The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-07-11

on Saturday Night conserva-
tive St Clairsvllle woke up
In manner that would have
done credit to the fastest boom town
that ever doomed up on the western
horizon. OF course It was an involun-
tary awakening; any other in st. Glars
vile would be Improbable. say even
its best friends
Although often accused Of ultra-con-
servatism and Of having the knack of
getting into Futs, nobody has ever said
that st. ClaIrSville lacks patriotism
and thereby hangB this tale OF woe.
Manila, Santiago and the other names
symbolical Of glory added TO the latest
pages Of American history, last week
prompted the good people Of the Belmont
county seat 10 organize q celebration,
and lt was scheduled to come on on Sat-
urday night. A committee worked hard
and raised $50 to put the thing Into eff
feet. The committee came over to
Wheeling and exchanged its funds for
wagon load of fireworks, which was
taken back with all the precautions that
would characterize the transporting Of
carload Of powder to the front.
The papers Doomed the celebration
and the people talked Of nothing else
for several days. With the arrival Of
Saturday night there came from the sur
rounding country hundreds Of farmers.
The court house square was packed with
sweltering humanity. The center Of at
traction was the wagon holding the fire.
works. A prominent citizen occupied
the post OF distinction high up in the
wagon, and as he made preparations for
sending up the first rocket, the excite
ment and suspense were apparent on
every side.
With a dizziness Of touch that prom
ised the artistic success Of the evenings
entertainment, the prominent citizen
touched of the rocket, and, with stzs
and a boom, It mounted ekywards to the
delight Of the thousand or more persons
who. with upturned faces and to the &C:
compartment of innumerable "oh's" and
"Afl's," watched its ascent and the Anal
burst Of pyrotechn1c beauty that form
ed the prelude for It's wInd-up.
Just as the end Of Rocket No. 1 had
prepared the crowd for other and even
more appeti7Ing features OF the menu,
the unexpected happened. Now, on oc-
casions the unexpected can be enjoyable
or disagreeable, hilarious or depressing.
On this occasion It was both dlSagreea-
bic and depressing-al distinctly dam
gerous.
known; something like the Maine explo-
sion in that respect. Anyhow, there was
a flash and roar, scramble of fright
ened people to get out OF a dangerous To-
calIty; more flashes andaconcusslon that
would have done credit to a battleShip
in action, succeeded by darkness and
gloom. While II was going on, ut was
worth the money" Is the testimony OF
all who witnessed number that was
certainly not on the evenings pro-
But, now did IT happen? Well, that's
a question. but they do say that the man
OF deftness in handling the match
that started the initial rocket on its
VOYAGE. was disturbed by lite sudden
flight, and that the lighted match fell
among the many rockets, bombs, crack
ers and other fireworks that filled the
wagon. It took Just about two minutes
10 consume that pile Of combusttble
stun Rockets flew in every direction,
striking people as they fed; the air was
Allied with exploding crackers; the trees
Of the square were studded with pin
wheels hard at work: the scene was one
Of nearly indescribable confusion.
Happily nobody was injured in the
slightest, which was indeed fortunate,
But 81, Clalrsville people cannot get
over the fact that their celebration was
altogether too rapid. Fireworks at 40
Der minute is rather speedy, TO pc sure