The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1946-09-03
KEY WEST
(Continued from Page Onel

bandstand in hollow square they
were put at ease by their COM
manders, and Arthur Sawyer
Post of the American Legion took
charge of the ceremonies to hopor
those veterans who persisted in
the Labor Day hurricane of 1885.
Ladies and gentlemen" said
Vance Stirrup, Post Commander.
II invite your attention. We have
assembled here to perform a
sacred duty, namely, to honor
those veterans who lost their
lives in the Floritu Keys hurri-
cane disaster of 1885. Though
they are dead their souls go
marching on, and in honoring
them we honor all fallen veter-
ans, both at home and abroad"
Concluding his Introductory re-
marks, Post Commander Stirrup
introduced Frank HanrahaA, of
the Guard of Honor, who spoke
briefly.
Day OF Mourning
Labor Day, whatever it may
mean to outside workers" Han
rahan said, signifies black day
Of mourning in the Florida Keys.
1t is black day because on La
Dor Day, 1885, a bowling hurri-
cane took the lives of over 500
people. Labor Day this year falls
on the same date as it did the
year of that memorial storm in
the Keys, On September 2, eleven
years ago, a specisj train sent to
rescue veterans housed in reha-
Utilization camps on the Keys was
sswept like driftwood off tie
tracks just as it entered the
stricken area. Only 10 of the
veterans had been taken aboard
when the full fury of the tropical
hurricane struck. These surviv-
ed, but all others were lost. 81,
at this time, ladies and gentle
men, we will pause for one min
ute in prayer for our comrades
and friends who have passed on. !"
Benediction Is Given
i Albert L. DiNegro, Jr., Post
Chaplain, then gave the follow
ing benediction:
almighty God, giver of I'll
victories, we thank Thee for the
opportunities which abide. in. our
land, for Thy guidance in the
hour of peril and Thy tender love
lin time Oh need. Help us to re-
member with reverence the val
or and devotion of our departed
comrades; not only those whose
bodies consecrate our country's
soil, but also those who sleep be-
yond the seas, and those others
whose resting places will not be
known until that last day when
the deep will give up its dead.
O God, teach us to honor them
by ever cherishing the ideals for
which they fought. Keep us
steadfast in the cause of human
rights and liberties. of law and
order, and true Americanism.
Give us the power to see, and the
will to do the right, Grant that
we may preserve the high ideals
for which our comrades died.
May Thy merciful blessing rest
upon those left behind. Keep us
forever firm in righteousness,
humble heart, and unselfish in
purpose. Amen"
Saunders Led Singing
Gerald Saunders, of the Key
West Lions Club, then led the
gathering in singing the Star
Spangled Banner, and the cere-
monies were concluded when
Post Bugler Aren't Sjursen, Jr.,
played taps for the departed dead,
The following committee chair
men worked diligently for many
weeks to make Key Vests Labor
Day celebration this year the
greatest in the city's history:
Dwight H. Hunter, Miss Ruth A.
Higgs, j. GlenWood Sweeting, C.
B, Harvey, Miss Gertrude Laub-
scher, Joseph J. Pinder, Charles
T. Albury, Neil Saunders, r. c..
Hicken. Vance Stirrup and Ger