Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1919-07-25
CROWD COMES in
SPITE OF RAIN
Last Saturday Was Red Letter
Day in TazewelPs History.
Memorial Picture of Dead
Soldiers Unveiled.

the Home Coming Celebration and
Memorial Exercises for the Tazewell
County soldiers. The hoped-for beau
tiful sunshny day did not materi-
aiize, but the people came anyway,
and the soldiers, to the number of
about $50 were also here. The rain
began falling Friday night and con-
tinued at intervals throughout the
day Saturday. Notwithstanding the
rain and the confu sion caused by q
hasty change in all plans for out
door exercises, the day was Il memoir
able one, and enjoyed by every body
who came to town.
1t was at first planned to have the
Hon. Patric Kelly deliver his address
on the lawn of Mr.. A. 2. Litz, but
the wet weather prevented this, and
also necessitated Il change in plans
for feeding the soldiers. The speak
ing was had from the front of the
High School building, and through
the kindness of Messrs. Laird ana
Tynes, the garage building was turn
ed over to the ladies of the Red
Cross, where the dinner was served.
The ladies had sent out call
throughout the county for dinner for
500 men, and as not near that num-
Der of soldiers were here, dinner
enough for large number of the
visitors was provided, and for sew
eral hours the garage building was
crowded to the doors by large crowds
who feasted on the fat of the land
The colored soldiers were fed on the
second floor of the garage, and were
provided with dinner identical to
that of the white soldiers.
The exercises Of the day did not
begin ut the appointed hour, the de-
layed passenger train from the west
making the parade of the soldiers an
hour later than was scheduled. They
passed down Main Street about
noon, and were halted in front of the
Court House, where the unveiling
Memorial Address took place. There
were about 120 men i'll line, the Com
pany being in command of Major
John Mcclure, of Cedar Bluff. He
had selected number of Commiss-
ioned officers of the county to assist
him. DR.. Jack w. Witten was prom
inent among them and had a good
deal to do with the parade being sue
cessfully carried through. The parade
was led by the Norton band who
furnished inspiring music throughout
the day. At the Court House, tha
pictures of TazewePs dead soldiers,
those who gave up their lives in
France and in the camps in this
country for their country's sake, were
collected in large frame, and un-
veiled. The address of the day on this
occasion was delivered by the Rev.
". S. Moore, Of Bluefield, who saw
service himself with the American
troops in France as q "Y" Secretary.
Mr.. Moore was introduced by Sen
ator j. p Royal, who paid a glow
ing tribute to the Womans Christian
Temperance Union of Tazcwcll Coun-
ty, the organization which was res
ponsible for the COLLECTION of thel
photos of the boys and their arrenge-
mcnt in the beautiful memorial pic
ture. The Rev. Mr. Moore, ut the
beginning of his address quoted the
beautiful poem of Kipling "Lest Ye
Forget" and made beautiful adj
dress.
The Memorial Picture.
The Memorial group consisted of
4S photos of dead soldiers, nicely
arranged on parchment, and framed
in neat oak. The work of collecting
the photographs of the boys, having
them retaken, all thcsame size, was
the loving labor chiefly of two wom-
en- of the town, whose names are
with held at their suggestion. The
done by Mr.. Poff, the photographer
of Bluefield. The entire work includ-
ing frame and all, cost about $G800.
AT a given signal the flags drap-
ing the picture were raised. The pco-
pie crowded in to take what almost
seemed the real faces of their dead
Mothers, sisters, wives and sweet
hearts, pushed their way thru the
crowd and put their hands softly on
the faces of their loved ones, while
tears rained down.
Old Soldiers First.
The old soldiers who were here
appreciated the attention shown them
They were given seats first at the
table, and the heroes of two of the
greatest wars of history were sig
nally honored.
The Crowd.
1t is the universal opinion that the
crowd here on Saturday was the
largest in the history of the town
and the greatest and most orderly.
They pushed and crowded each other
all day. The light showers helping
rather than hindcring. The soda
fountain, candy stores and all were
literally thronged all day. If there
was drop of moonshine in the crowd
it was not in evidence, nor "nerve
tonic" either.
Congressman Kellys Address.
Congressman Pat Kelly delivered
his address from the High School
The speaker was introduced by Mr..
J. w. Chapman in strong eloquent
speech.
Mr. Kclly's speech seemed to
please the large crowd gathered in
the street in front of him.
The crowd left on every outgoing
train, by buggies and automobiles
etc. At last our guests had all gone
and the old town breathed free-glad
indeed that the days program was
successfully carried out.
A wonderful day it was! Such n
one as we never had here before
and will never have again.