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

SPRINGFIELD, 1636-18S6. 553
Mrs. J. W. Kirkham; Mrs. A. B. West, of Chicopee Falls; Mrs. L. R. Norton,
of Westfield; Miss Ambia Harris, Miss Belle Newell, Mrs. R. D. Whitney.
Armory exhibit and Civil War. — Captain Starin, Captain Heath. Lieutenant
Clark, Capt. E. C Pierce, Maj. H. G. Gilmore, E. C. Rogers.
Caialogue. —Fred L. Gillett. G. I). Button. G. D. Pratt, F. B. Marsh, J. W.
Kirkham, H. G. Chapin.
Shotv cases.— C. P. Nichols, J. D. Gill, V. N. Taylor, C. H. Southworth.
Transportaiion.—A. B. Harris, N. D. Bill, C. E. Brown, T. O. Beniis.
Police.— Y.. P. Chapin, H. G. Gilmore, E. C. Rogers.
The formal programme of the quarter-milleunial was begun at noon
on Tuesday, when Captain Starring ordered a sahite of fourteen guns,
at the armory in honor of the foiu'teen towns situated within the
original limits of Springfield, and this was followed by the national
salute and the ringing of all the church bells of the city.
It is not permitted us to give in detail the numerous scenes of
graphic interest up6n these two days in street and hall, but it would
not do to pass by the gathering in the City Hall upon the afternoon of
Tuesday. It was not the brilliant decorations that charmed, for that
hall had been brilliantly decorated before ; nor the music, and one
might almost say, nor the ceremonies either. The unique feature of
the occasion was the audience itself. This generation never witnessed
a gathering like it. Such a number of rare old faces, so many
Yankee eyes, dimmed in brilliancy by time, but Yankee eyes all the
same, such odd characters peering about the audience as if making
comparisons between the high life of the present and the homely
glories of the past. In fine, to one who took the trouble to make the
circuit of that audience and to study it from every side, it seemed for
all the world as though the garrets had been swept for precious
remnants of humanity to be sprinkled through a congregation of
fashion. Patricularly did the address of Governor Robinson warm
the blood of the true and tried lovers of old Springfield, the city of
homes. That remarkable crowd of distinguished and obscure men,
the busy and leisurely men, those who had had borue burdens
and those who had taken their places, were in touch Avith the gov-