Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1897-07-01
How to Celebrate the Fourth oil
.IuiX.

To observe the festal Fourth of July
yvithouS fireworks and firecrackers, not
20 mention the thousand and one other
noisy demonstrations of hilarity, would
be ike eating bread without butter
walking without legs, flying without
wings. building house without nails
or any other equally unthinkable feat
To the mind of old, as well as young
America, the day Is inevitably and IN
separably associated with noise and py-
rotechnics, ard the ambition OF the
average American citizen Is to get as
much of both into his ardent rejoicing
over the nations independence as MS
pocketbook viii allow
The first. earliest and rudimentary OF
Fonrth-of July enthusiasm is the tire-
cracker. or the little paper covered tor
pedo." This Is the unit Of measurement
of pyrotechnic display, the fundamental
base from which you must start, before
passing through all the gradations Of IL
luminant and explosive splendor until
you reach the apotheosis of fireworks IN
such displays as those at Manhattan
Beach. the Queens Jubilee and similar
grand occasions, when pyrotechnics
reach the dimensions OF a science, or an
art
OF course. no small boy is satisfied
with the gratifcation of patriotism al
forded by meagre bunch of firecrack
ers. If he cannot obtain anything mos
for his own personal use. he is pretty
apt to have some other.boy in his crowc
who has 2 father or a big brother witt
enough enthusiasm and sufficient fnan
cial stability to enter the more preten
tious realm OF Roman candles, pinwheeli
rockets-perhaps even more ambitious
devices. All these loftier planes o
Fourth of J Julyism may be reached
though in degrees and with satisfaction
and elaboration measured only by tn
extent of the celebrants S back yard an'
purse.
Here is a sample of the kind of dis
play, modest, it is true, which one soli
| tary dollar will bring small boy Ihre'
| packages Of firecrackers at ~ cts, ~ cts
three Roman candles at - cts, 40 cts
one good rocket, % cts; total, one dol
Ter.
1t is true that this display would no
be either dazzling OF long continued
.n G 4
multiply the items noted, as per casi
on hand Ifmore brilliancy and varlet.
are wanted then the money may b
spread over a wider field, as II increase
in dollars available
For instance. here is what s. will do
| Ten packages of fireworks; six pin
| wheels; a dollars worth Of calcium
| lights; half dozen rockets, at % cts;
dollars worth of assorted Roman can
dies.
Then, as the scale goes up toward tn
80 notch, further elaboration may b.
obtained by varying the style of rocket
then. by LAYING in several of those beau
tiful effects when exploded known a
sVesuyiuses. These are the fine erup
tions of manycolored fires, from spo
on the ground, but they must be care
Iully HdIluleu anu dCCuldltlJ uiiStooN
The same is to be said of Roman candle
and rockets.
For 500 it may be suggested that ;
magnificent display for private partie
would be a distribution, according t.
taste. between the following items
Firecrackers (of courseJ Roman candle
rockets; fuses; pin wheels devil chas
ers:" Vesuviuses; waterfalls The las
| Is a very beautiful effect, and is not ex
pensive. All the while calcium light
Of different perhaps alternating
colors should be burned
| say two at time, unless the colors con
fiict
Giant crackers are desired by SOM
| people, but they are. to be condemned
| They are to pyrotechnics what buffoon
cry, horse-play and the man who doe
fall is to the dramatic stage. The,
| make great noise, shock people
nerves, but are not pretty, nor even fun
ny, nor yet amusing They may wei
be left out. particularly in view OF tn
| fact that they are perhaps the amos
dangerous form of fireworks in popula
use. They masquerade under severa
names, but they should all be omitte'
frow the days pyrotechnic menu.
! The great American tin horn doe
not come under the head of fireworks
except figuratively. 1t is not an essen
| tial, but merely a generally recognizes
| accompaniment of the day 1t has tn
merit Of not being dangerous to any
one except the blower, and then onl.
when those he torments can catch him