Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1896-07-05
TIE GLORIOUS FOURTH.
1t Was Celebrated in Characteristic
Wheeling Style,
Despite Day of Threatning Skies
and of Frequent Rains-A Large
Attendance at the Parks and Pic
mic Lots Of Gunpowder Burned.

Yesterday ce.eDrauon OF the fouilu'
in this city, was fully up to the require
ments of the case, while being just
nbout what we have become accustomed
to Of late years. Our people have long
ceased TO think of or look for any set
public celebration of the day, such as
they have in almost every other COM
nunity Of like size and Importance, and
thus whatever is done is the sole result
Of private enterprise and individual pa
tr,ousm. Wheeling people are always
equal TO the situation, however, and as
far as a suspension 'of business, burning
powder and having a general good time
goes, there can be no just complaint,
and it has once more been thoroughly
demonstrated that local patriotism is
not want!ng-at least not to any ap-
preciabe extent.
1t was the general conclusion, last eve
Ming. along toward the small hours which
commenced the fifth day of the month,
that the National holiday had never
been more generally honored. 1t has
beec years since there was such a con-
sumption of fireworks and fire-crackers,
despite heavy rains and generally
threatening weather the crowds at the
parks and at the Fair grounds were
very large, there was an almost total
cessation of business-it is not strain
ing the situation 100 much TO say that
no business AZ all was done during the
afjernoon-and the entire population
appeared TO have arrived at the deter
minatiOn to cOnsecrate the day to
amusement in various ways.
A feature OF the day which was man
ifesL to the dullest ear was the racket
caused by explosives of various forms.
The day was ushered in at midnight
Friday night with such a volume of eX-
plosions as recalled to the old soldiers
the rattle of musketry in a pitched
battle. While no portion of the city was
wholly exempt from this racket, it was
more general in the central portion of
the city, along Market street between
Eleventh and Sixteenth. The number
of ear-spitting conclusions fell off
somewhat towards daylight, but still
there was 70 period of three minutes
when the air was not rent with the
sound of an exploding Cracker" or the
sharper report Of . revolver. With the
advent OF daylight the use of gunpowder
again grew general, and thenceforthi
until midnight last night there was no
cessation in the racket After dark
last evening there were a number of
very handsome displays of fireworks in
various parts of the city. the most no
ticeable being along South Front street,
on Reymann's hill east of the city. at
the State Fair Grounds, where the Cath
Ole picnic was in progress, on North
Main street, on Charles street, or South
broadway, at Main and Ninth streets.
and at various points on the South Side.
The two bridges over the river afforded
a splendid vantage ground for viewing
these displays and both were crowded
with spectators between eight and ten
O'Clock, the crowds being largely COM
posed OF ladies. A great mary paper
balloons were sent up. both from this
city anG from the Ohio side, and from
one 10 half-a-dOZen were generally in
view at once. In the central portion of
the city many fireworks were set off
during the evening, particularly towards
ten o'clock, acd in the vicinity of the
Register office, from ten until half-past
eeven, Their was ONE continuous infer
nal din. A matter for cOngratulation
is that there was not a single fire alarm
during the entire period of Fourth fes-
tivities ending with last night, some
thing which speaks volumes for the gen
eral discretion of the entire population.
1t is record which probably was rot
duplicated in any city of the size Of
Wheeling in the entire country, yester-
day.
As to the weather. the least said the
better. When it didn't rain it was
threatening to rain. and as a result
thousands were deferred from going out
of the city, to the parks or to private
picnics or TO the Fair Grounds, and
those who did steal away from the
everyday cares OF life had a more or
less damp time of it, AID acquired quite
d respectable amount of mud without
any apparent effort. Summer dresses
were ruined by the hundreds. tanned
shoes were spoiled by the gross and hats
and 6OnAets innumerable succumbed TO
the rain. The early morning appeared
to promise a delightful day, but about
nine o'clock the sky became very
threatening, and less than an hour later
a dOwn-pour of rain set in which con-
tinued without intermissiOn until after
twelve o'clock, knocking out the morn
Inc l,oM arin
the parks and the Fair Grounds picnic.
For the succeeding two hours the
weather was Of a sort where a big storm
appeared immirent at any moment, and
about h9lf-plst two it came, flooding
the streets and Wetting any number of
people Then it was dry for a while,
and then il drizz,ed and threatened to
storm again, and this was kept up al
aSely until dark, when the sky
cleared up, and a fairly fine evening
followed.
Oneofthe biggest events of the day was
the union Catholic picnic at the State
Fair Grounds. for the benefit of the
Wheeling Hospital. All tne Catholic
congregations IN this city and Benwood
assisted Notwithstanding the unfavor-
able weather and the muddy condition
of the grounds, the picnic was a COM
plete success, socially and financially.
At seven o'clock three thousand persons
had passed into the grounds, and fully
tive hundred more went in later.
There was dancing all day on the pa
Wilton, and about $50 o'clock, the De-
c,aratiOn of independence was read. and
a patriotic address which occupied about
a quarter of an hour in delivery was
made by Congressman B. B. Dovener.