USA > New Hampshire > Merrimack County > Concord > History of Concord, New Hampshire, from the original grant in seventeen hundred and twenty-five to the opening of the twentieth century, Volume I > Part 63
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585
ROLLER SKATING.
By the close of the century Lake Penacook had become a favorite outing spot in Concord ; its shores were dotted with summer houses, and club houses belonging to different organizations. Among the latter is the well built and conspicuous Alert Boat Club House, sit- uated on the east shore at the head of the lake and costing upwards of two thousand dollars. This club, organized in 1878, is composed largely of members of the Alert Hose Company, who, after a few . years of camping, built a permanent house for their purpose. In 1897 a larger club house was dedicated, with boating as one of the objects of the association. Henry Tucker was president in 1900.
The Yacht Club was one of the later organizations, with a commo- dious house, and a membership representing lovers of sailing and row- ing. The frequent regattas became novel features in Concord club life.
A popular amusement was introduced into Concord during the last months of 1882, and was continued with unabated interest for several years, when it suddenly waned and disappeared. It was the Roller Skating Rink. For months the sport held complete control over hun- dreds of both sexes, and attracted galleries of spectators. The first rink was opened in Eagle hall, in December. The novelty of the pastime assured a large patronage, which became further increased by polo contests between the Concord club and clubs from Manches- ter and other New England cities. On polo nights the crowds were frequently so great as to turn away many seeking admittance. En- couraged by the prospects which more than a year's experience seemed to indicate, a company, under the direction of Payson and Sellers, secured a lease of land on Pleasant street, afterwards to be occupied by Sacred Heart church, and erected a spacious wooden rink containing a skating surface of five thousand square feet. Around three sides of the structure were rows of seats for spectators, while on the Pleasant street side were offices and retiring rooms. A unique feature was the band seats, which consisted of a huge box suspended over the center of the skating floor, to which access was had by a lad- der. On the opening night (the 31st of March, 1884), more than a thousand tickets were taken at the gate. But this proved to be the height of the "rink craze," as the sport was called; for two years later the rink was taken down and removed to The Weirs, to be used as a music hall.
Of the societies and orders, fraternal and social, not elsewhere mentioned, and existing before 1880, these were some: Knights of Honor, Kearsarge Lodge (Penacook), formed in 1875; American Legion of Honor, Merrimack Council, in 1878; United Order of Golden Cross, Concord Commandery, in 1879. Among others formed within the last two decades of the century were : Royal Arcanum,
586
HISTORY OF CONCORD.
Granite State Couneil, in 1887, with Edward N. Pearson as regent; Order Sons of St. George, Weleome Stranger Lodge, in 1887 ; United Order of Pilgrim Fathers, in three Colonies-John Carver (Mareh 6, 1891), Merrimack, and Harmony (1894)-having its hall, and a membership, in 1900, of more than seven hundred ladies and gentle- men ; Daughters of St. George, organized late in the Nineties ; Knights of Columbus, Coneord Lodge, in 1895; Red Men, Arosa- guntaeook Tribe ; Independent Order of Foresters, Court Tahanto, in 1895; Daughters of Liberty, Armenia White Couneil ; Foresters of America, Courts Coneord, Penaeook, Union, and Catholie Order; Improved Order of Heptasophs, Kearsarge Conelave; Knights of Malta, Profile Commandery. This summary statement, though it may not be exhaustive, suffices to indieate the prevalent spirit of fel- lowship and mutual helpfulness existing in the city.
Fourteen Labor Unions had been established in Coneord by 1894. Of these the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers was the first in the state to be organized (August 17, 1864) ; the next in age was the Coneord Branch of Granite Cutters (March 10, 1877) ; four- the Stationary Engineers, the Locomotive Firemen, the Iron Mould- ers-were organized in the Eighties ; the Barbers, the Boot and Shoe Workers, the Railway Conduetors, the Maehinists, the Painters and Decorators, the Printers, and the Tool Sharpeners, in the Nineties.
Though history has to record no flagrant oppression of labor by eapital, nor, generally, any unreasonable demand of labor upon eap- ital, yet the Labor Commissioner 1 was compelled to put forth the following statement in his annual report of 1894: " Without doubt the greatest labor struggle ever known in the state oeeurred in Con- eord, in May, 1892, where after considerable parleying between the stoneeutters and their employers upon points at issue regarding bill of priees, and other matters pertaining thereto, the New England Granite Company and other firms in the eity and elsewhere elosed their doors and threw hundreds of men out of employment, not only in New Hampshire but throughout the New England states. No set- tlement of the trouble was effeeted for months, but eventually eom- promises were made, and the loekout was brought to an end." 2
During the period under review those societies were instituted to which patriotism and filial reverenee for the fathers supply the mo- tive,-Sons of the American Revolution, April 24, 1889; Daughters of the American Revolution, Rumford Chapter, in 1898; Society of Colonial Wars, September 27, 1894,-and to which Concord has given her share of interest and efficient membership.
As elsewhere mentioned associated effort, through eounty and state
1 John W. Bourlet.
2 See Labor Day, in note at close of chapter.
587
THE GRANGE.
societies, had been, for years before 1870, employed to promote agriculture in New Hampshire. That year the State Board of Agri- culture was established to systematize and facilitate progressive efforts. It had its headquarters at the capital of the state, with Moses Humphrey as its president for twenty-seven consecutive years, and Joseph B. Walker, also of Concord, as his successor. But nearly three years earlier another agricultural organization, national in its scope, had come into existence in the capital of the nation ; for on the 4th of December, 1867, the National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry was instituted at Washington.
In the course of eighteen years the Order gained strong foothold throughout the country. In New Hampshire it had its state grange and its more than one hundred subordinate granges. Its first organ- ization in Concord was Rumford Grange No. 109, instituted at East Concord, on the 23d of December, 1885. Later, three others were established : Capital Grange, No. 113, in the compact part of the city, on the 30th of January, 1886 ; Penacook Park Grange, No. 184, at West Concord, on the 21st of April, 1892; and Dustin Island Grange, No. 252, at Penacook, on the 12th of March, 1897. All of these became permanent and prosperous.
Concord, within seven years after the institution of its pioneer grange, was the influential grange center of the thoroughly organized and powerful body of Patrons of Husbandry in New Hampshire, and its fame as such was abroad in the land. Twice within six years, once in 1892 and again in 1898, the National Grange did Concord the exceptional honor of choosing it as the place for holding its annual.session. Those visits-each continuing more than a week- were occasions of great interest both to initiated Patrons and to their many uninitiated friends, as well as of great pleasure and advantage to the city that gladly received them.
In securing the first visit of the National Grange, Concord had won in sharp competition with other cities in New Hampshire and elsewhere. To this important winning, the Concord Commercial Club materially contributed by helping to secure from public-spirited citizens liberal inducements. This club was organized on the 18th of September, 1889, and was, virtually, a board of trade, tending " to unite the citizens in a common cause " looking " to the advancement of the material prosperity of the city." Its first president was ex- Mayor Edgar H. Woodman, and its membership, the first year, num- bered one hundred twenty-nine, which was afterwards to be consid- erably increased. The club sought, from the first, to discern what was best to be done to promote the growth and prosperity of Con- cord, and stood ready to co-operate with grange or school board,
588
HISTORY OF CONCORD.
with city government, or any other proper agency, towards accom- plishing that end. It assisted in securing a reduction in the cost of transporting coal from the seaboard. It urged the relaying of so much of the Portsmouth & Concord Railroad track as had been dis- mantled to the detriment of Concord. It was more successful in its efforts to secure from railroad authorities the long-desired accom- modation whereby "manufacturers were enabled to ship freight to remote parts of the country on through bills of lading," with " im- portant reduction of rates to the West and South."1 In the early Nineties it declared the permanent location of the annual State Grange Fair in the capital city to be an object worthy of continued and persistent efforts, and at last, in 1900, a state fair of brilliant promise did find such location in Concord. The club encouraged and actively aided the three "Sleighing Parades and Carnivals of Winter Sports," held in the month of February of the years 1891, '93, and '95, with their attractive displays affording popular enjoy- ment, and other incidental benefits. Under the auspices of the same organization, with Mayor Henry Robinson as its president, was also devised the celebration of Concord's " Trade Weck," which was suc- cessfully carried out on the 13th, 14th, and 15th of October, 1896. The well-selected programme of that occasion emphatically illustrated, among other facts, the rapidly-attained popularity of a new means of locomotion, and of certain forms of athletics ; for the Bicycle had its specially designated " day " for race and parade, while Baseball 2 and Football of modern style diversified the attractions of all three days of the festival.
In 1899, Governor Frank W. Rollins suggested the idea of "Old Home Week," or a festival scason in late summer or carly autumn, during which the sons and daughters of New Hampshire, resident elsewhere, might be specially welcomed to their old homes. The suggestion was in line with the purpose of grange, agricultural soci- ety, forestry commission, and other instrumentalities already in oper- ation to promote state prestige and progress. The idea was urged as a practicable one, which, carried out, could not fail to awaken and keep awake a lively, widespread interest in the well-being of the Granite State.
A state association was promptly formed with the governor as president, Nahum J. Bachelder, master of the state grange, as sec- retary, and prominent citizens- men and women-as an executive board. Thereupon local organizations sprung up, so that each town might celebrate its own "Old Home Day." By the last week of August, selected for " Old Home Week," forty local associations had
1 Secretary John C. Ordway's Report, 1892.
2 See Baseball, in note at close of chapter.
589
WOMAN'S RELIEF CORPS.
been formed. That of Concord, the state capital, and the home of the governor who originated the experiment, naturally made the most extensive and elaborate preparations for the festival. In many places the granges were foremost in furthering the project, and everywhere they cheerfully co-operated. Successful celebrations resulted. On Thursday, the 31st of August, 1899, oeeurred the first observance of "Old Home Day " in Concord, filling all the hours from early morning to late evening with its interesting exercises and displays, the full description of which, as well as of those of the second cele- bration in 1900, is allotted to a special chapter.
About sixteen years after the organization of E. E. Sturtevant Post, No. 2, of the Grand Army of the Republic, early in January, 1868, was organized its auxiliary Woman's Relief Corps. On the afternoon of the 18th of December, 1884, in response to an invitation from a committee of the Post, several ladies came together in Pythian hall to meet Mrs. Adeline P. Kent, president of the State Relief De- partment,-then in the fourth or fifth year of its existence,-and to consider the advisability of forming a subordinate corps. After explanation of the purposes of the Order, several signed an applica- tion for a charter, and officers were chosen, with Mrs. Mary A. Pratt as president. In the evening the members were instituted as E. E. Sturtevant Woman's Relief Corps, No. 24, and initiated into the mysteries of the secret work. The corps entered upon its first year with forty-two charter members, and, within six years, had a mem- bership nearly six times as large. The sisters of mercy thus enlisted in the corps-to be followed by hundreds of others in the lapse of years-went upon duty ; contributing money, clothing, and other necessaries for the relief of needy veterans and their families ; minis- tering, as woman only can minister, to the sick and distressed ; and, among other labors of love and patriotism, hallowing Memorial Day with becoming preparation. In course of time their example was followed, in connection with the two other posts of Concord, by the institution of Relief Corps No. 45 at Penacook, and No. 77 at West Concord.
Two hundred veterans had mustered in 1868 with the E. E. Stur- tevant Post on the first Memorial Day ; on the thirty-third, in 1900, only one half that number participated in the exercises of the anni- versary. At the latter date, the auxiliary Relief Corps retained the membership of more than two hundred which it had reached in 1890. Accessions could keep its ranks full, but not those of the veterans. The purpose of the auxiliaries, as expressed in word and action, was to perpetuate the principles for which the veterans of the posts had fought, and their hope was to carry on the work which death should
590
HISTORY OF CONCORD.
forbid veteran hands to do. Nor was the hope groundless, for organ- izations in due time appeared with which the helpers of the original posts might still labor. In the Eighties, there existed in the city proper of Concord a Camp of Sons of Veterans ; and, at Penacook, J. S. Durgin Camp, No. 7, had been established in the early Nineties. For some reason the camp in the city proper was not permanent, but on the 17th of October, 1892, was organized, with thirty-seven charter members, the Thomas B. Leaver Camp, No. 2, Sons of Vet- erans, whose name denoted its mission of filial patriotism. And now woman again took hand in a good work, and the E. Florence Barker Tent, No. 3, Daughters of Veterans, was organized on the 11th of February, 1898, with a charter membership of forty-five, and directly auxiliary to the state department of the Grand Army.
Of interesting occasional Grand Army demonstrations in Concord one was the Funeral of General Grant; another, the Dedication of the Soldiers' Memorial Arch. The latter, which occurred on the 4th of July, 1892, has been described in a special chapter. The former was . observed on the 8th of August, 1885, amid a general suspension of business, with the firing of sixty-three minute guns, and by memorial services held in the First Baptist church, under the auspices of E. E. Sturtevant Post, G. A. R. At half past one in the afternoon, into the church draped in mourning, appropriately decorated with flowers, and nearly filled with the waiting congregation, the Post, eighty strong, led by Commander Gilman K. Crowell, marched, accompanied by the Woman's Relief Corps and the Sons of Veterans, and took seats reserved for them. Professor John H. Morey opened the exercises with an organ voluntary, which was followed by a choir service of forty voices. Prayer having been offered by the Reverend Cephas B. Crane, the memorial service of the Grand Army ritual was performed by the commander assisted by comrades. This concluded, the Reverend Daniel C. Roberts, president of the day, successively introduced the principal speakers, Major Ai B. Thompson, William M. Chase, and Amos Hadley, with whose tributes to the memory of the great deceased the exercises of the solemn occasion virtually closed. .
In 1888 Concord was the scene of another interesting Grand Army cvent, when, on the 2d of February, during the annual state encamp- ment of the posts and the State Relief Corps convention, the National Commander-in-Chief Rea and the Junior Vice-Commander Linehan, were received with special honors by the E. E. Sturtevant Post and its auxiliary. In the evening Phenix hall was crowded. Major Ai B. Thompson, vice-commander of the New Hampshire depart- ment, presided, and Blaisdell's Orchestra opened the exercises of the
591
N. H. NATIONAL GUARD.
reception with a well-rendered overture. The Reverend James K. Ewer, department chaplain, offered prayer. Mayor Robertson ex- tended the welcome of the city to the commander-in-chief of the Grand Army of the Republic of the United States, and to officers and members of the great organization, including the Woman's Relief Corps. Daniel Hall, of Dover, having, in behalf of the state depart- ment, also tendered welcome, the commander-in-chief responded in the speech of the evening. He was followed by Governor Charles H. Sawyer, Department Commander Wyatt, Mrs. Emma Stark Hampton, of Detroit, Michigan, president of the National Woman's Relief Corps, Mrs. Celia F. P. Foster, of Milford, president of the Woman's Relief Corps of New Hampshire, William L. Foster, of Concord, and John C. Linehan. The speaking, interspersed with Mrs. Louis F. Gillette's acceptable solos, with selections by the orchestra,-including the much applauded bugle call executed upon the cornet by Arthur F. Nevers,-and with the reading of an original poem by the Reverend Daniel C. Roberts, continued beyond eleven o'clock. The crowded audience remained to the close of the exer- cises, and many tarried half an hour longer, to exchange hand-shakes with the distinguished guests.
In the spring of 1896 James O. Lyford was employed by the finance committee of the city government to make an examination of the books of all city officials who handled funds belonging to the city. Prior to this there had been no systematic accounting by city officials. The first accounts examined by Mr. Lyford were those of the tax collector, and this examination speedily disclosed a large deficiency running over several years. The disclosure came as a shock to the public, and, profiting by this experience which occasioned considerable loss to the city, the city government, May 12, 1896, passed an ordinance creating the office of city auditor, and defining its duties. Mr. Lyford was immediately appointed by Mayor Robin- son to this position, and thus became the first Auditor of Concord. In this position he served for a little more than two years, or until his qualification as Naval Officer of Customs at the port of Boston. His immediate successors were John B. Abbott and James H. Morris.
The New Hampshire National Guard was created by law in 1878. It comprised the force of active militia in the state, and consisted, for the three years, 1878-'80, of three ten-company regiments of infantry, with two troops of cavalry, and two four-gun batteries of two platoons cach, all constituting a brigade. But an amendatory law, passed in 1881, reduced the maximum number of infantry con- panies to twenty-four, and the number of batteries to one. The Third regiment, commanded for some years by Colonel Joab N. Pat-
592
HISTORY OF CONCORD.
terson, who had served with distinction in the Civil War, contained two infantry companies from Concord : one, the State Capital Guards, becoming in 1881 the Rollins Rifles; and the other, the Pillsbury Light Guard. In the Third regiment, the first was designated as Company C, the second as Company E.
The annual encampments were regimental until 1881, none of them being held in Concord except that of the Third. But, at that date, they became brigade; and the First, Second, and Third regi- ments for the first time mustered together in Concord, upon the Fair ground, where had stood the historic Camp Union during the Civil War, and where the three were thus to muster annually for sixteen years. These yearly encampments were really schools for military instruction, and continued four or five days, in September at first, but afterwards in June. The premises chosen for them came, in the year 1885, into the full possession of the state by lease and deed from the Merrimack County Agricultural Society and the city of Concord, and in 1886 a much needed state arsenal was erected upon them. Subsequently, through the efforts of Adjutant-General Ayling, they were enlarged by the purchase of adjacent land, as well as otherwise greatly improved in adaptability to their important pur- pose as the camp ground of the active militia of New Hampshire.
Year after year came together from all parts of the state, upon that camp ground, the officers and soldiers of the New Hampshire National Guard, for drill and practice in the duties that might be required of them in active service. Upon that tented field, at stated intervals, through almost two decades of peace, preparation was making for war that seemed, indeed, a remote contingency. But in the encamp- ment of June, 1897, though the duties of military practice and routine were still performed in peace, yet for a portion of the National Guard the efficiency of military preparation was nearer the test of actual service in war than it was then conceived to be. Within ten months, on the 23d of April, 1898, President Mckinley issued proclamation calling forth one hundred twenty-five thousand volunteers, to serve for two years in the army of the United States for carrying into effect the purpose of the resolution of congress, approved three days before, and " demanding that the government of Spain relinquish its authority and government in the island of Cuba, and withdraw its land and naval forces from Cuba and Cuban waters." The Spanish-American . war had come,-a war of American intervention against Spanish oppression,-a war long delayed, but finally hastened by the destruc- tion of the Maine.
The quota of New Hampshire under this call was one regiment of twelve companies, with a maximum of cighty-four, or a minimum of
593
THE SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR.
eighty-one officers and men, to a company, making, respectively, a total of ten hundred eight or nine hundred seventy-two. Of course the National Guard was looked to at once for supplying the re- quired volunteers-and not in vain. Within its ranks was found the utmost readiness to enlist into the service of the United States ; for the brave and patriotic spirit of the Sixties still glowed with undiminished fervor in the Nineties.
The Third regiment was selected by Governor Ramsdell as the basis of the new organization to be designated the First Regiment of New Hampshire Volunteers. The selection was a reasonable one, inasmuch as its commander, Robert H. Rolfe, of Concord, was the senior colonel in the brigade; but waiving this consideration it may be said without disparaging the merits of the two other regiments, that the selection was one eminently fit to be made. The officers and men of the Concord companies were of the foremost to volun- teer. By the 29th of April Captain Charles H. Staniels, of Com- pany C, had upon his record book the names of one hundred twenty- two volunteers ; and Captain Otis G. Hammond, of Company E, one hundred twelve. As the Third regiment had but eight companies, four were temporarily detached from the First and Second-two from each-and transferred to the Third to complete its organization as the new regiment of volunteers.
Under orders issued by Colonel Rolfe on the 30th of April, the twelve companies reported for active duty at the familiar state camp ground in course of the first week in May ; beginning on Monday the 2d, when Companies C and E of Concord, Company D of Claremont, and Company K of Laconia, appeared. On that day, too, Colonel Rolfe assumed command of the state camp ground, and shortly after- wards named the rendezvous of the new regiment Camp Ramsdell. That week " the men were supplied with service uniforms and equip- ments, and with overcoats, blankets, ponchos, haversacks, canteens, woolen shirts, underclothing, shoes, stockings, meat cans, knives, forks, spoons, and tin cups. Buzzarcott ovens were furnished to each com- pany ; and a full supply of tents was issued to the regiment." Rifles were put into the hands of the men the ensuing week.
It happened that the second day of May, when the regiment began to come into camp, was the one succeeding that on which Dewey had won his signal victory in the distant Philippines. Concord fully shared in the general rejoicing over the auspicious event, and celebrated it at night by a bonfire and fireworks in Railroad square. Thousands were in attendance, and a hearty enthusiasm of joy over the decisive advantage already gained, and of faith in the final and early triumph of American arms, ruled the hour.
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