The Newtown bee., 1907-06-21
NEW MILFORD
 BI=CENTENNIAI. Celebration A Great
 Success. TOWN BRILLIANTLY ILLUMI-
 MATED. Notable Addresses by Gov Woodruff, Judge Simeon E. Baldwin
 and Others. WEATHER MAN SMILES ON THE CELEBRATION.


With all nature smiling, under the warm rays of June sun, and the bus mess blocks and residences of New | Milford decorated as never before in it's history, the New Milford Bi-Cen- tennial celebration was formally 1 opened on Saturday afternoon in the presence of company numbering about $500 people assembled about the grand stand on the walks adjacent to the village Green. Those who oc- cupied seats on the band stand were :: l Charles N. Hall, general sercetary of the Bi-Centennial committee, Senator A. G. Barnes, Seymour s. Green, Se- | lectman Stephen C. Beach and E. B. | Darwin. Collector of Internal Revenue w. F. Kinney, Charles M. Beach, R. l F. Mygatt, Postmaster George H. I Jackson and T. D. Merwin of New York. After the chimes on All Saints . church had pealed forth the strains of Praise God From Whom All Blessings l Flow Rev F. A. Johnson. pastor of the historic church of the town. the First Congregational. advanced and l address of welcome was made by the l capable secretary of the general com mittee Charles N. Hall. MT Hall made an exceedingly felicitous little address and at the conclusion of the ex- | arcises was warmly congratulated on | all sides. His graceful reference to the | esteemed chairman of the general com mttee Hon Henry s. Mygatt, now | temporarily laid aside from active duty l oy illness, was particularly timely and well put MT Hall said: Citizens and | Friends, For this seems the most com prehensive and fitting title by which to address such an assemblage as this !; | since many of you are citizens, and all of you are friends of New Milford: l Citizens and Friends then; to one and | all, to those of you who are citizens :; | to those of you who were New Milford | born but have found other homes; to | those of you whose forefatherS were once New Affords children; to each and every one of you. and to all | guests yet to come, the General Com mittee of the Bi-Centennial, speaking | for this entire community, extends a | most heartfelt welcome
 i But our welcome is tinged with re | gret; regret that these words cannot | be spoken to-day by the one man best | fitted for, most entitled to, that honor. | Those of you who have worked during | these months of preparation, and all who know him, will bear witness that no man living has done more for this celebrations no man living could have greeted you more gracefully or with greater sincerity than would our hon. | J | he present. But though not with us | in person, we know that he is so in thought, that his hopes and best wish es are with us to-day.
 It is difficult to find words fitting for an occasion like this, for no occasion l like this has ever before confronted, us. For the first time in her history | New Milford fittingly celebrates a | birt hday anniversary. or the fir st time in her history New Milford has planned a great general homecoming | of all her scattered children. For the first time we shall see, during these four days, all our own people gathered l together in a common cause ;and 1t Is not likely that any now living will ever see them so gathered again.
 This then is The Event, not merely Il of the years, but of the centuries ; | an event which must occupy a place unique and unapproachable in the his | tory of our town and words may well fail to express the sentiments which I such an occasion must inspire.
 Since that day in the year TOY, when the pioneer, John Noble, first traversed the wilderness to this place, up to this day of June, 1907, every event and cir constance, toll and danger, hardship and prosperity, peace and war, all have | been but successive steps leading to this celebration, and making it possi- ble. And in this celebration we mark not this anniversary alone, but cele- brate as well all that has gone before We celebrate the founders of our town the heroic men and women who by their toll. their courage and theil faith, not only made New Milford, but helped to lay the corner stone of this nation. Every event in this, our eel ebration this flag raising; the splend, idly impressive services of Sunday the historic addresses, and the reception of Monday the imposing parade o1 | dow ,,l., ,Of ,lx to afford pleasure and entertainment for our guests, and to glorify the New Milford of to-day, but also to com m emorate and glorify the past
 But while we celebrate New Milford past and present, what shall we say ot the New Milford to come? Shall no
 the civic pride, the energy, the patri
 otism, that have inspired this celebra. tion, continue to be moving forces to
 ward a better New Milford? Shall no
 some of the thousands who visit us
 impressed with the attractions of oul town, remain and help us to make greater New Milford?
 New Milford has done wisely ant
 well to inaugurate this homecoming
 for such home-comings are vitally es
 s-ntal to the right life and growth ant
 prosperity of any community. Nev
 Milford is proud of her history; prout
 of her position among the hills ant
 towns of old Iitchtield County, in thi
 tDlCSSGti cOI1llflOilN cal LII Ol oO0IecIlCul
 proud of her business enterprise. of he
 schools and churches and proud of he
 children. whom she welcomes home to
 day.
 You are here, not as chance visitor
 or strangers, but as members of on
 great family. We ask you to be no
 only with us, but of at this time
 to become for the time being, citizen
 of our town. and would be glad to hay
 you become so in fact,
 nr.I. lphv ion ar
 yours Be at home with us; surve
 the attractions of our town; visit an
 greet old friends; enjoy the celebra
 tion to the utmost, and then if yo
 must leave us, take with you the kino
 est thoughts and happy memories c
 the Bi-Centennial.
 The speakers, with the band leadin ala1r he Stn of A11ld Ian