The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-07-07
IT WAS 4 QUIET FOURTH
But the Fool Joker Was on Ex-
hibition.
EXPLOSION IN A SALOON
Mirrors and Furniture Suffered - Had
Fun With Huge Cannon Crack
or - But 1t Was
Dummy.

Great Falls, July 6-The town was
very quiet on the national holiday, al
though there were many who enjoyed
themselves in quiet way. The prac-
tical joker was on deck and as usual
there were two varieties of him, the
one who was really funny at the ex-
pense of other people, but without any
detriment to their health or happiness,
and the fool-joker. the one who ought
to be confined in Jail on every day of
his life save those in which he is sick
abed or dies. In the latter class there
were number who took delight in
throwing exploding cannon crackers
under the feet of high-spirited horses
or close to helpless children and women,
1t was a member of this class who
went into crowded saloon on Central
avenue and inserted one of these dyna-
mite-loaded crackers into a cast iron
cuspidor. Somehow the god OF fools
was with him and only the mirrors and
furniture suffered.
OF the other class of iokersswas the
man who secured a huge dummy can
non cracker. 1t was about three feet
long and as big around as a stove pipe,
but it was manufactured of wood and
was entirely harmless. With an excel
lent imitation of intoxication he lugged
this to the piazza of the Park hotel,
where the employees and guests had
been throwing cannon crackers at un-
su1pecting passengers all day. A fuse
had been inserted in the dummy and
with much flourish and ostentation he
lighted this on the veranda with a big
crowd about him. The crowd warned
and begged of him not to light it, but
+, CIT, 1f,tt i
perfect and he persisted. When the
fuse was alight and the gigantic
cracker placed in the center of the
veranda, the joker had the place to
himself. There was not a man in sight
and most of those who had been pres
ent were still running through the rain.
Then he laughed and toook his dummy
elsewhere, to repeat the joke.
Quite a number of citizens enjoyed
the Fourth in other places. Many went
out to the mountains to fish, while
others visited towns which had the an
terprise to get up a celebration. OF
the latter were two young men who
went to Choteau. They made the trip
out in excellent shape, but when they
tried to return came their fall. During
the evening there was a heavy rain
and in consequence the roads Were in
deplorable shape. particularly where
the formation was of adobe. Between
this city and Sun River there is a strip
of road which enjoys a reputation Ct
years in this respect, and when the
pair reached it there was no slur on
it's reputation. The buggy just pulled
into two pieces and the young men
found their way to town on foot.
1t was pity that the only man in
town who had the grit to get up a little
celebration should be disappointed. w
ID. Dickinson, superintendent of the
street railway, had been at the ex-
pense of a trip to Chicago and of sew
eral hundred dollars for fireworks.
During the day he had a force of men
setting the display up in readiness for
the evening, and just as it was time for
the crowd to come and enjoy it the
rains fell and it was a close race be-
tween the showers and the exhibition
as to winch could get under cover
first