THE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION

Newspaper
Year
1883
Month
4
Day
4
Article Title
THE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
Page Number
3
Language
Article Contents
How it is proposed to Celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the Landing of the Loyalists. The celebration of the one hundredth anniversary of the landing of the Loyalists, which takes place on the 18th of May next, promises to be a very grand affair, likely to surpass anything of the kind ever attempted in this city. The different bodies intending to take place in the celebration have been actively – engaged in extensive preparations, and should the day prove fine a pleasant time for all may be expected. The members of the Calithumpian club, who on a former occasion made a very credible display, were the first to talk of a parade on the 18th, and reorganized last winter for that purpose. The next to come to the front were the firemen, and since their organization they have moved forward with astonishingly rapidity and accomplished wonders. They were shortly followed by the salvage corps and fire police. The Portland Fireman and delegations from other places will also take part. The program will open early in the morning, when the Calithumpian Club will give a representation of the landing of the Mayflower. A vessel, which will be properly fitted up, has already been obtained and will sail around Partridge Island, on the morning of May 18th, and up the harbour, landing at the Market Slip, which will be reached about 8 o’clock. Those on board will be attired in old costumes, representing as closely as possible the Loyalist fathers and the founders of our city. Salutes will be fired from cannons on board the vessel and from the shore as she comes up to the landing place. The members of the club not on board the vessel will receive the voyagers and conduct the landing ceremony. A procession will then form and march about the city until noon. It is expected that about six hundred and fifty persons will take part in the parade. They will be dressed in all manner of costumes, and accompanied by bands of music. At a meeting of the club, last evening, it was decided to offer about $200 in prizes for best representations of characters in processions. The club will hold a masquerade ball in the evening. The firemen begin their part of the celebration at ten o’clock in the morning, when they will assemble in front of the Hook and ladder house and form a procession. They will then march through the principal streets to the City Building when an address of welcome will be delivered to the visiting Fire Ladies. A number of speeches will also be made. The procession will then re-form and march back to the starting place and dismiss. At half past one o’clock in the afternoon the firemen will again assemble at the same place and parade to place yet to be decided upon, when the sports will be held. The sports will consist of foot, wheelbarrow and potato races; trial of speed between the different companies taking part in the proceedings; there will also be a bicycle race open to everyone in the Maritime Provinces. The program will wind up with a grand trial of speed between the visiting departments only, for which a prize of $50 will be given. Suitable prizes, which are yet to be decided on, will be awarded for the successful competitors in all the other races. In the evening about 8 o’clock the torch light procession will form in-front of the Court House, and march about the city, accompanied by bands of music. The city firemen will appear in quite a showy uniform, which has been ordered for the occasion, consisting of a red, flannelled shirt, with the number of the company in-front, black pants, black leather belts, ornamented with red and white, and black helmet. The helmet, which is somewhat different from the style formerly worn by firemen here, presents a very neat appearance. The belts and helmets have been ordered from New York; the shirts will be made in the city. The salvage corps will also appear in a neat uniform, consisting of blue skirt, black pants, black belt and white helmet. It is probable the officers of the 62nd Fusiliers will also hold sports on the Barack Square, but nothing definite has yet been done. It is also rumoured that the different temperance societies in the city intend turning out in a procession. The firemen would like all who intend sending in subscriptions for the celebration to kindly send them in before the 30th inst. - Telegraph Journal