The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1904-02-04
THE MAINE PRESS ASSOCIATION.

Holds its annual meeting in Portland. Inter-
esting papers read and a fine poem by F.
HI. Colley.
Wednesday morning, Jan. 9th, the streets
and sidewalks were blocked from the snow
fall the night before and the outlook for a
journey by rail was not very promising.
But snow plow had come down over the
branch from Burnham and returned just in
advance of the morning train, so that Con-
ductor Sullivan was only few minutes
late in landing his passengers at the Maine
Central station. Burnham evidently had
its share of the snowfall and men were
busy shoveling out the tracks in the vicin-
ity of the station and loading the snow on
flat cars. While on the platform awaiting
the coming of the west-bound train dense
black cloud appeared up the track and
something, with terrible clatter, swept
past the station throwing the snow in every
direction. Charlie Shaw said it was a ro-
tary snow plow; but it was so hidden in the
dense black smoke from soft coal and the
flying snow that neither the plow, nor the
engine which propelled, were visible. Half
an hour OF so behind time our train came
along, the tops of the cars covered with
snow and cicles hanging from their sides.
The express train due from Boston at 2. 30
a. M, had not then arrived, and was met at
Augusta There were no signs of activity
ON the kennebec river, which presented an
unbroken surface of white. The ice fields
are buried under the snow, and there was no
sign of the usual winter roads. Our train
was only about half an hour behind time in
arriving at Portland and the newspaper
folks at once boarded the street cars for the
Congress Square Hotel. You often hear of
sky parlors; but the Congress Square has
sky dining room. 1t is in the sixth story
and commands an extensive view, includ-
ing the bay and the White Mountains in the
distance. That is not the only attraction
of the Congress Square. 1t sets a good table,
its guests are well served, and the beds and
rooms are all that could be desired. Those
who stopped at this hotel for the first time
will "call again.
The first session of the Maine Fress AssO-
citation was called for p. m. Wednesday in
the Common Council room, City Building,
and at the hour appointed about a dozen
members were present and Secretary Wood
was as usual in his accustomed place and
ready for business. After the roll call the
President read his address, which was also
his valedctory, as he had served the GUS
tomary two years The address was print
ed in The Journal last week. Officers were
elected as follows:
President-Jesse II. Ogier, Camden.
Vice Presidents-Liston p Evans of
Dover, William H. Dow of Portland, Fred
W. Sanborn, Norway.
Secretary-JoSep Wood, Portland
Treasurer Charles F. Flynt, Augusta.
Corresponding Secretary - Edward S.
Stearns, Camden.
Executive Committee-Jesse II. Ogier of
Camden; f. NJ. Banding of Bangor; Ar
thur L. Forbes of South Paris; Frank g.
Rich of Bangor
Mr.. Osier is the editor Of the Camden
Herald. He joined the Association in 1894
and has since been one of its most inter
ested and useful members. He is splen-
did presiding officer, a young man of abili-
ty and pleasing personality, and the Maine
Press Association is to be congratulated on
its choice.
The new list of county historians in
cludes Miss Grace T. Burgess of Belfast as
very few reports received at this meeting,
and they were brief. Thomas d. Sale of
Portland was elected as essayist and Hen
ry S. Webster of Gardiner as poet for the
next meeting.
Clarence b. Burleigh for the committee
on libel laws reported at length concerning
the efforts to secure better protection
from unjust and irresponsible persecution.
His report, which was a very able and in
teresting one, included the new law and
will be printed in the annual report.
Secretary Wood having, as he said, receiv-
ed the SD degree by his 33d annual election
as secretary, gave the following interesting
data: lie was elected secretary at the meet
ing in Augusta in 1872 at which II members
were present. OF these only five are now
members. Eight are dead and four may be
classed as missing. In 1873 there were 80
members and 10 honorary members. All of
the latter are dead, and of the so active
members only - are now carried on the
roll Mr.. Wood has not missed a meeting
in the 33 years, and his records are models
for accuracy.
In the evening an hour was spent at the
headquarters of the Northeastern Telephone
Co. on Casco street, where MIR. l.. A. Goudy
of the company gave a most interesting talk
on the history and workings of the auto
matte telephone systematic "cussless, girl
less, get-out-of- -Order-less' kind-and ex-
hibited it's working. 1t is too long story
to tell now.
When the Association was called to order
about $50 p. m. the report of the treasurer
was read and accepted. Mr.. Ogier read an
excellent report of the summer excursion of
1903 and Mr.. Merriam reported from the
committee on advertising. About an hour
was devoted to what Secretary Wood called
a "heart to heart talk" in which advertising
rates, advertising agencies, etc, came up
for discussion. There was general COM
plant of delayed payments and cut rates,
and the remedy suggested was that the
newspaper publishers should stand togeth-
er in demanding their just dues. A COM
i ~.