The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-03-28
FLORENCE BOOSTERS HERE.
REPRESENTATIVE GLAD
HAND.
Big Body of Citizens, Headed by
Sumter Band Met Boosters From
Florence. School Children Help
ed Give a WelcOme-COrdiaI Eek.
prcssiOns Of Friendship Given and
Received.
From The Daily Item, March "a.

From The Daily Item, March "a.
Sumter this afternoon once more
demonstrated her abilities as an en-
tertainer without peer, when she
met Miss Florence" at the Atlantic
Coast Line station, and nearly a hun
dred messengers Of glad tidings"
from the Gate City. "shook hands
all around" with notable gathering
of Gamecock City enthusiasts.
Promptly at PAS the band began
to play on the corner OF Main and
Liberty streets. and soon parde Of
nearly 200 Sumter boosters had been
formed for the line of march to the
Atlantic Coast Line passenger station
to meet the Florence aggregation,
which came in on q special train over
that road, arriving here at $50. On
reaching the station grounds the pro-
cession lined up in suitable forma-
tion and when the special pulled in
II
greeted with a rousing welcome, in
true Sumter style. consisting Of hand
shaking and cordial greetings from
citizens and music from the band.
Formed in line at the station also were
hundreds Of school children, and
the Sumter Fire Department, who
contributed their share OF the well
come.
Proceeding from the depot, the
newly formed parade led by the
Sumter band followed closely by the
members of the police department.
marched up Main street to the opera
house where appropriate speeches of
welcome were made by representative
Sumter citizens and by citizens Of the
Pee Dee city.
| The rooms Of the Sumter Club in
the skyscraper We're thrown open to
extend a welcome and to afford a
place OF rest for the ladies who came
on the trip.
In the party coming from Florence
We're about 80 ladies and 60 men,
The ladies were headed by Mrs. j. L.
Barringer, who is we'll known as an
official of the South Carolina Fedora
ton Of ,Women's Clubs. Mayor j. l..
Barringer, and Secretary Luther, Ell
lison, Of the Chamber OF Commerce.
were the leaders among the male
boosters. To put little ginger" into
their stops along the line, the Flor
ence boosters brought with them
''Bee HO Gray" the cowboy per-
former, and local Florentine in 1.-The
guise Of a clown kept the children,
especially, in uproars. Practically all
OF the business concerns in Florence
had representatives on the special.
Souvenirs were given away and ad-
vertising matter was distributed by
many concerns, among them the Cen
tral Hotel and the Universal Plow
Manufacturing Co. This concern was
established in Florence about q year
ago and q representative of the COM
pany stated that the plant is in good
shape and the demand for Florence
made plows is steadily on the in
crease.
The FlOrentines left the Gate City
at o'clock this morning, making
stops along the way at Efnngham,
Coward, Scranton, Lake City, Kings
tree. Salters and Lanes, where dinner
was taken. From this place the spe-
cial proceeded to SUMTER passing
for short while at Greeleyville
Manning, Foreston and Alcolu, be-
fore arriving here at $50. One of
the boosters talking to newspaper
man, said that at every stop they had
been accorded the heartiest of well
comes, but at none q more hearty
one than that which greeted them
when the special first rolled into the
officials with the party were Superin-
tendent II. b. Hair, b. L. Meeks. and
j. l.. Murchison. Newspaper men
coming with the party were Brian
Bell, news editor OF the State, J. d.
Evans, Editor OF the Florence Daily
Times, and II. II. Husbands. cor
respondent for the News and Courier.
The party left Sumter at $50 TAX
ing with them cordial goodbyes from
the citizens Of Sumter. The trip ends
with the return to Florence at $50