The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-06-27

Interesting and beautiful exhibit
achieved by the aid of a length OF tele-
graph wire stretched between two.trees.
the wire having previously been passed
through the center Of the piece. Then
the fuse Is lighted and the flying pigeon
in q blaze of glory flies there and back.
A special departure this year Is the
line Of water works, for use only on
bodies Of water. They are fioated and
then set off. There are diving devils
which plunge under the water, flying
fish which leap out of 1t. water vol
canoes. floating mines. and many other
designs. the beauty of which Is aug
mented by the reflections In the water.
Besides these novelties there are. of
course. all sorts of improved pin wheels.
Catherine wheels, rOsette wheels, tri-
angles, flower pots, and colored fires.
Even the humble "nigger chaser, which
files about with the agility Of light
ming flash and the purposelessness of a
decapitated chicken. finds place in
the catalogue.
AS TO FIRECRACKERS.
But how about the firecrackers?"
asked the reporter. after going through
page after page of wonderful and COM
plicated contrivances. Don't you ham
die firecrackers any more?'
"Oh, yes: plenty Of them" said the
fireworks man. There's always a good
ut-of-town demand for them, although
as far as the city Is concerned. they're a
drug on the market. But there's some-
thing wrong with the firecracker indus
try. The Chinese importations are get
ting poorer every year. Accidental
business ideas. maybe"
do all these packages with the ex-
tremely Chinese lettering really come
from China?" ....
"They do, indeed: and that's where
our fire-crackers will continue to come
from until we can get men to work for
ten cents day here They're Chinese
cheap-labor, and hand labor at that"
Hasn't any machine ever been, in
vented To-"
'How long do you suppose o man
would live who attempted to Introduce
machinery where these firecrackers are
made? He wouldn't last much longer
than q firecracker after you'verighted
the fuse. But there's something wrong
over there. They aren't doing as good
work as they used to. Less noise for
your money and more crackers that
fail to go off than there should be.
Here's q firecracker catalogue. You no
tice that we don't quote prices on the
| ordinary Chinese cracker" ---
He pointed to the item under the
heading Chinese firecrackers," which
read:
Subject to market fluctuations. Net
prices quoted on application"
In another place was this announce
ment:
'The weight and quality of firecrack-
ers has been materially reduced of late
| To supply the demand for first class
article we have imported al, ,old-fash-
| ioned extra loud cracker"
These We're quoted at $l.25 q box
twenty packs to the box and eighty
crackers to a pack. Extra crackers
| and cannon crackers We're also in the
list. One line Of trade which has in
| creased is the torpedo business, and
the reason was suggested by two items
in the catalogue: '4e
"Ironclad torpedoes. A heavy report.
Ing torpedo. 1t is. cat teaser"
| 'Bombette torpedoes. This is very
| large torpedo with a very heavy repor,
"a regular cat exterminator. No need
! of sleeDless nights with box of these
at hand" ..
These" said the dealer, "are boor
to the human race, those torpedoes
Men with humanitarian ideas, OIL
| women who are afraid OF pistols, use
! them in case of cats. They are mighty
effective, and don't leave any dead
bodies around to litter up the yard un-
less the cat dies of heart disease. You'd
be surprised to see the orders we gel
for these. I'm thinking Of getting III
a special bicycle brand for use by bi
cyclists against attacking dogs. II
that way might get back a little OF
what the wheel has taken from my
| trade"