Evening journal., 1889-07-05
CELEBRATING TIE DAY.
Wet Weather Dampens the
Ardor of the Celebrators.
THE FIREcRAcKER GETS THERE.

THE FIRECRACKER GETS THERE.
The Police and the Patrol wngon-Three
Fire Alarms but no Fires-The Wet
Fxcursionists and Numerous Accidents
! TO the Small Boy.
Notwithstanding the action Of City
| Council repeating the ordinance prohibit
| ing the explosion of firecrackers and fire.
works, there was less noise and con.
fusion in this city yesterday than is
usual on the Fourth. This may donbt.
less be attributed to the showery
weather and the heavy rainfall during
the early part of the afternoon.
The explosion of crackers began about
dark on Wednesday evening, and the
! moderate rattle continued, interspersed
with the boom Of an occasional cannon
cracker, until near midnight. After that
hour comparative quietness reigned until
| daylight, when the noise began in earnest,
and explosions of every variety OF noise-
producing fireworks made continual
rattle and roar during the early part Of
the morning. The frequent light show
ers during the morning dampened the
ardor Of the citizens and small boys.
The display Of bunting in the city was
meagre. A few houses were tastefully
decorated, but flags were the exception,
not the rule.
| black clouds which had been gathering
in the west came up and discharged long.
/ heavy shower of rain. MANY of the
streets were flooded with water from curb
/ TO curb. The smoking remains of fire.
/ aY urra a-ff .faln al
embryo fires, in the imaginations Of peo-
Pile Of the highly nervous class, were
nipped in the bud.
People on the streets took to the
houses, where they remained for the next
two or three hours, while the rain con-
tinued to fall heavily. The members of
many picnic party were drenched, and
disappointed excursionists by scores
would have given twice the price Of their
tickets to have been at home The rain
fell in light drizzles during the afternoon
But between and o'clock, the wind
blowing fresh and cool from the north
west, began to dissolve the clouds and by
twilight the sky was clear and stArlit.
The din OF fire crackers began again at
sunset and as the darkness increased the
whole sky was lit mp with red fire, the
flying balls of roman candles describing
their graceful parabolas, and the darting
train of rockets, each sending out its
shower of colored balls or fiery rain as 1t
reached the zenith Of its career. Many
fire balloons were sent up and hoated
slowly through the sky like large stars,
loosed from their moorings. Crowds Of
people made the Eighth street park a
point of vantage from which to view the
display of fireworks From the elevated
situation of the park view of the whole
city was obtained and the spectacle was
one of great brilliancy and beauty.
After 10 o'clock the noise Of crackers
and whizz of fireworks began to die out
and by II o'clock, except for the clouds
of smoke that hung over it, the city had
regained almost its normal condition. AT
an early hour this morning the work OF
cleaning up began. On every street In
the city busy housekeepers or their ser.
wants, and storekeepers or their clerks
were sweeping the debris and rubbish
from their fronts into the street.
Work OF the Police.
Mayor Harrington was at his Office the
greater part of the day and night, and
patrol forces Of police were on duty fol
nearly the entire twentY-four hours end
ing at midnight. They did hard anc
effective work. Sixteen arrests were
made during the day, all for drunkenness
or disorderly conduct. The number of
drunken men on the streets
appeared to be less than usual,
and none Of the fights were
serious. The police circulated around
pretty lively and quelled most of them
In their incipiency. Orders were issued
to arrest every man found exploding fire.
arms. Two were fined by Judge Ball
yesterday morning for this offense. The
officers Of the day force were dismissed
at 11.45 p. M, having been on duty fol
eighteen consecutive hours.
Acting upon the authority Of City
} Councils special committee on police
Councilman Roberts secured the wagon
of William H. Pierson for use as a police
patrol wagon during the day the wagon
being built for the purpose not yet being
finished. The use of the horse which
City Council has purchased wa:
allowed by Jester & Mcdaniel
and the wagon was placed under the
command of the mayor, its headquarters
being at Traynors livery stable on Fifth
street near Orange. Nine calls were
answered by the wagon during the day,
on one of which three men were taken Il
The Fires.
There were but three alarms Of fire
during the entire day. All proved to be
of slight character, and at none did the
department 60 into service. The first
was from box No. 2. at Twentieth and
Market streets. at g. 30a. m. It was slight
fire in a shed near by, which was easily
extinguished. The second was sent out
at 1850 p. m. from box Z, in front of Beers
Hotel II was slight fire caused by the
ball Of Roman candle entering the win
dow of the house at No 902 Market
street. 1t was quickly extinguished, and
no damage was done This alarm did
not strike on the City Hall bell or in
the Delaware Truck house. The third
alarm was from box 32 at 1045 D. M
No fire was discovered
Some mischevious colored man lighted
pack of fire crackers hanging on the
stand of the Italian on Eighth street be.
tween Market and King about noon yes.
terday. The exploding crackers ignised
all the fireworks on the Italians stand
and they exploded with q
fizz and bang The fruit on the stand
was damaged and some glass broken
The Italians loss is about $75.
Excursions and PicnIcs.
Hundreds of people left the city in the
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