Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-07-09
reformed Celebrations Demanded.

evoked surprise from our Canadian visi-
tors was the extent to which noise fig
ured in connection with the anniversary
of our national independence. They are
not accustomed to such deafening demon
STATIONS as those resulting from a con-
tinual bombardment of cannon firecrack-
ers. but the cane cracker" caught their
fancy Mayor Cook of ottawa being a.
mong those who took some of these vel
vet paw" sticks home with them as
mementos OF a plea SAINT trip.
Our noise of patriotism was principally
confined to the night before the Fourth
and the day itself; but judging from
the comments Of some of our contem-
poraries, a number of other cities were
not so fortunate, and a demand has
sprung up for a thorough reform in con-
nection with the celebration of the an
niversary of our national independence.
The Rutland News, for example makes
comments which would convey the i'm
preston that the small boys of the
Marble City endeavored to make their
celebration a JOY forever to themselves,
and incidentally a nuisance to the great
mass of the more mature population.
1t says:
A large majority of the citizens of
Rutland are heartily glad that the Fourth
is thing of the past. Some action should
be taken by the authorities before an
other year passes to prevent the NOISY
celebration from lasting a week or more,
as it did this year One day Of such dis
order as we had in this city is enough.
The chief burden of complaint, how
ever, comes from some of the leading
cities of the Bay State. The greatest suf-
ferer seems to have been the city OF
Worcester, and the following extract is
taken from the Telegram's vivid word
picture of the scenes in its streets on the
night before the Fourth;
Gen. Sherman once said War is hell
Had Gen. sherman been in Worcester Fri
day night he would probably have added,
and so is the night before the Fourth in
the city of Worcester For several years
past the night before the Fourth cclcbra-
tons in Worcester have been growing
wilder and more lawless and more unre-
| strained, but the climax was reached Fri
day night, when all previous records for
recklessness and disorder were ecfpsed.
The conditions which prevailed would
not have been tolerated "A minute in any
I
element had everything its own way, and
| as the night advanced matters went from
bad to worse, when the effects of liquor
made some of the ringleadors entirely OBJ
! lvious of the rights of everybody, as well
as of safety of property
| Firearms and cannon crackers were be-
/ ing discharged with utter disregard to the
safety of life or limb. Groups of men
! and boys roughly forced their way along
| the crowded sidewalks, shooting right and
| left among women and children, and APP
/ parently not caring whether they killed
anybody or not. Others threw cannon
crackers at the sidewalks and shouted
with glee as they saw the throngs scatter
and heard the cries of fright from the
women which invariably followed the loud
explosion, 1t was a matter Of good luck
some were not manned or killed by the
I dynamite crackers.
| Time and again womenS skirts were
! set on fire by the blazing particles which
were hurled in all directions after each
explosion. After 10 O'clock the celebra-
| ton became more reckless than ever.
| In the early part Of the evening it had
been dangerous to walk on Main street
but later on a person took longer chances
by riding 1t made no difference whether
in an electric car, automobile or carriage
a trip through Main street was like run
ming the gauntlet of fire. Every vehicle
became a target for the gangs assembled
on all corners Dynamite crackers
punches of small crackers and big tor
pedoes We're hurled at them. 1T was i'm
material to the throwers or the explosives
where they landed. Time after time q
stampede was narrowly averted on the
electric cars as lunches of sputterne
ttrecrackers came sailing toward the cars
or dynamite crackers exploded underneath
with a tremendous report, enveoping the
car In a cloud of smoke and fire. II
three instances dynamite crackers ex
ploded on the cars, two people beint
severely injured, and almost a panic
resulting in each case.
If this word painting is true to life,
it is hardly surprising that our electr
contemporary should protest with al
the powers of a vivid imagination joine'
to an elongated degree OF righteous in
dignaton. We must leave the neighbo
to adjust this matter with its chief o
police, however and turn to the more in
Viting frame OF mind the New Have
Register seems to have exhibited in con
ucction with the celebration in its towr
. I'm a spirit Of combined philosophy an
delicate sarcasm Indigenous to Connect
cut soil the contemporary registers ii
verdict as follows:
1t is in the glorious Fourth that W
ind the self-same germs of the Kind {
. patriotism that is growing in our cour
/ try and to which we must look for re
suits whenever the call comes, w
would not, we say, curtal that free
I dom, even If it threatens to extend owe
r a week of explosion. and makes of III
4 ensuing Sunday day not OF calm pray'
. hut of mundane nervousness. The old fash
y toned Fourth is glorious in more sense
y than one 1t may make the croakei
2 crOak and the carpers carp, but II I'll
!, the hospitals, and more than all 1t keel
" alive that spirit of mutual sympathy an
n attention which is so beautiful a phas
f of our growing natural spirit,
The Springfield Republican proposes
remedy for the whole matter, and att
asking how we can best help to increa'
q the pleasure of our Fourth of July hol
d day, philosophers as follows
a To this end 1t will be desirable to {
= metes and bounds within which the noi'
fireworks shall be permitted, and also
e fix time beyond which they shall n
Is go Then in the morning, from to
% o'clock, let the boys and men who wish
bang the air and batter the nerves of 6
" of us, have the right Of way, within Il
: line of public safety. Give us our carr
1t val of noise, and have it over with. Tn
ri win permit Of the enjoyment of the bal
concerts it will tell timid people wi
Young children when they can ventu
Il out and there will be no unreasonah
n Curtailment of Young Americas ancie
e privileges on Independence day. Let Il
VI pleasure giving fireworks have right
- way in the evening the rockets, the ca
g. dis, the brilliant bursting bombs and Z
the rest that delight the eye and do n