Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-10-02
LIBERTY LOAN DRIVE
OPENS WITH BIG RUSH
Following Demonstration at Noon,
Banks Are Crowded With
Bond Citizens.
WANT EVERY ONE SUBSCRIBE
Cooperation Of Every Man, Woman
and Child in Richmond Is Invited
in Making Second Government
War Issue Successful.
WANT EVERY ONE SUBSCRIBE

Before the noise had subsded from
the demonstration staged at noon yes
terday. marking tho opening Of the
campaign for the sale Of tho second
issue OF Liberty loan bonds. the drive
on Richmond financial institutions for
subscriptions to the loan began. Mem
bers of the executive committee, after
working for days planning tho ex-
hibition Of patriotism. which was car
ricd out without a hitch. stationed
themselves downtown to watch the re-
suit Of their labors.
Subscribers to the new loan began
to flock into the banks before the sound
OF whistles and bells, bugles and auto
mobile horns had died away. That the
response of the people of Richmond
yesterday was magnificent was the
statement mado last night by mem
bcrs of the committee, although no
| figures as to the total amount Of bonds
subscribed were available. Bankers
said there was a heavy demand for
the bonds OF all denominations.
Promptly on the stroke OF IL every
church and fre-station bell began to
ring. and this clarion call to the people
to respond to the cry OF the nation in
an emergency was repeated by whistles
OF all manufacturing plants. railroad
| locomotives and steamboats,. Boy
Scouts In many sections OF the city
sounded their bugles, automobilisss
sent forth blast after blast from their
sirens and in the public schools the
children sang America"
ALL STREET CARS STOP
FOR TWO MINUTES AT NOON
One hundred and twenty street cars
Of the Virginia Railway and Power
Company in all sections OF the city
stopped promptly at IL o'clock and
remained stationary for two minutes,
the motormen sounding thur gongs
continuously. The electric cara were
stopped simultaneously In every part
OF the city. Tho demonstration had
been started when the bell that once
hung in the tower of the historic st.
Johns Episcopal Church was placed
on the front porch OF General Robert
E. Lees residence on East Franklin
Street. and was tapped for five
minutes.
With tho appointment OF the work
ing committee yesterday by John Kerr
Branch. chairman Of the executive COM
mittee. the campaign will be actively
opened this morning. Not a moment
will be lost, and the sale Of the bonds
will be pushed until the campaign
closes. The committee has received
offers of assistance from many indi-
viduals and practically every organiza-
tion in the city. and their services will
be later requisitioned, 1t was stated
last night.
Plans arc going forward for a great
mass-meeting to be held in the next
few days in St Johns Church, at which
there will be a speaker of national
prominence and one we'll versed In the
war situation. Systematic canvass of
Richmond will be made that every man,
woman and child in the city able to
purchase single bond may be ap-
preached and urged to subscribe to
the second Issue. Subscriptions may
be entered at every bank or trust COM
pany in the city. and tho bonds may
be- paid for on the weekly basis, or
as provided by the government.
RICHMOND EXPECTED TO
SUBSCRIBE S12,OOO,OOC TO $15,0OO,OOO
While no allotment Of the bonds
to Richmond has been made as yet,
the Fifth Federal Reserve District is
expected to subscribe $3.50, 900, and
Of that amount this city will be ex-
pected to contribute between $4,000
900 and $15,000.000. For this under
taking the greatest cooperation on
the part OF every citizen is needed
members of the committee declared.
Boy Scouts will canvass every home in
the city, and every Scout selling five or
moro bonds will be awarded a medal
by the national organization.
The services Of seventy five speakers
have been obtained by W. T. Dabney.
executive secretary. who is directing
the campaign and early next week
they will appear at all meetings of
Richmonders and at industrial plants
where many workmen are employed
for five-minuto talks. They will also
speak at every performance Of the
theaters, urging the people to respond
to the call Of America that the war
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