The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-07-05

There was no mstaling that yester-
day was Fourth of July, despite the
fact that no set observances of a gen.
eral character had been pre-arranged.
Everybody took holiday and went
some place. From early morn until
midnight 1t seemed as IL the whole
ropulace was on the go. Excursions to
the lakes and trolley ride to Nay Aug
park seemed to be the principal diver
sion. The railroads did an immense
business and the trolley company scored
q day that was a close approach to a
record breaker.
The day V IS not typical Fourth Of
July, In so far as the weather was con-
cerned, because it did not rain, except
for brief early morning shower and a
lively downpour after II o'clock at
night. In other respects 1t was
real Fourth of July weather. In
fact, 1t was the first genuine
summer day since the first Of
June. 1t was just the kind Of day to
stir up desire for ice cream, lake and
mountain breezes and other things
which usually are partaken Of on the
Fourth.
If there was any one thing in which
the day differed particularly from other
Fourths of July it was In that there
was practically no cannonadlng.
CANNON SILENT.
In these parts the booming of good
sized cannon on the night preceding the
Fourth is one of the most characteristic
means of celebrating. Every little conf
munity in the coal region has its quota
Of cannon, made from car axles, bored
by the blacksmith at the mine. Powder
is gathered from the different mines by
the door boys, drivers and the like, and
not infrequently the colliery superin-
tendent contributes a keg or two to
help along the demonstration.
This Fourth, however, the powder is
wanting and as a consequence the can
nonading was not heard. The hills and
culm dumps about the city that We're
wont to resound all night long with the
boom Of mine boys home made cannon
were silent. After the belated lads from
town had discharged their last cannon
cracker on the way home at 1 o'clock
or so in the morning, there was almost
perfect quiet until the urchin in knck-
erbockers was out at daybreak to be-
gin on his patriotic and pleasurable
task of shooting off his eight packs Of
"five-centers."
There was, however, plenty of this
sort of banging. The whole city all day
long and late into the night seemed
like the vicinity Of the William A. COL
liery before the gentle residents of that
community were allowed to pick the
kind of police authorities who should
preserve order there
SALE OF FIRECRACKERs.
Dealers in firecrackers reported big
sale in Scranton. although all agreed
that it would have been much bigger
but for the strike and the cold weather
preceding the Fourth. The wholesale
business, which is done principally with
small stores up and down the valley,
was rather small.
Sales of ice cream We're smaller than
usual, because of the absence of pic
MICS. Individual orders, especially in the
city, were reported to be large.
The Elks' carnival had an immense
attendance all day long and the vari-
GUS attractions did a big business,
Large crowds went to Lake Lodore,
Lake Ariel, Mountain Park and Bing-
hamton, and fully 10000 persons spent
the day at Nay Aug park.
The Country club members enjoyed a
golf and tennis tournament in the day.
and dance and fireworks in the even
ing. Hundreds of sporting proclivities
attended ball games at Athletic park,
between Pittston and Scranton anna
teurs, and races at the Speedway.
under the auspices of the West Side
Driving club.
A number of small boys reported at
the Lackawanna hospital, during the
day, for treatment for burned or
pinched fingers. None of the cases were
of a serious nature.
Fourth of July accidents and fires
were remarkably few.