The herald., 1896-04-25
THAT FIREWORKS DISPLAY
An Indifferent Exhibition at Athletic
Park Last Evening
Advertised In the Official Fiesta Announce.
ments, But Really . Private
Venture

The grand display of fireworks ait
Athletic park last evening was the first
ana only failure of the Fiesta. and the
$500 people who had been msled by the
advertisement OF the event, which not
only appeared in the official Fiesta an
nouncemnet, but was largely exploited
on its own account, and who paid the
admission fee, were out just that
amount of money for the whole show
could be seen better from the outside
of the grounds than in the grand stand.
There was but little to see anyway,
and that little was of the most conven-
tional and commonplace character To
begin with the official press badges
were not honored, Notwithstanding the
fact that notice was posted at press
headquarters that the badges gave
their holders admission to the grounds.
AS the various newspaper men showed
up and presented their credentials they
were informed that badges didn't go;'
that instructions were that no one was
to be admitted without ticket, which
could be purchased at the box office, and
they were gently but firmly directed to
that quarter The further information
was vouchsafed that the fireworks dis
play was no part of the Fiesta program.
but was a private venture of the Paine
Fireworks company. Those whose de-
tails made 1t necessary that they should
enter the grounds secured their tickets,
while the more fortunate ones Joined the
crowd on the outside of the enclosure.
Shortly after 8 o'clock the display
opened with the firing of a s<yrocket
followed at a brief interval by several
others. Then came battery of bombs
of the usual sort, which exploded in
regulation style, sending out showers of
various colored stars. Then came more
rockets, among them probably a dozen
of the chain variety, which produced a
very pretty effect. and were really the
only novelties of the show. Then came
the explosion of a mine of bombs, fol-
lowed by more rockets, there sometimes
being as many as two in the air at one
time. Then more bombs, and one or
two of the conventional showers of gold.
Rockets, singly and in pairs, came next.
The crowd on the inside who had paid
their admission were in the meantime
patiently waiting for something in the
shape of "set" pieces. such as are usual
ly provided in exhibitions of this kind,
and after their patience had almost
been exhausted a couple or so 'chasers"
were set off. In the meantime the rock
cts had been kept going in a desultory
sort of fashion, alternating with bombs,
but the set pieces did not materialize.
The advertisement had stated that "a
set piece of the queen will appear ar
ranged in beautiful fires" and as this
was the last the crowd patiently waited
for the finale, which was the crowning
fake of the evening. When this "set"
piece was set off, In place of the queen,
or any other figure appearing, a little
square arrangement, probably 6xS feet,
burst upon the gaze of the multitude
Just what the design was could not be
made out, only the words La Fiesta"
in one corner being recognizable from
the grand stand Perhaps more could
have been made out If opera glasses
had been provided, but they had not,
and the crowd made a rush for the gates
before the little "dinky" sign had
burned itself out. The grand pyro-
technic display was at an end, and those
who had paid street car fare and an ad-
mission fee made for the cars, wonder
ing why they had wasted time that
| might have been more profitably EN-
ployed in looking at the elaborate cleo
trio light decorations on the main
thoroughfares without money and with
out price.
OF course, the promoters of the dis
play had right to get up a show on
their own account if they so desired.
and advertise it as they pleased, but
there was no good reason for it's an
nouncement in the official Fiesta ad-
vertisement, thereby leading the public
to believe that 1t was under the control
of the Fiesta management, for the pur-
pose of stimizing the people.