The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-12-27
THE DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS
The City Settles Down TO Quiet After
the JOlliiiCatiOl.

The Fire Peppers and Roman Candles
Have Had Their Day-The Work of
Cleaning Up the Streets and Squares
to Begin at Onoe-A Movement to
Change the Ordinance Allowing Fire
works North of the Park Extension.
Yesterday was the day after the fair or
rather after the storm. Instead of the
hurly-burly and general jollifcation that
prevailed the day before yesterday was
even more quiet than the ordinary bust
ness day. Evidently the thing was over
done the day before and the strain was
TOO great to be kept up. The scarcity of
money. too, may be taken into account in
explaining the early close Of the jollifica-
ton.
Instead of the bursting Of frecrackers
and the blaze of bonfres the city was as
quiet last night as if it were Sunday.
Hardly bonfire was seen and hardly
dozen frecrackers were exploded during
the night Evidently the boys had eX-
pended their money and their enthusiasm
together Monday Nothing evidenced the
unusual quiet of the DAY better than
the records at the police barracks,
entered up to midnight, one during the
day, and one early at night.
The city enjoyed one grand carnival
night and then subsidized. New Years
night will probably be marked with some
demonstration, but there is likely TO be
very little until then.
RAPE OF THE SQUARES.
The debris that filled the streets and
squares yesterday morning was ample
evidence of the work Of the night before.
The principal streets and squares were
Uttered with the fragments OF exploded
frecrackers and burnt out Roman can
dies, while old barrel hoops, the only
remnants of destroyed barrels, were
strewn about the squares.
The principal squares presented a sadly
disfigured appearance and looked more as
if they had been used as camping
place forarHSes Of vandals than as play
grounds for the children of civilized
parents. Madison, Troup, Pulaski and
Chatham squares showed the worst
evidences OF vandalism. A hole large
enough TO bury a horse in was left in
Madison square north of the Jasper mon
ument The whole square was strewn
with the debris of the nights
work, and the grass was trampled
down so there was little left to be
seen. 1t viii have to be a very favor
able season, indeed, to bring out
the grass in Madison square next spring.
Troup square looked as if circus had
camped there and the elephants turned
loose on the grass. Pulaski square was
disigured with a large excavation with a
trench running out from it as if
arrangements had been made to spring
mine. The boys evidently held high car
nival there.
Chatham square, the next below Pu-
laski square, on Barnard street, was pock-
marked with bonfire spots ana Uttered
with fragments of fireworks.
WANT THE LAW CHANGED.
Many prominent citizens whose resi-
dences face these squares are indignant
at their Dissertation, especially when they
know it is done with the consent and in
dorsement of the city authorities.
These squares will present a very I'M
slightly appearance TO the visitors to the
city during the next few months
Strangers who were in the city during the
last few days expressed their surprise
at the manner in which the boys were
allowed to desecrate and destroy the
beauty Of the squares. do they do this
every year2 never saw anything like it
before" was their general expression.
1t is no secret that movement will
be made TO change the ordinance relat-
ing to the use of bonfires and fireworks
inside the city limits before another
Christmas rolls around, so that these ex-
hibitions will be limited to the Park ex-
tension, the only suitable place for them.
This change will be urged, not only for
the sake of preserving the beauty of the
squares, but on the score of the city's
safety.
AN OLD ORDINANCE.
The ordinance making Liberty street
the northern boundary line for the dis
play of bonfires and fireworks was passed
before the development of the southern
section of the city when most of the prom
inent business and residence buildings
were situated north ofLiberty street. Now
that all that section is so closely
built up with valuable residences it Is
evident that the danger to property from
this license is fully as great south Of
Liberty street as north of it. The in
surance men are agreed that in case of
any fire occurring at this season, the
source of which could be traced to the
use Of fireworks or bontires, there would
be suit against the city for the
amount of damages. There certainly
seems no reason why the property holders
south of Liberty streets are not entitled
TO the same protection as those north of
II. If the movement to change the ordi-
nance is successful this Christmas will be
the last on which the boys will be allowed
the privilege of tearing up the squares
and hnPOinp off The