Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-07-05
Its Celebration, Begun Saturday, Will
Wind Up Tonight.
BURSTOF PATRIOFICPIRE INPROSPECf
Scenes and Incidents Gathered
From the Public Thoroughfares.
THE SMALL BOY AND HIS PA

'Hi' HUT hils what great Mandarin was
ueau. IN emma 1t is the accustomed
funeral regulation which requires firecrack-
ers 10 be set off. and they are exploded at
the burial services. The greater the dead
man the larger the number of crackers
consumed.
So 1t is no wonder that the slant-eyed
newcomer to the capital Thought that the
funeral of some great man, almost as
great as Ii Hung Chang, was taking Mace
Judging from the many explosions of fire.
works which assailed his ears.
II the party the follower of confucius had
asked the question had been one who was
apt or well up IN the history of the United
States they might have answered that
IL vas really a funeral but the OBJ
J.ct whose obseluies were being thus at
tended to had died July 4. 1776 and it's
name was British Oppression. II is nor
alone a funeral which is being celehrated
To-Day, from the Chinese standpoint, or any
oineT, out a birth also, the nascence CT the
glorious liberty which is one Of the at
tributes of this free country
The celebration Of the day of independ
ehce was to take place today, yesterday
teihS dies non" in congressional mar
lance but it really commenced Saturday,
continued through yesterday on the sly, as
1t were, is still continuing today, and will
nave Its elimination tonight.
Police Regulations Not in It,
In spite of the police regulations of the
District the eagle tapped his wings re-
peatediy and screamed through last night
at intervals early this morning and all
through the day
Before II O'Clock last night there were
desultory explosions about the CITY, like
scattered shots on a picket line. At mid
night the firing became general, and died
down gradually until early this morning
when the bird OF freedom and the sun
greeted each other, as they have done for
the past one hundred and twenty-one
years.
Those who are accustomed to sleep late
had no chance to do this morning. I'M
less they We're inmates of an institution
for the deaf, or had spentea long service
in a boiler yard. The small boy went to
bed early last evening, in order to be up
with the early bird of liberty, and he did
not oversleep himself. Mores the pity,
those thought who are fond of spending
part of the morning in slumber. The boy
and the cracker formed a combination
which could not be beaten anyway. Though
the late risers may have grumbled some
what. unless they were wholly without
patriotism they submitted to the inevitable
with the remark to themselves:
oh WELL it's the Fourth. and ought
to be glad there is such day to be cele-
brated. 1t comes only once a year"
Speakers Did Their Prettiest.
Then the speakers did the best thing pos
sible-rose and dressed and went out on
the street to assist the small boy in his
celebration. an object lesson in how to be
true patriot-without applying for a gov
eminent position.
The effects of this joint celebration We're
very visible on the avenue and side streets,
long before the sun was up high in the
heavens. 1t is long way off yet to In
dian summer. but there was certainly q
haze IN the atmosphere. 1t was. however,
from the gunpowder smoke, the scent of
which OVercame strongly that of the as
phalt. The pavement was carpeted for the
time being with scraps of red white, green
and other cclored paper, the remnants of
the thousands of crackers which had been
rondlng the air with their explosions for
hours, and were still continuing to, do So
Although there We're many people out OF
town today, there We're still many on the
streets All the departments being closed
brought the clerks out.
All the r;ilroaG.5 and steamboat lines
ran special excursions. which took out of
town hundreds of persons bent on cele-
hratlng the Fourth in sylvan retreats, by
stream and dell The votarics Of these
sorts OF celebrations could be seen early
iii the morning hurgying along holding
their children by the hands. with lunch
looking bundles odd of shape, with sticks
poking out through the paper 1t was
easy to guess what these were.
Will Resemble Cloth of Gold.
From the many persons seen scurrying
along the avenue with these kinds of
bundles under their arms. the sky in and
around Washington will be Illuminated in
a manner tonight such as has never before
been witnessed. The armament will doubt
less resemble field of the cloth of gold.
The street railway lines running to sub
urban resorts were well patronized today
The excursionists tocked on the cars. with
their boxes and baskets and these lines
carried thousands out Of the city v>o did
not care to go very far away. sa.i Tho
assist in giving the sky its glow of gold
Today was holiday, above all others
for bicyclsts. They appeared on the scene
early, In full wheel costume. alone, tandem
ana In groups. They could be noticed early
pedal.ng down the avenue their counte-
nances smiling, with. in many instances
packages attached to their wheels, as if
they contemplated going to some cool
Gntl time Il return to the city for a late
dinner The Fourth Is one Of the greatest
Gays in the history Of the country.
Stay-at-homes grave and reverend house,
holders, with gray hair and boards or
ciean-shaven faces, in which the lines of
care mad been temporarily lessened, could
be seen on the avenue today with a niece
OF punk in one hand and a bunch of fire
crackers In the other. dancing with giee
and throwing the crackers under one an.
others feet. Little Willie old not have
near so much fun on this account.
Sly Old Dog.
Let father set them Off my boy" he
was told you might hurt yourself"
Willie had suspicion that it was not so
nuch the fear that he might get hurt as
II was his fathers wish to Go the trick
himself; but he was forced to submit
Willie was
young fellow who lives in Washington
celebrated In novel manner last night. II
was case of patriotism and box of fire.
works at the rate of forty miles an hour.
lie took the box over to Baltimore in the
afternoon. thinking perhaps the authorities
mere were less lax than here He found
tncy were Lot. and boarded the F. F. v.
train. which leaves Baltimore at $50.
FROM the time the train left the station
until 1t arrived at the 9th street station.
he let OFF his fireworks from the car win
cow. He held the punches of crackers in
his hands out of the window of the
smoker" shot Roman candles from II.
and even stuck a rocket out and touched II
off. Then he threw punches of crackers on
the floor and set them Off, to the amuse-
ment OF some and discontinue of others of
the occupants Of the cars
He had some giant crackers" which he
took on the platform Of the rear car
Lasted for Forty Miles.
The fireworks lasted until the train had
gotten some distance into the fjtv Tho