The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1902-07-18
ANOtable Success.
Ladies' Night Banquet of
the Mems Club.
HON E. j. HILL THE
GUEST OF HONOR. +
Just 1872 Persons Present.
PROBABLY THE LARGEST AND
MOST SUCCESSFUL BANQUET
EVER HELD IN TOWN.
Landlord Leonard Wins High Praises.
Landlord Leona I'd Wins High Praises.

at large.
JUST 1872 persons occupied places at
the banquet tables, and Landlord w
A. Leonard won high encomiums from
every person by the delightful menl
provided, and the splendid way ir
tion of the popular Inn was we'll SuS
tanned, nearly everyone declaring it tc
be one of the most enjoyable dinners
ever served in the old town. An in
formal reception to the speaker of the
evening took place in the Inn parlOrs
from 8 to 9 o'clock. e. L. Johnson
the president of the club, and Mrs
johnson received with Mr. Hill, and
nearly everyone present took the op.
portunity to shake the hand of Mr. and
Mrs johnson and the genial congress.
man. The Vaughan string quartet OF
Bridgeport played during the reception
and banquet, being stationed in MI
Leonard's private office, just of from
seats were taken at the tables, Presi.
dent johnson with Congressman Hill
and Mrs johnson leading in the march
to the banquet hall. The tables pre-
sented handsome sight. On the
speakers table were beautiful bouquets
of carnations, and carnations for
bOutOnniereS were placed at every
plate in the dining hall. Each table
bore bouquets Of nasturtiums, the
latter being kindly furnished to the
club by Mrs Wesley Hayes. After the
blessing asked by Rev J. H. George,
President johnson arose and in brief
and excellent speech welcomed the
guests in behalf of the club to the
festive occasion. He explained the
idea OF Ladies' night in clear and
toEinn rnonnor Aftonfinn xDoc thar,
given to the following menu:
Little Neck CLAIMS.
Sailed Almonds, Radishes.
Soft shell Grabs.
Potted Beef with Spaghetti.
SQUADS on T Rsnsh R0m"i1 %atercresses.
Vanilla Ice Cream.
Demi cafes 0A'' Crackers ss''' R R
After coffee had been served Presi-
dent johnson raped for order and
introduced Rev o. w. Barker, chair
NAH OF the committee of arrange
ments, who gave one OF his bright and
taking off-hand speeches. His theme
was "The history of the club" and
he handled the question in way that
delighted all. President Johnson then
introduced, in felicitous manner,
the honored guest of the evening, Hon
e. j. Hill. Mr. Hill is always an in
tensely interesting speaker, and We'd
nesday nights effort was no exception
to the rule. By the request Of the
committee he gave his manuscript
talk on "Siberia," and notwithstand-
ing the lateness Of the hour one could
have heard a pin drop during the de-
livery of the lecture. He was fire.
Hill closed with an eloquent patriotic
perOratiOn which was warmly applaud
ed. 1t is impossible to give but a few
facts from his interesting address of an
hour and quarter. He said in part:
Siberia's conquest began in 1880 by a
rObber chief named Yermak, who
crossed the Urals and, defeating the
Tartars, gave their lands as his own
peace Offering to the Russian Emperor,
Ivan the Terrible. For sixty years
the Cossacks fought their way east
ward until they reached the OkhOtSk
Sea, easily routing the scattered tribes
Of the northern country; but it was
not until 1850 that Khabarovsk, a
Russian farmer, led them into the
perpetuated in the name of the flour
ishing city which stands to-day at the
junction of the Amur and Usuri
| Rivers. The Manchus were warlike
people, and the Black Dragon River,
as they called the Amur, was their
northern boundary. After a contest
which continued forty years, they
drove the Russians back and held un.
disputed possession for a hundred and
sixty-six years, until 1854, when Gen
Muravieff notified China that, with OF
without her consent, he proposed tC
resume control of the Amur river. In
1855 he re-esta blished the Cossack sta
tions its entire length and, In 1860, by
the treaty of Aigun, this splendid val
and miles, and with it the whole
Pacific coast of Manchuria, reaching
westward to the Usuri river and south
ward to Korea, was given up to Russia
without struggle.
That one accession made Siberia
what it is to-day. Without it, it was
and would have remained a trackleSs
waste. With it, it will be an empire
which within century will exercise
more influence in the worlds affairs
than European Russia ever has, for il
is sure to be the dominant power in
the Orient, where half the population
of the world is found, and it is not i'm
possible that in some distant future
| IlC OIiIIcu oUdUCo VI NOI Uil "A lICl lCt
may clasp hands across the Pacific
with the United States of Northern
Asia.
Few people realize the immensely OF
Siberia, for it is impossible for thu
mind to grasp the meaning OF five
million five hundred thousand square
miles. To think of single state
stretching through one hundred anC
thirty degrees Of longitude and cover
ing thirty two degrees of latitude an(
equalling one-ninth Of the land surface
or the globe is almost incOnceivable.
Let us measure it by countries with
which we are familiar. Take all o.
the United States between the ocean!
and add Alaska, the Philippines
Hawaii and Porto Rico; then ado
England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales
then cross the English Channel ant
take France, Belgium, Holland, Den
mark, Norway and Sweden, Germany
Switzerland, Italy, Spain and Portu
gal, Austria, Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria
ROumania and Servia, making all O.
Europe except Russia and you coult
put them all in Siberia and have lane
enough left to make thirty-tive state
like Connecticut, and Manchuria will
make seventy more.
l had thought of Siberia as d convic
settlement only, with a small popula
tion composed largely Of criminals ant
political exiles. found 1t countr.
OF nearly nine million people, 81 pei
cent of whom were either natives o
voluntary immigrants, with the exil
, system discontinued or transferred t.