Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-05-09
Augusta Proves
(csntinusd from Page ons)

'siderably more than enough food to
feed the multitude and the promises Of
a complimentary lunch to visiting
marcherS was fulfilled.
Augusta was thronged-that's literal.
iths city was thronged. It IL not there
fore strange nor IL It matter for crit
icism. the fact that only 5000 or more
Of the great host in the city attended
the afternoon program at the State
House. The streets were so crowded
that one needed many minutes to trav-
Iel along the sidewalks a few blocks.
The afternoon program began at 2
O'Clock and 1t was impossible for more
,people to gain refreshments and re-
turn to the State House between the
close Of the parade and o'clock. On
the other hand 1t was necessary that
the meeting should begin at o'clock
and Il may be truthfully said that
great assemblage was on hand at the
advertised hour and that the meeting
was a grand success. The speakers
were at their best and both Mr.. Sew
all and Senator johnson aroused keen
interest and unqualified approval with
their eloquent appeals for whole-heart-
ed loyalty to the national program.
The singing was inspiring both from
its volume and its earnestness, for
seldom do 5000 or more Maine folks
sing THE Star Spangled Banner" to-
Rether, and never do they sing it bet
ter than the patriots sang 1t at Au-
gusta Tuesday.
The Patriots Invasion
Patriots of Central Maine began to
arrive in Augusta on the earliest morn
orrit
early crowded with thousands. for the
day had dawned with a sky as clear
blue as a Maine lake and none could
doubt but that the day would be falr.
Upon detraining, marchers hurried away
to their assigned place of formation ana
spectators sought advantageous viewing
points along the route of the parade.
Augusta sections began to form as ear
~ as $50 and all were on the line OF
parade by 10 o'clock. This promptness
made IL easier for those arriving upon
later trains to perfect their formation
and the head of the parade got away
at about 1890. Estimates of the num-
Der of marchers vary at points between
5000 and 10000 1t required one hour
and 90 minutes for the full length to
pass given point. Witnesses OF re-
cent patriotic demonstrations with pa
rades declared that they had seen moth
ing to surpass it except the great pre-
paredness parade recently seen in New
York.
All along the line of march thou
sands of spectators watched ana APP
plauded One of the most pleasing Tea
lures of the parade was the counter
marching on kennebcC bridge. over
which the head of the parade returned
at about the time the middle of it had
reached the bridge on its eastward
march and for many minutes thereafter
there were columns of marchers traV-
cling over the bridge in opposite d.
rections. AS the parade came down
Cony street hill it was filmed by mo-
ton picture camera installed upon
platform built upon the overhead steel
work OF the bridge.
Acting Governor Taber d. Bailey and
Speaker William l.. Bonney left the pa
rade as il approac hed the front of the
state House and took up a stand on
the steps of the front gateway where
they reviewed the marchers with the
Governors staff attending Just beyond
the reviewing point the Augusta march
ers fell out of line and the visitors
turned to march to Capitol Park Tor
dinner As the various divisions near
cd the reviewing point and the end OF
the line of march. many of them broke
into cheers as last emphatic demon
stration Of their good spirit.