Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-05-09

Continued from Page Eight
Piled with their luncheon was in itself
81 fine tribute to the men who were in
charge OF this very important feature
N thr program of the day. 1t was
about 1880 =. W. when the advance
guard OF the big army of hungry
marchers reached the Driving Park,
and on the gate Sheriff HARDWOOD and
his assistants gave each a little yellow
ticket TO present at the food booth,
which was laid out under a big cam
va. canopy. in the form of a square.
Inside this square were 40 Augusta
business men, doctors. lawyers, and
merchants. and the way they put out
the beautifully baked beans, steaming
brown bread. sandwiches. pickles.
doughnuts and banas. was certainly re-
markable.
The boys OF Co. f, assisted by the
nth Company Maccabee Rifles. and
the regular and special police. split the
throng OF marchers into two double
lines and the lines walked slowly past
the long booth, each marcher taking
bis pulp plate, with a portion of
beans brown bread, doughnuts, pick
Jos and bologna sausage, as they pass
cd the mon inside rushing to fill more
plates as the first ones magically dis
appeared.
The hungry ones. emerging with
their plates of steaming food, went IN
to the coffee booth, where y more Au-
gusta citizens were handing out in
Vulnerable cups of fine coffee. eight
hig wash boilers behind the booth be-
ing Kept busy TO keep up the supply.
C. :. Waite. chef from the State hos
p!tal. was supervising the making OF
the coffee, which was certainly de-
licious. and more than 500 gallons OF
II was used by the famished visitors.
Efficiency plus was the order of the day,
the long double lines filed In and OUT very
quickly and without sign of disorder. and
each one received his portion without
trouble. due to the fne work OF the SOL
tiers and the police.
Some idea of the number of people serv-
ell can be cleaned from the following fig
ures which are not. Of course, exact;
Ten thousand sandwiches were put out.
:. bushels of beans. in the baking OF
which n barrel of pork was used; ioo
dozen doughnuts: 200 loaves of brown
bread 30 pounds OF coffee; 10 gallons o.
pickles. DO pounds of bologna sausage.
and an immense quantity of bananas.
Efficiency prevailed only in the booths,
however. for the crowd spread out their
lunches on the grassy side hill below ana
in very few moments the place looked
like a late map of Belgium, with INC
wreckage OF tin cups. pulp Plates nap
kns, spoons. banana peels ana pieces ol
bread. and the other litter that usually
follows a big picnic dinner, strewn all
over the field
But everyone was happy. and the spirit
az patriotic fervor was everywhere evil
dent, and Il was about ]. 10 +. NJ. Wheh
the crowd started for the State House
10 hear the eminent speakers or the DAY
Following the serving of the big din
ner. a large amount of cooked food. as
We'll as a quantity of bananas. pickles,
coffee etc. was left over. and Superln-
tendent Of the Poor Manning Camppen
stated that this would be divided between
the State hospital. the City Farm the
!ll and the visiting Company OF SHOW
hogan. the members Of which did excel
lent work IN the policing Of the park.
Speaking OF the lunch that was serv-
ed nj the Driving park. 1T is learned
that the number fed was 5000 and the
greedy appetites which resulted from
the two-mile march were satisneo.
The thanks of the general committee
which was composed of Blaine ;. Viles'
Chairman. Matt II. Barrows OF Wat
eryille and r. Z. Hazard of Gardiner.
and OF the refreshment committee. OF
which Manning s. Campbell was chair
man are due 10 the ladies who made
the sandwiches and to all others who
assisted in making the lunch sue
cess