The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1904-07-07
PALERMO'S CENTENNIAL.

PALERMO'S CENTENNIAL.
Its Observance June 23d the Shores of
Prescott Point. Between 1900 and 4 900
People Present.
The good old town of Palermo. nestled
among the hills of Waldo county, celebrated
her Tooth anniversary June 23rd, on the
shores of Prescott Pond, that beautiful
sheet of water which has been the scene of
many joyful reunions at the Old Home
picnics in years past. The day proved an
ideal one and early in the morning the
crowds began to gather from far and near
until it was estimated there were between
5000 and 1000 people on the grounds. Every
New England State was represented and
several of the Western States. A more Or
derby crowd could not have been found.
There was no intoxication and every one
was in a gala day mood. Judge Oscar A.
Marden of Stoughton, Mass, was the orator
of the day, and his speech was listened to
with close attention and greeted with hearty
applause. Judge Marden is one of the fore
most lawyers of Massachusetts,, but is son
OF Palermo and proud of the fact. The his
tory of the town was delivered by Rev. II.
W. Abbott, who, though not Palermo-born,
yet entered into the spirit of the occasion
so fully that he produced history which
pleased every one. In his paper he made
some remarks on the neglected condition of
the cemetery on Dennis Hill which con-
tains the unmarked grave of the first settler
of the town, which so aroused the enthusi-
assn of the people that 800 were at once
raised toward its restoration and as much
more pledged. The poem was given by
Ernest c. Bowler, editor of the Bethel
News, but a Palermo boy, and was mas
terly and well delivered production. The
choir rendered several choice selections
and the Liberty Cornet Band was in at
tendance through the day and added much
to the interest of the occasion. A dancing
pavilion had been erected, bail games were
played and there were various other attrac-
tions for the young people. Dinner was
served on the grounds; and right here we
would like to note one of PalermO's smart
old ladies. Mrs. Jerusha Bradstreet John
son was so years old June 22nd and on that
made all the yeast bread consumed at the
dinner, which was no inconsiderable
amount. She also helped serve the dinner
and seemed fresher that night than many
younger women. A very interesting relic
was shown by Mr.. Allen Goodwin of Mont
vile, formerly of Palermo, in the shape of
silver spoon which was found by John
Black while blowing short time ago. 1t
bears the initials S. W. and is supposed to
have belonged to Stephen Webster, who for
merly owned the place where Mr.. Black
now lives. 1t must have been buried nearly
a hundred years, as Mr. Webster moved
from there in 1906
The committee of arrangements were G.
NJ. Crommett, Samuel Marden. M. j. Mel
son, S. B. Jones, F. E. Spratt. The pro-
gram was as follows:
Music, Liberty Band
Prayer, Rev. Steven Bowler
Welcome, w. S. Jones
Singing, Branch Mills Choir
Historical Address, Rev. Ii. W. Abbott
Solo, Harry Worthing
Poem, E. c. Bowler
Solo, Mrs. Fred Worthing
Grafton, Hon. Oscar A. Marden
The address of welcome by W. S. Jones,
a graduate of Bates College and one of
Palermo's most promising young men, was
given in a very happy manner, and the
historical address by Rev. H. W. Abbott
was interesting, instructive and in every
way satisfactory. He reviewed the history
of the town from its first settlement down
to the present time, contrasting the hard
ships and trials of the early pioneers with
the more easy and luxurious life of their
descendants. Mr.. Marden's address was in
part historical and was a fine tribute to
the town in which his boyhood days were
spent, and Mr.. BOwler's poem was an able
and patriotic production. We quote the
closing verses:
'Twere not alone on battlefield amid the
shot and shell,
Where bold men shrank, where strong men
wept, where brave men fought and
That Palermo gave her sturdy stuff, her
life, her strength, her pride;
In all the various walks in life, her metal
has been tried.
Thus while she marks no steady growth,
which she can call her own,
She has furnished much material, from
which other towns have grown.
And as her sturdy boys and girls, unpol-
ished they may have been,
Have left the farms and sought elsewhere,
new life to begin,
They have carried to those broader lives
that plain, though priceless worth
Imbued into their very souls by the stall
wart stock which gave them birth.
! And though they labor far or near, in sta
ton high'Or low,
Destined to reach the topmost round or toll
and plOd below;
Yet from those simple, rugged lives. has