The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1913-10-08
N. c. |. j. DEPARTMENT
Mrs. E. Van Hood, Editor
The Old and New DunneIlon
DunnellOn. Ella Oct

DunnellOn. Fla. Oct. !.
For twenty five years Dunnellon
has supported the largest saloon
traffic OF any town OF its size in the
fair state Of Florida. and perhaps
the south. Fifteen years ago before
the Woman's Christian Temperance
Union was organized and before the
people took thought of the great
evil and the extent that ii was being
carried on here. it was as common
20 sell goods and liquor on the Sab
bath day as on any other day in the
week. All stores and saloons were
allowed 10 keep their doors open
ill 10 0 o'clock Sunday morning. and
YOU could not tell Sunday from any
ether day. Dance halls were arrang-
ei for the saloons and each were
supplied with a piano and all day
long and until early in the mornings
you could hear the negro ragtime
music and the maudIin laughter OF
The drunken occupants. These plac-
6 OF amusement, as they were call
ed, were in full view OF the railroad
and the many travellers who passed
thru Dunnellon, going 10 all parts OF
The country, carried this vision Of
our little city with them. It has gene
broadcast and our town trightlyD
has borne a name that has brought
the bushes Of shame to us many
times.
But praise the Lord the long
dreamed-of New Dunnellon" is now
a realization.
The few Christians got together
and organized a church and Sunday
school and erected church building
AMI the fight began. IN about eight
years another church went up and
few more years another. ana now We
have four beautiful church build
ings, four church organizations and
four Sunday schools.
At our first wet and dry elections
there were three dry votes polled. In
the next We gained a little In the
statewide the drys were in the ma
iority three votes. In the fight TO
put the saloons out Of Marion coun-
majority is votes-that put the sa-
looms out Of Dunnellon. The saloon
doors closed Sept. Give hope for
ever.
For some years the prejudice has
been getting stronger and stronger
against the saloons in Dunnellon,
until it became so strong that the
women in all the strength of the W.
c. 7. [. arose and said it must go.
We with our many friends Will new
er be found mapping but are wide
awake. watching to see that those
animals they call blind tigers come
not into our beautiful little city.
The agitation against the saloon has
been so strong the people who have
always been the leaders in the wet
campaign worked as hard as they
could TO help carry the town dry.
Speaking from good people, the
work Of the ". c. T. L., the churches
and the Sunday schools have worked
hand in hand and with the prayers
Of the good mothers of our town.
DunnellOn is as dry as any town.
And her men with their new board
Of trade organization will stand by
the right and fight the evil with all
their might and manhood. We are
proud OF our men. We want to
thank Sheriff Galloway and our city
marshal. Mr. S c. NJ. Thomas, who
have promised 10 see that the law is
kept. Our little city is going for
ward. We are paving her main
streets with brick, putting in a COM
pIete sewer system, own our own
water and light plants. building a
$4,000 school house and proud
that we can invite the highest and
best citizenship to come live with
us. not being ashamed any longer
OF our surroundings.
Yours for beautifying our little
city, w c. T. [.