Smyrna times., 1919-04-30
AIRPLANES AND BAND BOOST
VICTORY LOAN DRIVE HERE
ROUSING PATRIOTIC MEETING
ATTENDED BY $500 PEOPLE
Fort DUPONT Band of 18 Pieces Dis
courses Music and Addresses By
Mr.. and Mrs. Ridgley and Others

Mr.. and Mrs. Ridgley and Others
Two airplanes and a brass band and
a crowd of people in Smyrna Monday
evening, estimated upwards of 2,5OO4
people, has given impetus to the second
week of the Liberty Loan drive in
Smyrna the past week and helped the
cause along considerably. Chairman
Clarence B. Raymond, of the Mems
Committee and Chairman of the |
Women's Committee, Mrs. Alice Read, |
report a total of 100000. Canvas
sers are working the town, street by
street, and automobile parties are
securing the country districts. No
stone will be left unturned to put
Smyrna over the top. Friday, a
number of automobile parties helped
swell the crowd in Smyrna to witness
the flight of two aerOplanes over
Smyrna. They had been down to
Georgetown and Dover and Chairman
Raymond induced them to come to
Smyrna Friday, which they did, arriv-
ing here shortly after twelve o'clock,
noon. They did not land, much to the
disappointment of many, but flew low
down over the houses of Smyrna,
dropping Victory Loan literature and
doing a few air stunts. They left
Smyrna hortly after for Salem, N. j.,
across the Delaware RIVER from us,
where they gave an exhibition and
from there to Wilmington. One plane
was in charge of Captain Hoagland
and Lieut.. Ellis and the other plane
was in charge of Lieut.. Lambert and
Lieut.. Collins. A number in Smyrna
and vicinity had never seen an aero
plane and the purr of the motors and
the easy fight of the birdmen, at
tracted much curious interest.
$500 People Hear Fort Dupont Band.
Monday evening a rousing big pa
triotic melting was held in front of
the Federal Building when a crowd
estimated at $500 stood for two hours
listening to the music and the speak
ers. Main street, between the "Four
Corners" and South street was roped
off and extra electric lights were
strung in front of the porch of Harvey
w. FAIRIES, which porch served the
purpose of a grandstand. The band
from Fort Dupont, composed. of eigh-
teen pieces, started the evening pro-
gram with a concert and after dis
coursing music for an hour, the public
meeting was opened by Chairman
Clarence B. Raymond who introduced
the speakers of the evening. The
first speaker was Mrs. Henry Ridgley,
of Dover, State Chairman of the
Women's Victory Loan Committee.
The band played a selection and
Henry Ridgely, ESQ.,, of Dover, the
prominent attorney, gave an address,
considered by many one of his very
best efforts. Lieut.. Pruitt who was
also on the program for an address
was unable to get to Smyrna on ac-
count of a throat affection from toe
much campaigning. Chairman Ray
) mond, however, was fortunate to Sc
cure Captain Clarence 7. FAIRIES, OF
{ Narbeth, Pa, who had just returned
from France and had come down to
: see his mother, Mrs Rebecca FAIRIES
Captain FAIRIES was chief of the medi-
cal division of the Army Base Hos
pital No 72 near st. Nevers, France
a hospital of 2,2OO beds. When in
+. troduced by Chairman Raymond, he
was greeted with applause for he was
e a Smyrna Boy" who had come back
from months of service in France anC
o what he had to say held the attention
of the big crowd from start to finish
His was not an appeal for bonds, like
the others, but a description of France
. and some of his own personal eXpe-
riences.
War Film, ''The Price of Peace"
Another big feature of the "drive'
will be the exhibition of the officia
war film, "The Price of Peace" six
!, reel production, which will be shown
at. the Smyrna Opera House, mex
? Monday afternoon and evening, Ma!
the 5th. Chairman Raymond has ar
: ranged for four shows, two n the af
ternoon and two in the evening, ,whicl
: will be open to the public free o
II cbarge The afternoon shows will b.