The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-07-03

War time in any country Is harvest
for the manufacturer of fireworks. In
China. the home Of the hre-crdcker'
there are designers who go from one
country to another stopping at those that
are engaged in warfare. Last year the
trouble IN India. and the year before,
che war In Greece, took certain Chinese
experts out of their own land 10 that OF
the warning country, but with poor
money reward for there was little call
for rocket work in either land.
The American Fourth OF July Is the
greatest event the maker OF hre-crackers
knows II Is celebrated months before
on the banks of the Yang-ts -Kiang; and
becomes a household word along the
wharves of Picking and Marking.
America is the most patriotic country
In the world: and 1t spends the most
upon fireworks. The amount spent by
an American public on Fourth Of July.
in fire. noise and smoke would keep any
other nation under the sun In fireworks
a twelve month.
Nor does America ask for fireworks on
Fourth of July only. 1t demands them
on all national holidays and pays nDoT-
ally for them.
When the Spanish war broke out, yes
months before the first gun was fired.
the makers of fre-crackers began 10 get
ready. They resolved that. If the war
true. The chances are that there IS
not fre-cracker. nor torpedo left to-
eventuated they would be unable to
supply one-half of the demand placed
upon them. And their surmise proved
day in any factory in the land
ROCKETS SCARCE.
Rockets gave out a month ago and
Roman candles have been as scarce 80
rice flowers In December, since May
These are now going up in noise anc
fire, or are lying upon the shelves OF the
enterprising dealer waiting for the dawn
OF the Fourth.
Uncle Sam has purchased stock or
handsome pieces to be used Fourth Of
July along his shores and in front OF
his State buildings, and many private
but patriotic citizens are supplied with
the wheTewithal for noise and patriot
ism.
More new pieces were designed this
year than ever before. Some were for
eign and some of domestic make. But
all have patriotic intent Perhaps the
most interesting are the war pieces, such
as the American Flag Rocket This
unoffensive looking affair is about TWEEN
~ inches long and three inches in dame
ter. The chamber. where the powder
that propels II is stored is made Of the
strongest hardware paper, glued together
in layers until 1t is quarter Of an inch
thick Inside this circular chamber clay
Is packed by hydraulic pressure
In a hole bored in the center NJ tho
clay the powder IS placed and when the
rocket Is set off IL is lifted more than
thousand feet into the air leaving a trail
OF fire behind that looks like the tai o.
a comet. At the top Of the rocket stick
Is a small cone-shaped chamber that
holds the real wonders Of the rocket.
When at its highest elevation this cham
Der explodes and an American flag TWEEN
ty-five feet long and ten feet wide. made
.I.sl t.
brilliantly Illuminated parachute. This
cost Uncle sam or his city executives
eight dollars purchased individually.
WAR PIECES.
et, which throws out a bomb which ex-
plodes at distance from tho rocket. AID
throws of a brilliant Suo~cr Of re-.
white and blue meteovs.
WATER FIREWORKS.
Not only are the manufacturers en-
gagged IN making fireworks for land dis
play. but they also make what they
term water fireworks" These are In
tended 10 make q display on the surface
Of the water. They are iRnited by
slow fuse. and when thrown into the
water they burn. after short time.
The National Rocket" has been espc
cially made for this year. II is a six
FOUNDER and Il goes hisslrg into the cir
20 a height Of 200 feet. and when At
that elevation bursts and nils the heavens
with n bflllant shower or COlpstu IRE
that floats slowly carthward giving the
effect OF a metcorlc shower The colors
used IN the manufacture OF this rocket
are red. white and blue.
An entirely new thing IS the 'Howit-
ger" a small flre-crackcr but llttio larger
than those I'm common use by small boys
but which bellows Ike a howitzer. The
"Howitzcr" Is one OF the CHIEF features
OF the national Chinese celebrations.
There IL no beauty IN It; II Is simply
noisy. and that TO degree which has
a tendency 20 provoke bad language.
These fre-crackers arc strung on a
string IN numbers from 100 10 " 90
and when the music IS 10 begin they are
stretched out on the ground and one end
OF the string is herd. A confederation
OF sounds follows that faithfully repre-
sents a red-hot naval engagement
mans patriotism must run nigh TO ena-
BILE him to thoroughly enjoy this ear
splitting importation from the Orient.
Fortunately the "Howitzer' Is placed be-
yond the reach OF the average youngster.
The price is SIS a pack
A pictorial piece IL tho bombshell rock
With wonderful effects IN color and mo-
ton. The varieties are known as inps.
doiphins. witches. devils. snakes. volca-
noes. fountains and batteries
Spanish Jugglery" Is the name OF
new Niece. which can be used on the
wafar, II Il built on the plan Of en- old