The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1903-07-09
The MALICE OF IT.
Re-enaCtment of the Ordinance
Prohibiting FireCraCkers
Is Needed.
Privileges of the 4th Abused.

In 1870 when the Town OF Blooms
burg was incorporated, section was
introduced in Ordinance Number /,
prohibiting the firing of firearms,
squibs, frecrackers, etc. within the
built up portion of the Town, ex-
cept on July 4th. There was such
an abuse of this privilege that two
years later, after a fire had occurred
presumably from fireworks, that
Ordinance No. 6, was enacted,
which repealed that part of Ordin-
ance No. I, which excepted July
4th, and made it. unlawful to shoot
firecrackers or squibs on any day Of
the year. This remained the law o1
the town until July II, 1894, when
Ordinance No. 7S, was passed which
repealed Ordinance No. 6, he effect
of which was to revive Ordinance
No. I, Article 6, thus permitting
the use Of firearms, frecrackers and
squibs on July 4th.
The town authorities this year
had intended to post notices forbid
ding the use of these things, but ar
investigation showed the above sit.
uation, and there was no authority
to prevent it.
There is, however, undoubted
authority to prevent such use oi
pistols and fireworks as make them
ntt 10 H.
public. The license to use them Oh
July 4th gives no permission tc
annoy others or to endanger their
lives or property.
Many boys and men seem to be
laboring under the impression that
the Declaration Of independence
was signed expressly for the pur,
pose of giving them the brutal privi.
lege of frightening women, children
and horses on the 4th of July. A
few instances of this will illustrate
what we mean. Two women in a
buggy were driving a horse that
was evidently in nervous condi-
ton. In front of the Bloomsbury
National Bank some boys who were
old enough to know better, began
firing revolvers and other explos
ives, and when the women showed
their fear the boys laughed and
made more noise, deliberately try.
ing to increase the horses prancing
until they were SOY ped by man
of more sense.
At the FIRST National Bank corner
a man driving a delivery wagon was
struggling to keep control of his
horse which had been frightened by
pistol shots. 1t was close question
whether the horse was not going to
run away, but two boys on the
pavement pulled revolvers and fired
repeatedly as the horse passed them
regardless of the fact that the ami
NAL was almost unmanageable.
Down Market street below Third
on Friday evening, nine young mer
were quietly sitting on the gras:
along the gutter, when severa
ladies approached. Just as they
were at the nearest point to the men
the latter all drew revolvers and
fired simultaneously. All of the
women were greatly startled, and
one of them nearly tainted from
fright.
Two of these instances were seer
by the writer, and had he been neal
enough at the time he would have
"smeared in". There were mum
berless instances of less aggravated
cases, such as firing pistols close to
people passing, throwing firecrack-
ers under the feet of women and
children, and the like. Noisy ex-
plosions are permitted on the 4th,
Tor the purpose of celebrating our
National Independence. The con-
duct of large number of men and
boys has made the 4th a source Of
dread and anxiety to the majority
of our citizens, because it has come
to be largely an occasion for the ex-
hibition OF brutality and cowardice.
No one but brute would fire a re-
volver SO close to a woman as to
make her faint, and no one but a
coward would attempt to make a
horse driven by women run away.
We have had nine years of this sort
OF thing and it is tirne to call a halt.
Let petitions be presented to the
Town Council asking them to for
bid the use of firearms, firecrackers,
squibs, etc.. every day in the year,
including July 4th, and then there
will be no more such exhibitions of
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