The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1917-10-26
Large Crowds Assemble at Court House
Square and Witness Most Inspir-
ing Spectacle
STIRRING APPEALS FOR PURCHASE OF BONDS

The lighting of the big liberty loan
bond fire in this city at seven O'Clock
Tuesday night was beautiful patriot.
ic and successful celebration. The idea
of these bond fires all over the Unit.
ed States at the same time was a
beautifully conceived one, and as have
been so many beautiful and patriotic
= during the war, it was conceiv.
ed by a woman-Miss Mary Synon
secretary of the National Woman's
Liberty Loan committee.
In the afternoon the street in front
of the court house was roped off for
this fire and everything got in readi.
ness so that there would be no hitch
in it and that the fire could be lighted
promptly. Before six-thirty o'clock,
the hour set for the beginning of the
program the streets were lined with
PEOPLE and it showed that there are
mighty few slackers in things patrt
otic in Ocala.
Mr.. l.. w. Duval acted as master OF
ceremonies, and in his happiest man.
ner land no public speaker in Ocala
has happier) he told the object and
the meaning of this demonstration,
the lighting of liberty fires through
Que our great nation to aid in the
iyindling of bigger and mightier sen
timent for the buying of liberty bonds
which are to play large part in the
success of the great world war now
being waged.
The program commenced with the
singing of America.
The Boy Scouts of Ocala with Rev
Bunyan Stephens, their scout master
had charge of the fire and each one
laid a fagot on the fire. The scouts
wore their full regalia and added a
picturesque and military note to the
crowd.
Just at seven o'clock the liberty fire
was lighted by the women OF Ocala
who have given the most to the war
viz: the greatest number of sons
Ocala has the distinction (as has
probably no other city in Florida) oi
having four women who have giveH
three sons each as their contribution
TO the war. They are Mrs. w. E
Woods. Mrs. j. R. Moorhead, Mrs r
L. Anderson and Mrs. j. It. Nelson. Tc
these patriotic and devoted women
was delegated the task of fighting
the fire and as they did so they were
greeted with storm of applause from
the assembled crowd. Mrs Anderson
made brief speech in behalf of these
ladies.
Mr.. Frank Harris, editor OF this pa
per and one of the oldest inhabitants
of Ocala, was the first speaker. He
laid on the liberty fire an historic ia
got from old Fort King. which is neal
Ocala.
Mr.. Harris in performing this patri
otic duty spoke as follows:
Ladies and Gentlemen
Perhaps it is altogether fitting and
proper that I should have been select
ed to place a fagot on this patriotic
fire from that historic spot known as
old Fort King, for it was there or neal
there that my father began military
career which lasted through the Sem
mole war and terminated fatally II
our war with Mexico.
Most of us are familiar with the fact
that Major Thompson and Lieutenant
Constantine Smith were assassinatec
at Fort King by Oceola, the famous
Indian chieftain, which brought on q
conflict lasting almost as long as oul
revolutionary war.
It is also well known that Maj. Dade
and his entire command almost to 9
man were massacred near there ani
the commanding officer at Fort Kinf
calling for volunteers to carry the sac
intelligence to Fort Brooke, one hun
dred miles distant, through an unin
habited and trackless country, entire
ly In the possession OF the Indians
my father was one of the three who
volunteered for that service.
He came to Florida to help secure