Thursday, June 25, 1925
FOURTH OF JULY
Arrangements are being perfected for a big day at the Fairgrounds on the glorious Fourth.
There are enough horses now being trained on the Fair track to ensure fast and interesting trotting and pacing races.
One of the novelty races will be a potato race, open to all.
Every horse owner is invited to enter. Bring a sharpened stick six feet long.
A riding tournament is always popular. A feature will be the trap shooting event. Limber up your old shotgun and try your skill on clay pigeons.
At night there will be a gorgeous display of fireworks and a big moving picture show. A reasonable fee to the grounds will be charged. But parking space for automobiles and the grandstand will be free.
Fourth of July has been designated as National Defense or Muster Day.
The meeting place in Pocahontas County is the Fairground at Marlinton. Major Norman R. Price, of Marlinton, and Lieut. C. I. Hipps, of Durbin, have been designated as enrollment officers for the day. The unit assigned to this county is the 329th Wagon Company attached to the 397th Infantry. All men between the ages of 18 and 45 years who will volunteer for one day’s muster service will report to these officers. All ex-military men are eligible.
Such a system existed in the early days of the Nation under the following act of Congress, approved May 8, 1792:
“Section 1625: Every able-bodied male citizen of the United States resident therein, who is of the age of 18 years and under the age of 45 years, shall be enrolled in the militia.
“Every citizen shall, after notice of his enrollment, be constantly provided with a good musket or fire lock, of a bore sufficient for balls of the 18th part of a pound, a sufficient bayonet and belt, two spare flints and a knapsack, a pouch with a box therein to contain not less than 24 cartridges suited to the bore of his musket or fire lock, each cartridge to contain a proper quantity of powder and ball; or with a good rifle, knapsack, shot pouch and powder horn, 20 balls suited to the caliber of his rifle and a quarter of a pound of powder and shall appear so armed, accoutered and provided when called out on company days to exercise only, he may appear without a knapsack. Each commissioned officer shall be armed with a sword or dagger and spontoon.”
Under this act, the 37th Virginia Infantry was organized in Pocahontas County, which organization continued in active service with annual muster days, until the time of the Civil War. …
Pocahontas County’s quota of 150 volunteers is being rapidly filled, and a creditable showing for the county is assured, in the matter of proper observance of Defense Day.
Soldiers of the World War, and other wars, are requested to appear in the old uniform, if possible, and line up at the Assembly
Vigilances is the price of liberty.
The ancestors of many of our citizens have fought in every war the country has had since the Revolution. The matter of a proper National defense cannot safely be ignored, in a world where war and revolution continue to agitate a good part of the inhabitants…