National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1880-07-06
Our Glorious independence Day.

A cloudlcss dawn yesterday was ushcrcd
into notice by a salute Of 800 guns fred under
direction Of Major Hanueman Of the District
militia in Judiciary square. The night had
been cool and pleasant aud the slumbors Of
tho District inhabitants heavy accordingly,
but the laundering fusillsde OF 800 cannon dis
charges ruthlcssly broke them. The noise
would have aroused the Seven S,cepcrs or cut
short Rip Van Wrinkles sweetest nap All
parts of tho city were awakened at once, and
the Fourth ca uly began in dead earnest, even
before suu-up. As tho day broke to the
thunders of heavy artillery 50 did the nights
shadows close In to tho pop'pop Of fire.crackcrs,
the whzz Of Roman candles, the sharply
cutting hiss of rockets, and the Internal doto.
nation of all conceivable kinds Of Illuminating
machinery.
Sunday was observed with due sense of
proprety, aud the spirit of demonstration
was securely corked up to await becoming fer
mentatiOn. Monday the fermentation did be- |
gin, blowing the cork out of the bottle aud |
escaping all over the city. The whole city |
was a camp of decorating pyrotcchncs. Never |
before has Washington gone SO largely into the !
private fireworks business. Up rose the sun and |
up rose the small boy, armed with fre.crackers |
toy cannon, pocket pistols, loose powder and |
matches. Ho had made up his mind to have !
n noise, and when did the small boy ever fail |
to carry out his determination of bOssing Il |
Bmall-siaed pandcmouium2 In this ungodly |
enterprise he was aided and a6otted by his too |
willing sister, for the big girl madc her appear
ance on the scene yesterday with the weapons
of her younger brother, determined to show
she could beat him At his own game, and she
succeeded.
There can be no longer any question of the
ability OF the female sex TO cope with the malc
in all that regards making mischicf ana noise.
frhp hin oirl yagtp rhnv fl rod off crack UnuT-
isbcd toy pistols, burnt gunpOwdor and sue
cccded in making tho day hdcous rs IL she
had been born specially for that purpose. A
favoritc amusement with young ladies ycster.
day was TO sit at the upper windows of their
houses aud throw lighted firc-crackers and tor
pedos down upon the unluclSy passcrs, like the
Roman ladies in tho Corso during carnival
times If anything were wanting to make
the day fully successful in Washington as one
pf unmitigated din the girls more than sup
oiled it.
Judging from the prevalence of explosives
in all their various forms, the celebration of
the Fourth of July in this city was emincntly
patriotic and old-iashioncd. If the American
eagle loves noise he got it to his hearts con-
tent yesterday. And everybody was satisfied
and happy. Tho different excursions took
away thousands down the river; the surround
ing woods were alive with patriotic pcnck.
frs; the railroad trains were filled to rcpleton
With happy crowds bent on going still further
iway from home, and home itself was lively
with merry people, all beLt on having good
limo and making u noise. Washington can
make more noise TO the square inch than any
,tlcr place in the world to its size. And yes
terday it pulled Off all the brakes and started
On the down grade.
gratifying feature of tho day was the ab-
Eenco of anything like rowdyism or drunken
ness. In all their peregrnations about town
yesterday the local staff of TIE REPUBLICAN
saw but one drunken man, and he got 50 be.
cause his girl had gone on with another fell
low who had double share Of iirecraCkers.
The work of the police was one of superero'
CATION yesterday, aud tho stuton-houses were
not rs frequently visited as usual. The day
was cool and pleasant, and upon the whole the
Fourth Of July was success,
Brightwood and Alexandria.
The people of Brightwood celebrated tho
glorious anniversary at Brghtwood hall yes.
terday in Il very appropriate and patriotic
manner. The programme included the read
ing of the Declaration of Independence by
Colonel Crosby of tho war department, an elO-
Iuent GRAFTON By Mr.. Chaplin Brown aud re-
marks from other speakers. The scene about
Brightwood hall presented II very animated
and pretty appearance. Several tents were
spread for shelter, and tho whole of Bright.
wood enjoyed itself at II huge picnic. At
Alexandria there was much noise and patriot
ism. There was no regular celebration, though
the democratic clubsimproved the opportunity
10 raise flags aud make speeches. Alexandria
!eCeived largo acCossIons to its population
from Washington and the surrounding county
A Fight Mt Il Depot.
Yesterday morning, between 10 and II
O'clock, while crowd of people TO the num-
her of about 800 were assembling at the Bnlti-
!morc 4 Ohio depot, preparatory to taking
lhe excursion trains for picnics on the line of
shat road, difficulty occurred among the
crowd in tho depot. The cry of "Murder
police" was raised, and Officer Slacl, of the
Ecventh precinct who was on tho opposite
side of tho tmin, crawled under the cars,
made his way into the crowd and arrested
emory Parker, one of the ring leaders.
'IoWd came to his assistance, when lie sue
lccded In getting away. The officer drew his
revolver and told Parker that he would take
him dead or aliYo, when the crowd backed
rom him., and the officer secured his pris-
Oner agau, when Officers Scott and Fisher
came to Sack's assistance, and Parker was
marched of TO the station house, followed by
the crowd up New Jersey avenue as far as Il
street, where the officers were reinforced by
other policemen from the s.Htion.hOuso. Upon
HAT the crowd returned to the depot, took the
trains and went on their pleasure trips. The
officers state that it WAS the largest crowd that
has gathered in or about the depot in many
years Parker will have hearing in the
police court this morning.
The Explosion AT Monterey, Cal.
SAN FRANCISCO, July O,-furlner uCtNlS
of the powder explosion at Monterey show
that while the members of company g. who
had gone down from this city, were preparing
tJ celebrate the fourth, B. +. Hastings, W. G..
Burke and Spencer c, Buckbee of the COM
pany, entered q magazine tent where the
powder WAS stored to prepare cartridges for
the cannon, Hastings took Ratchet to open
twcnty.tyepound can OF powder. AT the
first blow the explosion occurred. Burke was
almost instantly killed. and Hastings mangcd
aud burned past recognition, As he was car
Iiud away for medical aid he cried, My God
this is all my Garolcssness," lto may possibly
survive, Buckbee Was only slightly hurt
The tent and its contents aud all articles IN tho
vicinity wore blown in all directions. The
catastrophe put an end to the festivities.
Sporting Man shat and Killed.
kansas CITY, Mo-, July 5.--Gcorge Elder
and Lcaudor Abbott, sporting mon, became in,
vsycd in difficulty today, whom Elder shot
Rnd killed Abbott. Elder was arrested.
\ Free Fight 800 -Four IGlllod aud Thirty
Wounded.
CnlcAao July IA Troy Mills Iowa