The times., 1898-07-05
A CHINESE CELEBRATION.
Men From the Ffrecracker Country
show Him How to Shoot Them.

'Hnllay fer Sampson
'Hullay fer Sampson
That's what the Chinese merchants of
Pennsylvania Avenue shouted last night
and nearly all of their cuuntrymen from
Chinatown and at least 1900 Americans
helped them cheer. watched their fire.
works and listened to the noise of their
ffrecrackers. And the Chinese merchants
Wed with one another in making deafen-
ing noises and illumfpating the sky.
Before it was quite dark, the China
mems enthusiasm got the better of them,
and they started in to celebrate. And
the way they celebrated made it plain
that their opinion is no longer:
"Ameiican man. no goodee."
And it was nOt-nne pack of firecrackers
at a time. nor ten, but strings in which
there were TO- 600 crackers. There were Ro-
man candles, Piriwheels and every imag-
Unable kind of fireworks galore. Even the
rain which started in at o'clock failed TO
dampen their ardor. and their persever-
ance soon shamed it into hiding itself.
Early yesterday afternoon il became
nofsed about town that the Cinnamon
were jubilant over Sampson victory and
that they were going to turn things loose
Every one of the Chinese merchants on
Pennsylvania Avenue laid in a large
stock of fireworks several weeks ago.
but they had plenty left to celebrate with
last night Heretofore they have saved
their unsold stock for another year, but
last night they used matches without
stint
At least half an hour before dusk, Hink
Lee appeared on the balcony above his
store at No. 314 Pennsylvania Avenue.
Attached 10 the end Of a long pole, which
he held over the sidewalk. was string
containing 10000 crackers. The end was
lighted from below and many Americans
in the crowd learned for the first time
how the men who make tirecrackers shoot
them. The string was at least fifteen
minutes exploding.
Hink Lees display was the signal for
the fun TO begin. 1t was not two minutes
from the time he started. before strings
of 10000 crackers each were dangling and
exploding from the windows of every Chi
naman on the street AS soon as one
string was exhausted, another was lit
and so it was kept UP until nearly IL
o'clock
AT least 5000 people gathered to see the
fun And if they had fun watching the
Cinnamon the latter had fun with them.
When the crowd became thickest China
men in half dozen windows threw shoot
| ing snakes and punches Of crackers into
| the crowd scattering it in every direction.
AS soon as the sightseerS would gather
again packages of lighted crackers were
! rained in their midst The crowd soon
| took up the spirit of the thing, and be-
gan to buy punches of crackers TO light
| and drop wherever they walked. Soon
| crackers were exploding under everyone's
| feet. as many a singed dress will bear
witness today.
From the balcony of Wang Ferlow's s
| restaurant at No. 314, there was a con-
tinuous display of pinwheels and other
| fantastic works for two hours. The Kim
| Lei Yuen Company did its snare, and the
| Tuck Cheong Grocery Company was not
| outdone.
AS it grew late the Cinnamon slipped
| into the crowd and lighted spurious crack
| ers, about three feet in length and a
| foot wide The fuse burned brisky and
| the crowd ran in terror, only to learn, by
| a faint report. of the Chinaman's joke.
| A reporter for The Times asked Hink
| Lee if he had heard of SIMPSONS vic
tory. Hink exhibited huge grin and re-
piled:
Me savee. Sampson. he alice lightee.
| Amelican man. he fghtee. He alice
| lightee. Me glad Me shoot clackers, :"
] and then ne resumed his grin.
! Simpsons victory and the glorious
Fourth was indeed fibtingly observed on
| Pennsylvania Avenue