The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1894-07-20
THE FIREWORKS ORDINANCE RE.
PEALED.
Wha, Happened In Other Places on tho
Fourth, and What viii Probably Happen
ia Bloomsbury, With Reckiessness
Unchecked,

repOrteu as resulting IRON fireworks
The natal day we celebrate with
more or less responsibility, and with
considerable fire and hre-water, was
all that could be desired as to the
weather. While the sun was bright
enough to sparkle the colors of our
national emblem and the gold and
silver bronzes upon the various ban
ners of the civic orders, the air was
both cool and invigorating in the
shade.
Benton, being the most advertised
and available place near at hand.
was, indeed, the center of greatest
attraction from north, south, east and
west. A gala day it was indeed to
Benton, not only in point of old-time
patriotism and the old forms of cele-
bration, but also of the old fashioned
reckless abandon to fire and fire.water
that was so characteristic of what
some folks term the good old times
of the past. Perhaps the greatest
crowd that has ever visited Benton
was there on this occasion. So at
least we are informed. If it be true,
as we are told that 1900 tickets were
sold at Bloomsburg, there can surely
be no fault found about patronage
from this quarter. Bloomsbury did
not limit her patronage to single
day either, for we noticed a crowd
who had remained over night in their
exuberant patriotism and wild enthusi.
asm, returning home on the train on
the morning OF the sth. They seemed
to be so suffused and permcated with
patriotism, &c, that they just couldn't
get away or get over it in time fol-
business on the 5th. Tie crowd TO
which we refer were so gay and fes-
tive as to entertain the passengers
with songs, mock battles, &c. through
out the entire Journey. Thus the
Fourth may be said to have passed
after the style of the fathers in this
latitude,
just A FEW COMMON CASUALTIES.
AT Pottsville, Pa, cannon three
feet long exploded and seriously in
jured boy fifteen years old. The lad,
John Galbraith by name, was badly
injured about the head and in con-
sequence will lose one of his eyes.
At Ripton, VT, Perley Smith, six.
teen years old, had his head blown
off by bursting cannon. He stood
in crowd several feet away.
At Detroit, Michigan, George Boyer
was fatally burned and George Ficke
was made totally blind by the pre-
mature explosion of fre.cracker.
At Harrisburg child named Stew
art was knocked down and trod upon
by horse in the passing parade. A
fire-cracker set fire to and badly
burned the awning of Frank Walters.
a premature explosion took place in
front of the Court house which soon
scattered the crowd. Here there was
no lack of fires caused by sky-rockets
and Roman candles. First was the
building Of Mr.. Tenney on Rose
Street. Next came an alarm from
box s, because of stable on fire in
South alley, Then soon followed
another call from Mulberry street, No,
4a. A Roman candle then ignited
the shingles on the roof of A. F, Frys
house, 2Io South second street. Mike
Gerson's stable, on Cowden, then
needed attention from the alert fire.
men of Harrisburg. Over twenty
revolvers were captured by the police,
men from jealous young patriots who
were bent upon being patriotic and
combustive. Five colored men, who
were also making merry with beer
and revolvers, were arrested for being
more imprudent than patriotic. James
Davis, lad of 2 years, shot himself
in the leg while arranging a horse
pistol for:the 4th., &c.
At Tyrone, Pa, Daniel Milton had
a cannon fre-cracker explode in hi:
hand, He wanted to see the doctor
about it soon after. Mr.. Hartwell
of Mummatown, is also a scarreo
patriot, inasmuch as his left hand i:
now badly lacerated by the explosion
of his revolver. Also a young lad by
name of Fiser, of the same place
burned his hand through his true
devotion to banging away the glorious
4th. A small cannon, manipulated
by John Moret, also deprived John o
his eye sight the balance of his days
while Charles Cowell was both burned
and badly cut up with giant fire
cracker.
AT Philadelphia fireworks cause
fires also. There, of course, they Sc
it down as inevitable and therefore
make some extra preparation for sub
DUNG the fires generated through
patriotism so,called, as fast as possible
Here upon the sacrihcial altar o
heathenish tradition went up in smoke
the home and business place of JOIN
A E D., - etx III,