The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1923-06-21

(By r. r. Patten)

the lack of them. We. should not. here
in Skowhsgaa. be regarded as a very
gay. people. IndeRendenee. Day
made SO much of in other towns and
cities, has passed in peace and aaiet.
ude for many years with the excen,
tons of 1898, 1905 and 1906. Thus
v appears that We have not thanGht
It necessary to whoop-her-up in com,
memoration Of the natiopls birthday
for seventeen years. In view of
the. fact that We are. to, go, tho. limit
as to the celebration this summer it
may be of interest to recall some of
the incidents of the three Fourth of
July celebrations Just referred to.
One OF my dutiea in, connection with
the. celebration of 1898. 1905 and 1909
made me custodian of the reeQrdato OF
th0ae, affairs. When the celebration
of the, present year commenceds. to
be.talked of went to a STORAGE room
at my home AID took. dawA. tho, three
files which contained samplea offthe
advertising matter subsariptiQal pa
pers, correspondence, hilia, receipts.
ETC., of these three. great fete days.
The records of the celebrations of
1898 are old enough to be interesting.
1t was conducted under the auspices
of the Skowhegan Board, of. Trade.
The headquarters of the. committee
was room No. s Morrisopa Block
Building, long ago destroyed by fire,
which occupied the present location
of the Milburn Block. and. First Ma
tional Bank. The Organization OF the
committee was as follows:
Chair, r. T. Patten; secretary,
Thos. Vantish; treasurer, A. X. But
Ter,
Subcommittee: Financial. A. X.
Butler. NJ. B. Heselten, ]. P. Oak.
Advertising, E. X. Delano, r. T.
Patten, E. E. McNeelie.
Music, c. F. Ward, James Lums-
den, w. P. Ordway,
Parades, T. II. Anderson. DR.. 8. r.
Conant, Ansel Holway, H. C, Rassett.
A. E.. Gelinas.
General sports, Thos. Tantish,
Ralph Leavitt, r. T. Patten.
Transportation, Lewis Anderson, w.
II. Wildes, Geo. B. Stafford.
Races and park, @. II. Pishon, j.
O. Haines, L. w. Chase.
Of the gentlemen thus mentioned.
Messrs. Lumsden, Anderson (senior
and junior), Conant. Gelinas, Tantish,
Wildes, Stafford, Pishon, Haines.
Chase and Ward. twelve out of TWEEN
ty-two are now deceased. e. f.
McNeelie is a resident. of Boston, An-
sci Holway of NorNdgewock, and
Ralph Leavitt of Purcell, Oklahoma.
l do not know the present residence
of III. c. Bassett. He was photo
grapher formerly conducting the bust
ness now carried ON by Colby T.
Huff. Five of the original commits
tee above mentioned Messrs. Butler.
Heselton, Oak, Patten and 0rdway,
are still residents of Skowhegan..
For the 1898 celebration We had
competition with Fairfield. That
town had the audacity to attempt a
program on the same day. Among
the documents a large bulletin issued
by the Maine Central Railroad Is
preserved giving special rates from
various points in Maine to-. Fairfield
and SkewhegaR but giving Fairfield
principal prominence. l can recall
how indignant we were and the warm
correspondence that ensued between
us, and the Maine Central officials.
Copies of these letters are preserved,
hut | trust the chpler; which. this
particular feature. stirred up7 has
Gained down on, both sides with the
quarter, of century that has inter-
vened.
AS a part of this 1898. celebration.
three races were, had. at Fairvtaw
Park, 2.20 class withia purse OF $4N0,
a 2.24 class Oadies to drivel, pprse
5000; a 240 class, with purse OF
5000. These were big purses for
those days, aggregatng $500 for the
afternoon, within 800 of the aggre-
gate purses of the present year. Per-
haps the entries for these races of
twenty-five years ago will be of int
crest They were as follows:
22O CLASS, PURSE $500
l. Erling, b. 8. C. B. wellington. Ale
bion
2. Johnnie Wilkes, b. s.
P. Letrineau. Oakland
8. Gypsie Boy. b. g.
A. X. Libby. Hartiand
A. Also Jr., 8
ii. II. Meaner, WalerVaile
S. Venture, CHI g.
Fred Davis, Foxeroft
6. Eben L., blk. g.
C. r. Body, Pittsfield
Z. Tom Drew. b. g.
Chas. Gaylord, Skowhegan
2.24 CLASS, LADY DRIVERS, $500
1. Meader Boy, b. &.
Mrs. II. f. Meader, Watervilie
2. Also Jr, b. 8.
Mrs. II. E. Meader, Waterville
3. Molie c., CHI. M
Mrs. M, G. Woodoock, Ripley
4. Robin Bird, b. &.
Mrs. Webster Williams, No. Ansen
2.40 CLASS, PURSE 5000
/. Net NJ. b. m.
Joseph jewell. Canaan
2. Sylvia K. g. m.
C. p. wellington, Albion
3. Sadie H., b. m.
C. NJ. Horne, Wateryiile
4. Little Peter. b. g.
A. Richardson, Jr.. Clinton
5. Young Prescott, b. g.
A. Richardson. Jr., Clinton
G. Teaser t., b. m.
DIR. ]. p. Twaddelle. Norridgewock