ISOLATION elected ths following officers for
the ensuing year:
President-William r. Hudson, Ros-
| lindale, Mass.
Vice Presidents-Captain ]. j. Emer-
son, Jamaica Plain, Mass. Charles Ma
son, Brockton; Sergeant John Collins,
Milton, Mass.
Secretary and Treasurer-Lieutenant H.
+. Rice, Gray. Me.
Chaplain-Charles G. Rice, Norwood,
Mass.
Secretary Rice, who is an invalid, has
received great assistance In his work
from Miss Mertslle K. Snow of Gray and
when this fact became known to the
members of the association they unani-
mously, on motion OF Captain Emerso n,
extended to her vote OF thanks and also,
on motion of the same gentleman, elected
Miss Snow to honorary mem ership in
the association. A vote Of thanks was also
passed to Secretary Rice. Acknowledge
ment was made of the courtesy of the
Maine Central railroad and the Portland
Steamship company in granting reduced
fares for the reunion. The annual re.
ports were received and accepted.
After the business meeting the Nom
ters gathered in the small dining room
of the hotel where dinner was served. AS
guests of the society there were present
Hon. Amos L. Allen of Alfred and the
Rev. K. III. Cousins of Biddeford. Presi-
dent Hudson presided and around the
long tables there sat thess gentlemen
and ladies; james j. Emerson, a. NJ.
Hines, Mrs. A. N. Woodbury., Miss Ida
NJ. Goddard, MIR. and Mrs. George b.
Goddard. MIR. and MEs. Alfred S. Dear
ing, Samuel Butterheld, G. H. Mason.
Miss Mary g. Hudson, Mira William r.
Hudson, John H. Collins. ii. B. Rice,
Rev. K. NJ. Cousins. Amos L.. Allen. Mr..
and Mrs. S. S. Sturgeon, Mr. and Mrs
Charles Rice, James Burnie, George w.
Deteck, Eugene Sullivan, MIR. aud Mrs.
George b. Ward. Prayer was offersd by
the Rev. MIR. Cousins. At the post pran-
dial exercises, there were several speeches
and appropriate resolutions were adopted
in memory of tho memh ers of the associa.
ten who have died during the year. !. Rev.
K. III. Cousins was the first speaker and
paid high tribute TO the Christian char
acter of Comrade f. A. Gowen, one of the
deceased members, whom Mr.. Cousins
knew. Mr.. Cousins also spoke feelIngly
of the death of MIR. Lobdell. In conclusion
he REFERRED to the signs Of the coming Of
the time when war shall be a thing of ths
past and nations shall sstt le their differ
ences without resort to force
Hon. Amos L. Allen followed MIR
Cousins and spoke forcibly and appropri
ateIy of the debs the nation owes to the
men who fought for its preservation In
the days of the rebellion. Mr. Allen said
in substance; suppose that I am.
stranger TO everyone of you and certain
ly had knowledge of only one man who
was TO be present and had never saen
5 him until today. The opportunity to