Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1878-02-27
OTTUMWA

OTTUMWA
, The Champion Blue Rib
bon Town.
I Inc has . Bigger Club Accordin,
TO Population
!, And Raises More Money to Kee1
j the Work Going
, Than any Other Town In the West
r The temperance meeting at tn
, Opera House, last night, was pcrhap
the most largely attended of any tina
has been held during the series, thu
house being so full that it was neces
sary to close the doors to prevent Thu
noise consequent upon persons crowd
ing to get in when there was ne
longer standing room even on thu
stage. At the usual time, the meeting
was called to order by Mr.. Drew, and
the Rev. DR.. Healy invoked the di.
vine blessing. After the usual sing.
| ing services, Mr.. Drew announced
that on Sunday evening there would
be q meeting at the Opera House, to
which none would be admitted except
men, and which would be addressed
by "himself and some other fellows"
The same evening meeting will be
held at the Congregational Church at
which none will be admitted except
ladies, the meeting to be addressed
by Mrs. Moore, of Clarinda, Presi-
dent of the Woman's Temperance
| Union.
James Hawley arose to a personal
explanation, saying that report had
been circulated to the effect that the
next day after signing the pledge he
had, in drug store, deliberately
drank glass Of whisky, which story
he most emphatically denied, not only
in justice to himself, he said, but to
the druggist, and denounced the au-
thor of the story in no measured
terms. He was loudly applauded.
Mr.. Drew remarked that usually at
this time in the proceedings it was
customary to take steps for perma-
nent organization, and suggested that
the usual programme had been to
select some Of the reformed for off,
GERS, sprinkling in just enough old
stand-bys to keep the thing running
smoothly. Therefore he suggested
the appointment of q committee CON.
sisting of seven persons for the pur-
pose of selecting the usual number
of candidates for the permanent or
ganization.
The suggestion was adopted and
the following gentlemen and ladies
selected who are to report to the meet
ing tonight. The committee is as
follows:
Daniel Eaton, Jno. l.. Moore, Rev.
I. P. Teter, Capt. S. A. Swiggett, w.
b Armstrong, Mrs. BENZ. Ladd and
Mrs. Jas. Hawley, Sr.
The committee agreed to meet
promptly at o'clock this morning at
the residence OF Dan. Eaton and there
to make up their ticket.
After the conclusion of this and
some other preliminary work in
which the persons lately signing the
pledge took a creditable, important
and very conspicuous part, Mr..
Drew took the stand and commenced
what proved to be his best effort in
this city by all odds. The crowd, as
said before, was large and enthusiast
tic, and their interest seemed to make
the speaker feel more at home. At
times he was most positively eloquent,
his illustrations in many cases thrill
ing, in the extreme. His reference to
the flag of our country, to the broad,
fertile and beautiful prairies, and
open generous nature of the people of
the west with whom he, until short
time ago, was SO little acquainted,
and his reference to his own rock
bound, native State, and his method
of making his application elected the
most enthusiastic applause. Really it
was much the finest lecture of the
week.
After he had concluded his lecture,
! he remarked that he had letter
which he wished to read, and al
though many people regretted the
inability of Capt. S. 3. Evans to be
present, they were in part compen-
stated by the ringing letters read by
Mr.. Drew as follows:
OTTUMwA, Iowa, Feb. %.
MY FRIEND DREW You will do
me favor to read the enclosed let
ter tonight. 1 want it known that l
am with you to the end and it being
impossible for me to come tonight I
Eope you will place me where l be-
long. Very respectfully,
SAM'L B. EVANS.
| OTTUMwA, Iowa, Feb. %.
To Mr.. DREW II regret that it
will be impossible for me to be pres
ent at the meeting, tonight, after it
was announced that l would be there
and address the people. l feel
myself incompetent to lecture on tenn
perance, but desire it to be known
that l am with you heart and soul in
the good cause and my Influence,
whatever it may be, shall be exerted
toward inducing men to totally alb
stain from drink. And this Is the
way to stop the sale Of liquor; it is
the drinkers who make saloons if no
one wanted the stuff, there would be
no one to sell 1t. Saloon men do not
stand at the doorway to drag men in,
they 60 in of their own accord.
/ l cannot close without saying that
/ know you are right on the cider
question. 1t is one Of the most in
sidious in the whole family of temp
tations. No man is safe who does moi
include cider in his pledge of absti.
hence.
Iwear the blue ribbon and consid.
er 1t as proud an emblem as decora.
ton of the Legion of Honor. Very
resp'y, SAMUEL B. EVANS.
i The reading Of the letter brough,
forth great applause. After the con.
clusion of the letter and the usual
amount of singing, all persons who
had not united with the movement
: were invited forward to sign the
pledge. From all parts of the hal
they came and busy pencils were EN-
ployed in writing the names OF per
sons to q pledge which we hope may
never be broken.
i ~