The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-04-27

Lloyd Steamship company was seor' tssy.
Nearly six hundred guests sat down at
the fifteen tables in the grand banquet
hall. The room was resplendent with
flags and flowers.
Back of the guests of honor table were
festoons and garlands of flags and two
large banners bearing the seals Of the
states of New York and Maine. Around
the balcony were silken flags and banners
bearing the seals OF other states.
The guests marched to the banquet
room at half past five O'Clock. Governor
Roosevelt was chairman. Others present
at the guest of honor table. seated on
either side of Gov. Roosevelt, and Senator
Frye were: A5ner Mckinley. Charles
Stewart Smith, Ex-Governor Levi p.
Morton; Gen. Wesley Merritt, Senator
Depew, George Il. Bidwell, Frank Brain
ard. Senator Pasco, Senator German,
William f. King, W. Bayard Cutting.
Senator Platt, A. K. Orr, Hon. Charles
A. schieren, Hon. William l.. Strong
Hon. Andrew II. Green, Il. W. Beasley.
Hon. James 5. Sherman, DIR. Van Dyke.
Hon. Amos J. Cummings, j. w. Am
brose and Hon. j. W. Cowan.
Gov Roosevelt held brief levee just
before the guests went to the dining hall.
While the dinner was In progress, MIR
and Mrs. George q. Boldt entertained at
their house in honor Mrs. Senator Frye
and her two gran daughters. the Misses
White and Briggs. Among the guests
were Mrs. Abner Mckinley, Mrs. John
Howard MoFadden, MIR. and Mrs. j.
Dickson, Mrs. Charles Gardiner, Mrs.
Elihu Root, W. II. Iruesdale, William 3.
Y l.. III rarr
Hurts Cook and Thornton Nordenfeldt,
cham be rlain to the King of Norway and
Sweden.
After dinner the party went into the
hotel TO listen to the speeches. The menu
at the banquet, two satiE cardboards
fastened with ribbons, were very pretty.
The frontispiece was engraved with an
embossed cluster of flags In colors above
which was the portrait of Senator Frye.
On one side was the old vessel in which
Hendrick Hudson and crew entered this
harbor while in the opposite corner was
modern steamship of great draught,
showing the advance in shipping In this
country.
When the ice cream was served q stream
of walters moved about bearing designs
of steam dredees, ocean mshlps and
cornucopias of plenty and other emblem
of prosperity and commerce. A charb oi
New York harbor was placed at every
plate.
GOV. Roosevelt was oheered whom he
asked for order. he salu'
"Gentlemen 1T is indeed privilege
and a pleasure to have been asked To pre-
side here tonight. 1t is distinction be-
cause of those present and the dlstln-
guisbed gnest whom We honor. =" :
The governor then raad the following
letter from President Mckinley:
Washington, April 26.
Hon. W. F.N King President of the Mer-
chants Association, New York:
While the pressure of public business
prevents an acceptance of the invitation
to attend the banquet this evening, am
clad to express my qualification that sc
notable an opportunity is presented for tht
discussion OF the great questions of trade
and commerce.. Such Interchange OF
thought on these topics cannot but have
substantial results and will help TO main
tain and advance our prestige in the
markets Of the world You have my very
best wishes for most successful and IN
spring gathering. and l beg that you
viii convey to the guest Of honor OF the
evening Senator Frye, my congratuia,
tions upon this splendid recognition oil
his devotion to the commercial and IN
dustrial interests of the country.
WILLIAM M'klNLEI.