Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1917-10-27
LIBERTY BLAZE TO
TINT SKIES TONIGHT
Bonfire To Celebrate Close of Final
Big Drive For Liberty Loan
SPARK FROM PEGGY STEWART
Flames To Be Set Off By Mrs Har-
ringtOn With Torch Composed OF
Iimbers Grom First Liberty
Fire -


Every Annapolitan who has bought
Liberty Bond. and every Annapoli-
tan who has not bought Bond,
though it is hoped that the latter will
be in the minority, is invited and ex-
pected to be on hand at the old Mar
ket Space. foot of Main street, at Z
O'Clock tonight. At this time, Mrs
Harrington, first lady of the State,
will start blaze going, which it is
confidently hoped will throw a glare
into the skies that if properly reflect
ed will in turn throw an apprehensive
shiver into the heart of any beastial
U-boat crew which might perchance
be lurking within seeing distance.
The occasion will be the Liberty
Bonfire" celebrating the completion
of the big drive for floating the Amer
lean Governments five billion dollar
war loan. AS there are to be similar
fires lighted at the same hour all over
the country, the Annapolis blaze will
not be so exclusive as was this his
toric old towns first Liberty blaze,
when the old brig Peggy Stewart was
destroyed in the local harbor as a pro-
test against oppression. However, let
no person think that this flame to be
reflected from the skies to the waters
of the Severn and the Chesapeake is
one whit less epochal thar the burn
ing of the Peggy Stewart. That it is
direct outgrowth of that first pro-
test and a positive demonstration that
the people of this country today stand
just where did their ancestors when
the call to the defense of liberty and
justice gees forth is to be aptly shown
when the torch is applied to the high
piled wood. The torch which Mrs.
Harrington will use to start the flame,
will be part of the timbers of the
Peggy Stewart This timber was pre-
scented last week to the Peggy Stew
art Tea Party Chapter of the Daugh-
tiers of the American Revolution, by
Mr.. Joseph NJ Armstrong on behalf of
the League of Government Employees
at the Naval Academy. A similar TIM
Der, similarly obtained, was this week
taken to Washington by Mrs. d. M.
Garrison, Regent of the local Chap
ter, and presented to Mrs. McAdoo,
daughter of the President and wife OF
the Secretary of the u. S. Treasury,
and will be used by Mrs. McAdoo to
start the big fire in the shadow of the
Washington Monument.
Mrs. Garrison will present the tim
ber-torch to Mrs. Harrington as part
of tonight's ceremonies.
Boy Scouts of Annapolis, under the
direction of Scout Master Ivan Nor
ton, have been busy all day laying
the wood for the big fire. This wood
was gathered by the Scouts in the for
ests about the town, and was hauled
to Annapolis by the truck Of State
Senator Frank NJ. Duvall, who donated
this service.
The program tonight will begin
with the singing of MY Country 'Tis
of Thee by the children of the Anna
polls Grammar School, led by Mr.
Clarence l.. Clemson. The entire Ma
val Academy band will be present to
furnish the accompaniment The
Boy Scouts will form ring with their
slaves about the blaze and keep the
crowds from getting dangerously near
the flames
The presiding officer will be Mr.
Harry j. Hopkins, President of the
Anne Arundel County Branch, Mems
Council of Defense, who has been in
vited to assume this office by Mrs.
Craven and the ladies of the Women's
Council of Defense, which has arrang-
ed the bonfire, and is doing yeoman's
work in keeping Anne Arundel Coun-
tvs end up.
Mr. Hopkins will introduce Mayor
James F. Strange and Mr.. James NJ.
Munroe, who will be the orators of
the occasion. The ceremonies will
close with the singing of THE Star
Spangled Banner" followed by the
benediction by Rev. H. W Burgan,
pastor of the First Methodist Epis-
copal Church.
Then Mrs. Harrington will be pre-
scented the torch and will actually
light the fire.