Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-10-05
maine HEAvlES
Soon to Escort Football
Team to Portland
Saturday, Oct. Is, When Rssimentat
Football Team Matches v. Of N. Will
Be Day Of Farewell Greetings

Portland. Oct. 4.-This city Is now
grooming itself in preparation for
what promises to be one Of the big
gest days on its calendar. Saturday,
Oct. S3. On that day it will both well :
come and bid farewell to the First
Maine Heavy Field Artillery. better
known to the people of the Pine Tree
State as the Milliken Regiment. Prac-
tically the whole regiment is coming
to Portland week from Saturday, ac-
companying its football team, which is
slated to meet University OF Maine on
the gridiron. Portland has never had
an opportunity to view this regiment
which had its inception in this city.
for Immediately following its organ
ization, following a recruiting cam
paign which occupied only 10 days. it
was ordered to mobilize in Brunswick
and from there after three weeks of
preliminary training 1t was ordered
to the concentration camp in West =
field, Mass, Camp Bartlett. This last
movement was by orders from the
Northeastern Department, carried
through very quietly, almost with
complete secrecy, and only few
hundred were at the station to see the
boys on the evening of the day the
transfer was made. 49,
Now that the opportunity is offered
for the people of Maine to see the ar
tillery regiment which is slated to
carry the standard of the Pine Tree
State to the firing line in the worlds
greatest war, Portland proposes to see
to it that the city and State make the
most of it. Elaborate plans for the
reception are now being formulated
and every effort will be made to make
it possible for the friends and relatives
of the boys in the ranks to Join with
the people of Portland in extending a
real Maine welcome and warm
hearted goodbye. This will be the
only time that this State will have a
chance to see the regiment until the
war has ended for there is a strong
indication that within a few days after
its visit here it will move under or
ders to a point widely separated from
the homes Of it's members a.
BY special train the organization will
arrive in Portland on Friday evening
Of next week and will remain here I'M &.
til Sunday afternoon. The game will
take place in the afternoon following a
parade and between the halves there
will be a physical drill by a picked
squad In calisthenics and other man
euvers which constitute part Of the
regiments daily training at the West
field camp.
The calisthenc drill Is a picturesque
performance, done to band music and is
one of the big attractions Of the camp.
never falling to attract the undivided at
tention and admiration Of all the other
regiments encamped there. the Maine reg
iment being the only one that has It In its
regular drill schedule.
Both the band and the calsthenic squad
will figure again In the evening affair, q
pop concert which is to take place In
City hall, and in addition there will ba
a songfest which Is to be presented by
the newly-orga nized glee club the very
latest addition to the regiment. This club
was conceived and made a reality by
Lieut.. Keith Ryan Of Augusta. COM
mander Of the Headquarters Company,
himself singer Of marked ability and
one with a wide experience in conduct
ing choruses and clubs Of this sort He
picked his men from the ranks of the va
rious batteries and companies which make
UP the regiment. unframed voices for the
most part. and under his leadership In
spite of the fact that the club is Ettls
m8re than a week old. a chorus capable
Of producing the most pleasing harmony
has been accomplished.
The hall will be beautifully decorat.
ed, prettily arranged tables will form n
semi inside Of which there will
be dancing, the regimental band fur
n:shing the music. while a CORDS Of
young ladies connected with the Red
Cross will serve ices and other daint-
les. There will be many DISTINGUISHED.
guests in attendance. including Gov
ernor Milliken and his staff, high off,
Gals from the headquarters Of the de-
partment Of the Northeast and prom :
inent men and women from all over
the State The affair will be open TO
the public and not by invitation. The
Portland branch Of the Red Cross will
have full charge Of it and the early de-
mand for tickets lends an assurance
that the capacity Of City hall is to be
tested to take care Of all who seek ad-'
mission.
An effort is now being made to pro-
vide a special train between Bangor
and Portland to accommodate the
many from Bangor. Augusta and other
points along the line where reside the
relatives end friends Of the boys con-
nected with this regiment.
1t is expected that within a few days
further details concerning this train sef-
vice will be announced in the newspapers
throughout the State.
The Portland Rotary Club has tender
ed its services toward the engineering Of
the local reception Of the regiment and
caring for the detail connected with thes
staging OF the big football contest. In.
view Of the successful manner in which.
the club put Portland on the baseball
map at the opening Of the Eastern League
season last spring. there is every likeli-
hood that its aid will be readily accepted.
.