Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-07-05
HOW IT WAS DONE.
A CELEBRATION OF THE FOURTH WHICH
WAS CARRIED TO EXTREMES.
The Scene on Market Street. Last Night Unparal-
lslsd, and Should Never b Rspsatsd-Ths Con-
duct Little Less Than RlOtous-The
Day in General.


Last evenings racket on Market street
was fine exhibition of lawlessness.
That is about the proper term to apply
to il.
The conduct of the two or three hundred
young men, who construed the Mayors
permission to shoot fre-crackers In the
streets. into license to carry on veritable
warfare, not only among themselves, but
to the annoyance and even danger OF
ladies, children, and the occupants OF car
riages, with all the risk of serious loss to
property through fire, was reprehensiole
in the extreme, and the repetition OF such
scenes ought to made forever impossible.
1t is miracle that many thousands OF
dollars worth of propertywas not destroyed
and wonderful that the most serious
casualties were slight burns and bruises.
The good luck of the night was the
subject of repeated remark among sober
minded citizens.
The REGISTER of yesterday morning de-
tailed somewhat fully the noisy manner
IN which the Fourth was ushured in Tues
lay night. The burning of tire-crackers
was carried on until broad daylight by a
crowd of couple of dozan young men,
the owners of stores in which fireworks
we're sold being routed out of bed at IN
tsrvals during the night, whenever the
supply on hand ran low. No damage
whatever was done by this crowd, the ex-
plosions of crackers aud fireworks being
for the most part confined TO the middle
of the street. Last evening, the crowd OF
Tuesday night again gathered along
Market street at an early
hour, its numbers being augmented by
very considerable reiniorcemsnts, all bent,
apparently, on making a night OF 1t. Be
fore eight o'clock big fire crackers began
to whiz through the air, and the crowd was
SION having an immense amount OF fun.
About eight o'clock the awning in front OF
F, w. Banner & Co.'S music store was set
on fire and burned, but the incident went
for nothing with the crowd, which devoted
all it's energies to the shooting OF the
largest fire crackers which money could
5uy. At first, as on Tuesday night, the
iring was confined to the street, and there
vas no objection in any quarter, but this
harmless amusement did not long satisfy
the crowd. About one hundred young
men ranged themselves on either side OF
the street, from Twelfth street south to
Alley nine, and began to shy crackers al
.ach other. Started in fun this thing
,oon grew, and for two hours regular
pitched battle was waged, the firecracker
tisnds invariably making it point to throw
heir blazing missiles in the midst of the
thickest crowds. Ladies were no safer tnan
the male portion OF humanity, ana sew
sral times skirts aud dresses were set In
blaze as their owners attempted 10 run the
gauntlet along one or the other sidewalk
rhe owners OF carriages passed along the
,treet at the peril of life and limb, and
there were several narrow escapes from
cuuawsys. About nine o'clock the avn
ing in front of Thos. Hughes merchant
tailoring establishment was fired, but was
,oou extiuguished. About eleven O'Clock
il was fired again, and this time was almost
entirely consumed, the fire being eXtin-
yuished with great difficulty, and then
only after men had climbed up on the cor
nice and torn the blazing canvas down.
This fire caused the warning factions on
either side Of the street to cease thelr
strife for time, bat in few moments III
was again renewed as lively as ever: A
large sky rocket was sent through the
traDsom into Bakers laundry and nearly
started q fire there. The renewed racket
WAS destined to come to sudden stop, |
however. While the awning fire was IN
propress the police, who had all evening
witnessed the objectionable license into
which the crowd had degenerated, with
decided feelings OF alarm, decided thaI
the time bad come to put q stop 10 the
fan" and q number OF the force were
soon on hand in response to telephone
messages from headquarters. ABOUT tne
time they arrived the long list
Of fights which had already taken
place was added to by Selse Gray,
colored boy, throwipgs boulder at W. T.
MOTIFS. q WllLS man. OlnNVA S"e"
tured one of the disorderlies, and eslling
for assistance, the other combataut was
also escorted to the lookup. A lew MN
utes later Officer Junkins' orders to stop
shooting crackers were violated under his
nose, and the result was that several ar
rests were made, and the crowd given TO
understand that the end had come. There
was a good deal of complaint on the part OF
the young men at the interruption OF their
fun, and the officers were followed to head
quarters by hundred men and boys who
talked a good deal Of taking the prisoners
away from the police, but rsfrsined from
any overt act. They guyed the police IN
mercifully, however-hsrdly proper re-
turn for performance of duty. After the
arrests the streets rapidly Quilted down.
and there WAS little shooting after mid
night.
Insurance men breathed decidedly better
after the danger OF the evening was over.