The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1916-05-29
LARGE GATHERING AT LEyoN
Several Hundred People Present at
the Political Picnic Saturday

the Political Picnic Saturday
Another date was wiped off the
county primary calendar when the
candidates met the people of Levon,
Pedro and Symmetrical at the first
named place Saturday.
The meeting was held in a ham,
mock few yards away from the
ruins of the old mil, and about a
quarter of mile south of the lake.
1t was a badly-selected picnic ground,
there being no water, and all the roads
approaching for some distance being
deep in sand.
Notwithstanding these disadvant-
ages, there was big crowd, prob
ably the largest at any picnic held so
far during the campaign. The people
! from the three home precincts made
up a majority of the gathering, but
beside the usual Ocala delegation
there were number from other parts
of Marion and several from Sumter.
Nearly all the Shady voters were
present, the people of that precinct
being greatly interested in Captain
Sam Pyles, candidate for commits
sioner. Summerfeld came over EN-
masse, backing up Joe Davis, its
favorite for the same place.
Mr.. R. L. Clyburn of Summerfeld,
presided over the meeting and check
ed the candidates with impartiality.
The boys reeled off their speeches
with the perfection of long practice
and the people gave them close and
courteous attention. The candidates
watch each other mighty close, for
one of them never knows when his
opponent is going to say something
new.
The most important event of the
Iday-that is, the dinner-was abund-
ant and specially good. Not only did
the people bring lots of viands in their
baskets, but there was an excellent
barbecue, prepared under the super
vision of those two masters in the
art, j. Cope Perry and H. P. Oliver.
Beside the barbecue they prepared
big potfull of stew that fairly melted
in the mouth. After Mr.. J. r. Proc
tor asked blessing, the hungry peo-
pie fell to and tried to eat all in
sight, but failed. AS one of our citi-
zens, who has attended several pic
MICS says, when he goes to one and
sees all the people he wonders if
there will be enough rations to go
around, only to be surprised, when
dinner is over, to see what lot there
is to carry away.
There was only one drawback to
the happiness of the crowd, and that
was the scarcity of water. 1t was
the first picnic of the campaign at
which a supply had not been provided.
There was pump about quarter of
a mile from the picnic ground, but
shortly after dinner, under the steady
pumping of scores, the valves gave
way, and from that time on there
was no water to be had except as
someone would go to farmhouse
half a mile off and bring small
supply, which didn't go far among
the thirsty hundreds. The nearby
lake seemed good to fish in, and pos
sibly good to battle in, but it didn't
look good to drink. The gentleman
who had the refreshments "conces-
sion" sold lemonade by the barrel,
but lemonade only increases thirst
unless there is water to serve as a
chaser" Some of the people really
suffered and many left before the
speaking was over in order to quench
their thirst.
The last time the writer was at
Levon the big mill was running full
time, thriving town was built
around it and a railroad ran thru it.
Now the mill is in ruins, the railroad
is torn up and most of the houses are
torn down, and all are empty An
other monument to the wastefulness
oe the lumber business as carried on
in this state. Thousands of dollars
worth of good timber rotting, and
hundreds of dollars worth of iron
rusting, while few miles away peo-
pie find lumber hard to get at high
price.
The Star man went out with Sher-
if Galloway, who also carried Walter
Priest and L. A. Snow. and out in the