The Washington times., 1901-07-04

reCtlon. The entire FIRE department was
out almost all day, and the men were
completely exhausted. on that day many
of the horses gave out, and the depart
ment was crippled. This was at a time
| when strict police regulations were IN
force, and the majority Of the fires were
in alleys. where celebrants repaired TO
evade the police. Last year was very
quiet. and il is confidently believed that
today Will pass off without accident. In
the event Of a serious fire, or numerous
blaZes, the department is fully prepared
To meet the emergency
Major Richard Sylvester, Superinten-
dent OF Police. believes this Will be the
quietest Fourth of July known in Wash
mgton for some years, although he
thinks also that very stringent police
regulations sometimes have an opposite
effect from that desired. The recent edict
which has gone forth, and which the
police will enforce strictly, is the most
rigid in years. 1t prevents the firing or
the large firecracker, the dynamite bomb,
cannon. pistols. and other producers OF
exec SSiVe noise.
Years ago, n pretty big firecracker
didn't make such loud noise, salG
Major Sylvester yesterday. but the art
of manufacturing the explosives mas pro
sresSed to such an extent since then that
now very small tightly wrapped crack
er. produces a blast like a cannon. 1here
is no objection to fireworks proper. me
| only thing to be suppressed is the noise
producer. The police will arrest all vlo-
lators The children, who commonly
cause a great deal of trouble, Will be
taken home for punishment by their par
ents when discovered violating the law.
Washington population is a peculiar
one. and it is difficult to satisfy every
body. In course of time pubic opinion
will be educated. ana until then the police
can do very little in abatfng the hre-
cracker nuisance
allowed in the vicinity of hospitals. or
! residences in which there is Illness; SeN-
er4l requests have been made to the Po-
lice Department by citizens in whose ram
lies there is sickness, to see that no noise
| is permitted within n certain distance OF
the sick room. IN every instance the de-
partment has complied with the request;
| and so far as possible, 6recrackerS VIII
| not disturb the sick in Washington TINS
year.
The number of casualties resulting from
| explosives has been steadily on the de
| cline for a number of years. Drunkenness
| due to over celebration has also become
| less common on n 1eendence Day IN re-
| cent years. If the police arg able to en-
| force the order of the Superintendent,
( Washington tomorrow sgyill be one of the
quietest cities of its population in the
The following order relative to the day
was issued last week by Major Sylvester;
GENERAL ORDERS. No. III.
In conformity with Article TX, section
>, of the police regulations. relating to
| loud noises cries, and the use of fire
works and explosives, you are directed TO
| regard such section suspended from
| operation on the Fourth day of July; IDOL
| after the hour of clock a. m, anu per
| nit the use and discharge of hrecrackerS,
! Suuibs toy pistols over inches IN lensth
using paper caps, or fireworks WITHIN the
! District of Columbia, except that the sale
| storage. or discharge of dangerous Dohios
! tov caunons toy pistols less than inches
/ in length. and firecrackers OF any manu-
facture exceeding 312 inches in iength
/ and three-fOurths of an inch IN diameter
| are strictly prohibited, and where persons
are careless or disorderly in the use OF
! firecrackers, squibs, or fireworks, they
| viii be amenable to the operation OF
| Article TX section 5, without regard 10
| the suspension herein referred to.
| The regulation will continue in effect, 50
| far as it relates TO the discharge>o1 guns
air guns, rifles, reyOlNerS, pistols, can
mons, torpedoes. other than paper, ana
| other firearms. even where blank cart
/ ridges are employed.
strictly enforce the regulation so tar as II
/ relates to firecrackers OF any mdnulac-
| ture more than three and one-haIt hches
! in length and three-quarters OF an men
/ in diameter dynamite and other danger
/ Gus bombs guns and revolNers ana IN
| instances where crackers exceeding the
! regulation dimensions are discharged, the
police win ascertain from whom the same
| were purchased, and not only take acton
| against the person or persons using them;
/ bur against the dealer who may nave Soiu
Members Of the force will use every ef-
! fort from now on 10 ascertain the names
! OF dealers, MnGitStAe OF ltAeiAtt FFAi' lAi't9
/ dispose of fireworks OF other explosives
4 To children under sixteen years ot age,
! and take proper action against them IN
! court.
/ Members of the force viii do every
/ thing in their power to prevent the hrln8
/ of crackers Or other explosives IN the
vicinity Of hospitals and places where
/ persons are known TO be sick, and where
/ the orders Of the police are not respected
the person or persons so Offending SnOuld
/ be taken TO court
The lieutenants of the several pre-
cincts will employ all available reserve
! force on the night preceding the Fourth
/ with law and this order, ard continue
/ such extraordinary detail on the night of
| the Fourth for the same purpose.
! Lieutenants viii please instruct the
members of their commands to strictly
/ enforce the 18th Of July regulation tonight
and tomorrow.
/ Have mounted men detailed in the
J vicinity of hospital grounds TO keep
down noises.
! Where the sick are known, make re-
| duced beats and reduce noises-allowinS
! no firing in close proximity.
Dangerous Hness-I. between Four
/ teenth and Fifteenth. northwest; Prince
! ton. between Twelfth and Fourteenth
/ northwest. Harvard, between Twelfth
/ and Fourteenth northwest; "a r. north
west: ~ First southeast; 1883 Ninth
I northwest; S14 Twelfth northwest. 1910
! kingman Place, northwest. ll4l Rhode
Island Avenue northwest, ., between
Seventeenth and Eighteenth northwest; s.
Is s0ttf hcasts Twenty-fOurth, between
Pennsylvania Avenue and l. northwest;
l. between TWeuty-third and Twenty
fourth northwest. d between Second and
( Third northwest; 5l5 Sixth northwest.
RICHARD SYLVESTER,
Ma i0r and SUPERINTENDENT