Amador ledger., 1908-07-10
AN lMpROMpTU CELEBRATION.
The Fourth in jackson.


as usual in Jackson on the Fourth;
collection was taken up ON the street
in the afternoon, and about thirty
dollars collected in this way. Ibe
first fun was started by throwing
packages of firecrackers into the
street for the small boys TO scramble
after. This created a little excite
ment for awhile, when it was decided
to 60 ahead and have competitive
events. Following are the events
and tho winners with the prizes
awarded.
Boys sack race, so, Willie Prout.
Three legged race 50, Byrd Holtz
and Marion Calvin.
Boys foot race, 80 yards, s1.5O,
Hayden Laughton.
Running jump, $3.50, ID feet
inches, Lesley Love.
Standing jump, sl.5o, feet l115
inches, Ralph Bearce.
Apple diving contest, 81, John
Love.
Egg race for young girls, first prize
81, Dorothy Heiser; second prize 50
cents, Mamie Dial Porta.
Old man IS race, s1.5O, Mike Dris-
coll.
Pie eating contest for everyone, 81,
Lorenzo Serge.
Tie eating contest for SIX small
boys, % cents each, so cents to the
winner, Johnnie Davalle.
| Those at the head of the fun we're
Chas. Tam, Chiso Dial Porta and
Ralph Bearce, who collected the
money and started off the events.
First of all they set tub filled with
water in the middle of the street and
threw small coins into it for the
small boys TO dive for. What created
the most fun was the pie eating con
test. Several pies were laid on boxes,
while the contestants had their hands
tied behind them, the object being to
see which one could get away with
his pie first. This caused so much
laughter that 1T was decided to have
another one later IN the afternoon,
M. ing the bunch. They were offered
% cents apiece, the winner to receive
90 cents. The pies had only just
come from the bakers and were still
steaming hot, but that made no differ
ence to the boys. Inc old mans race
also made lots of fun. Those enter
ing it were VIM. Perry, Mat Muldoon,
Judge Thompson and MIKE Driscoll,
who won. In the evening the com
mlttee purchased fireworks with the
balance of the money collected, and
set them off on Main street.
There was a good deal of powder
exploded not alone in the frecracker
line by the small boys, but by adults,
who set very poor example by eX-
ploding loud bombs and other fire.
works in the streets. All this was
under the han of the law. 1t is said
that the officers tried to stop the
cannonade, but failed, as those en-
gagged refused to listen to any COM
mands to quit. If this be true, it
shows deplorable condition of
affairs. No arrests we're made on this
account, and no doubt this is the
explanation of the failure to stop the
firing. Nearly all through the 4th
the streets were Uttered with the
debris of exploded fireworks. Once
the alarm of fire was turned in. 1t
proved to be caused by an awning on
a dwelling on Hamilton tract com
mencing to smoIder from sparks from
fireworks. No particular damage was
done, but the residents thought it
prudent to sound the alarm anyway.
On Broadway some alarm was caused
by the careless handling of sky
rockets, etc. A couple of small bal
looms we're started skyward in the
northern part of the city, and took
fire after ascending a short distance.
One fell on Mattley's hill, and a
crowd rushed out to put out any grass
fire that might result. The concern,
however, was all burned out before
1t reached the ground.
One arrest was made during the
day. This was in the evening just
after dark. There was quite crowd
of men and boys standing in front of
the postottice watching the discharge
of the fireworks, when Frank Baima
who was riding horseback, came
around the corner at Water street,
putting the spurs to his horse just as