The Portland daily press., 1899-07-11
ENTERTAINING THE FLEET.
The city Government Committee Hard
stwork Completing the "Details OF
the Amir.

The committee Of the city government
which has In charge the entertainment Of
the North Atlantic squadron was In
almost continuous session yesterday
The programme in Its several features IL
being rapidly completed but cannot be
definitely announced until the wishes of
Captain Taylor, who commands the feet,
are ascertained. A member Of the com-
mittee went to Portsmouth,, N. H., last
e'rening.and will confer with Captain
Taylor regarding the entertainment Of
the officers and men In Portland.
II q parade be held the committee will
endeavor to have 1t OCCUR on Friday. On
that day IL 10 believed that including
the escort fully a,ooo men will bs In line.
The militia organizations In Portland
who are TO act as escort for the landing
party from the fleet are taking great in
tsrest In the matter and 81 Is believed will
be able to turn out enough men TO make
q creditable showing.
The Cumberland club will entertain
the officers Of the fleet ON Saturday after
noon from until Z p. m. aud this will
undoubtedly be made one of the pleasant
est features for the officers Of their stay In
Portland. The Board OF Trsde will en-
terrain some Of them while the enlisted
Gen who have in former years been
somewhat neglected will this year be
suitably cared for.
1t Is believed that some night during
their stay in Portland the fleet will be IL
Illuminated and the city will then give a
band concert on the Eastern promenade
from which the illumination can best be
seen.
The railroads are advertising to run
excursions to Portland while the feet
remains here and 10 is expected that the
city will be full Of strangers from this
part of the state.
1t Ia the earnest.desire of the committee
which has In charge the entertainment
that the citizens decorate their houses as
much as possible while the fleet rem aims
In Portland. The decorators began work
ON city hall yesterday afternoon and the
decorations will be completed by wednes-
day noon.
Last night the city government passed
an order appropriating $500 for the en-.
tertainment Of the feet. 1he committee
on subscriptions reported at the meeting
yesterday afternoon that subscrir lions to
the amount of $500 had been offered.
Every hotel and railroad in Portland
made generous contributions excepting
one hotel which refused to contribute to
the fund.
Att. meeting OF the Board of Trade
yesterday afternoon 1t was voted to entor-
tain the officers Of the North Atlantic
squadron one evening during their visit
to Portland. A committee consisting Of
Messrs. @. W. L. Cooling, j. II. Short
and n. N. Rich was appointed to make
plans for the affair. II the plans are
carried out which have already been
talked over the officers will be taken on
Thursday evening on short sail about
the harbor to end with a dinner at
Peaks island and an evening at the Gem
theatre afterwards. "A limited number
of tickets will be sold by the Board of
Trade for this occasion which is to be
purely an informal affair.
The Board of Trade also voted to defer
the appointments of an inspector Of grain
until another meeting. Mr.. Doten of
that committee reported that the commit
tee was not yet prepared to make formal
report on this matter but were favorable
to the idea of. having grain inspector in
Portland.