The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-07-01
FIRE WORKS ARE CHEAP
Wilson Bill Has Reduced the Price
Of Them Fifty Per Cent.
GETTING READY FOR FOURTH
Scranton Dealer in Patriotic Ammuni.
tion Asserts That the Sum Of $4,000
VIII BE Expended to Properly cele.
bratc the Fourth In Scranton.

A Tribune reporter called on local
dealers In fireworks Saturday with q
view to finding out what opportunity
will this year be offered 70 Young
America" to explode his patriotic exu-
beration on the Fourth Of July. The
discovery made was that all Indications
are far as noisy on Independence Day
AS has been witnessed up to date, n not
the noisest.
MIR. Williams. Of Lackawanna ave-
nue., a large dealer. said that the COM
Ing Fourth will be a crackerjack for the
price Of the toy explosives has declined
90 per cent, owing to the reduction I'm
tariff by the Wilson bill. consequently
twice as much noise can be made for
the same amount Of money.
There have been no radical changes
In the manufacture OF the common fire.
cracker over that OF last year. There
are different kinds Of fire-crackers now
adays, more than there used to be. The
old kind was hardly loud enough for
the modern small boy. To satisfy him
dealers are putting on the market a
brand known to the world as dynamite.
They make so much noise that 1t ~
generally supposed they contain dan
gerous explosive. The change has come
because they are packed tighter.
Tho Torpedo Is Popular.
The one style Of fireworks for which
there Is the most demand Is the festive
torpedo. which the small boy delights
to stand behind corner with and
throw at the copper" as he passes
swinging his baton. This year. they
are rolled in tin foil and wrapped
tighter and they make a louder noise
when they explode. They Will retail at
8 and 10 cents package.
The toy pistol will not be seen very
much this year as the popular outburst
Of feeling against it seems to have
killed it before it had chance to do
any more killing on it's own part. or
course there will be cap pistols on the
market which are made In imitation Of
the regular revolvers and which shoot
caps alone. The caps too, are rather
formidable affairs and make u noise
that Is not to be despised.
If it is commonly believed that only
the small boy is concerned in this busi-
ness on the Fourth let 1t be Immediate
ly dispelled. Men. the book says, arc
but children Of larger growth. and a
few hours on the streets will soon con-
vince that after dark Is per cent. Of the
fire crackers are set off by boys who
have left the glamor Of youth far be-
hind them.
Woe to the unlucky cur that allows
the boys to fasten a tin can to its
tail; woe be the drowsy topper that goes
to sleep in the hallway from the effect
of too much liquid lightning.
Amount OF Money That Goes Up in Smoke.
Mr. Williams stated that no less than
$4,000 worth Of explosives will be used
this Fourth in Scranton. That means.
according to the drop in prices. that
there will be just twice as much got
and therefore twice the noise. The
common pack of fire-crackers has
dropped to cents from : and is very
much larger.
Then there are single rockets that
cost as much as $3.50. But one pa
triotic family can hold its end up we'll
enough by an outlay of $40. This will
give the older members a chance to sit
on the piazza and touch off a half
dozen rockets. a dozen or more Roman
candles, as many spin wheels. para
chute rockets. while the boys may
amuse themselves making the dogs.
cats and street gamins move.
I'VE are beginning to have a large
sale" said the fireworks man to the
reporter. and We expect that the sales
by the time the Fourth is over will be
almost unprecedented. ! do not know
whether it IL patriotism or just love OF
noise but the ubiquitous small boy has
evidently been saving up his pennies
more carefully than ever before with
the fond assurance that he can have a
great deal more fun for great deal less
money.
The stock in Scranton's stores Is kept
divided and notices are conspicuous
forbidding smoking.