The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-07-06
Twenty-Five Persons Killed, 1873 In
jured. but Fire Loss Smaller
Than Ever Before.
ACCIDENTS OF MANY KINDS
TWO POSTAL CLERKS KILLED IN A
RAILWAY WRECK.
Cousin of Perry s. Heath Injured
Seven Men Badly Hurt by an
Explosion of Gas.

CHICAGO. July 5.-Revised and complete
reports received from all parts of the coun-
try by the Tribune show the following to
have been the casualties of yesterday due
to celebrating ''the glorious Fourth" Dead.
%; injured. 1,S1S; fire loss. s12s, 1s5. Those
who were injured suffered through the fol-
lowing agencies: Fireworks. $50; toy pis-
tolls, 225; toy cannon, 244 firearms, 2sO; loose
gunpowder, 256 injured in runaways, 3S.
Last year there were 30 deaths and 1925
persons injured. This years real list of IA
talities will. however. not be known until
the number of deaths resulting from lock-
jaw caused by toy pistol wounds come in.
Last year, in Chicago, there were no deaths
reported on July from toy pistols. but be-
fore the month was out twenty-five had
died from the resulting lockjaw and the
remainder OF the country sent in equally
fatal records.
Chicago, last year. had one death and
forty-two injured. This time no death is re-
ported, but there is a list of l03 injured.
The number of wounds from toy pistols,
however. is limited to five, which would in
dicate that the prohibition put on that dan
gerous toy was. at least. partially effective.
OF other cities, Philadelphia makes the
largest showing. 1t reports 175 casualties of
every kind and description and Cincinnati
comes next with $50. New York was singu-
larly lucky. being behind Chicago in the
list of injured but II had three deaths re-
sulting from an explosion of fireworks. and
New London had a premature explosion of
a cannon by which two more were killed.
In Quincy. ILL.,, there was also a fatality
from runaway caused by horses becOm-
ing frightened at fireworks and there were
a number OF injuries in various cities grow
ing out of the same cause
In the list of fatalities explosions of fire.
works and the careless handling of fire.
arms caused the majority of deaths. but
over one-third Of the injuries were caused
by the careless use of fireworks more espe-
cially sky rockets. Next 10 the fireworks
comes the toy pistol in the casualty list.
Two hundred and forty-nine were injured
by these toys in various cities and the
question is now what will the fatality list
from this source finally amount to-
The other causes of injuries divided the
honors fairly well between them except
that the most serious harm was done by
the premature explosion of cannon in the
hands of people who were not accustomed
to their use. In several cases unfortunates
lost hands and arms by this means. A la
mentabe case occurred in a small town In
South Dakota, in which a boy was instant
~ killed by the explosion Of an anvil which
was being used in lieu of cannon.
The loss by fire resulting from the care
less use of fireworks or their premature
explosion was less than in previous years
the fires, as rule, being small ones and
the damage light. In the entire country
from reports received last night n
amounted 70 but a little over $4,000 From
midnight of the Sd until midnight last night
tneTe were 1Orty-One alarms In Chicago
with loss estimated at 5000 This is the
smallest loss record for the Fourth
In the twenty-four hours ending at mid
night, the total number Of fires in New
York was thirty-fve. and the total damage
done was only 5000. The police and fire
officials of that city say this is the lghtest
damage they have ever known for a Fourth
OF July. and they cannot account for it. ex-
cept that so many people were tagged out
by the heat of the past few days that a
smaller number than usual celebrated the
wiz fro sApir- bo
sons preferring to seek the cool breezes OF
the suburbs