Springfield 1636-1886, History of Town and City, by Mason A. Green ...

CHAPTER XXII.
May 25, 1886.
Pi-eparing to Celebrate the Two Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary of the Founding of
the Town. — The Citizens' Comnaittee. — Serviee of Praise at the First Chureh. —
The Loan Exhii^ition. — Tuesday's Ceremonies. — Band Concert, — Judge Hemy
Morris's Address. — Judge WiUiam S. Shurtletf's Ode. — The Banquet at the Massa-
soit Hotel. — Interesting After-dinner Speeches. — Letters of Regret. — A Brilliant
and Remarkable Occasion.
There are few memorial occasious which Springtield cau look back
upon with deeper feelings of pride and felicitation than the quarter-
millennial celebration. May 25 and 26, 1886. All classes of citizens
responded cordialh' to the call. The city government made a gener-
ous appropriation ;
and during the two tlays, when the city was over-
whelmed with honored guests, interested spectators, and patriotic and
curious crowds, there was not a smgle incident, except an accident to
a boy, which inten'upted the current of general rejoicing.
Mayor Phillips, in 1885, had placed the matter of a celebration
in the hands of an adAasory committee, of which the late William
L. Smith was chairman. As the appropriations would have to be
made by the succeeding city government, nothing definite was done
thus early beyond drawing up a petition to the Legislature for permis-
sion to appropriate $10,000 for the celebration. Upon the election
of Edwin D. Metcalf as mayor plans took definite shape. The
mayor appointed a committee of fifty citizens to take entire charge
of the memorial services, and to expend, at their discretion, $9,500.
The committee of fifty organized with Wm. L. Smith as chairman,
and to his executive abilities and good sense was due much of the
success of the anniversary. It was the last service Mr. Smith ren-