Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1908-07-02
Gel -EBRA TING
HE OURTH
And What It Costs.

And What It Costs.
Does patriotism demand that we fol
day permit our children to play witt
and explode gunpo WIDER, CELEBRATES, pic
rates, and dynamite2
Hundreds OF heart rend.ng accidents
each year cry aloud for reform in cele
brating the Fourth of July Giving
children fireworks on the natien's natal
day teaches them, not patriotism but
disregard for law and for the rights Of
y others.
On each Fourth fireworks burn more
than 700 buildings and kill at least 300
i persons. This does not include child.
rem burned to death by the Ignition Of
their clothing nor those killed by run
3 away horses. The number MANNED
through the loss Of eyes and fingers is
never less than 1000. The sale of fire
{ works to children should be prohibited.
Preparatory to the reign of fire, RUB
bish In areas or yards should be re-
moved or wetted down. Stables, out
houses, packing rooms and cellar win
dows should he tightly closed.
TEE LESS DANGEROUS KINDS.
Red fire does not explode; the pin
! wheel is fastened to a tree; the Roman
candle discharged from tha curbstone
burns nothing but wrist.
The dynamite torpedo often used oE
street railway tracks is not dangerous
to the occupants Of the car bn. it is a
!. terror to hysterical nerves. In Column
bus a boy lost three fingers trying to
drive q nail through one Of them.
The small Chinese frecracker, which
is usedin greater number than any
other firework, destroys most property
and fewest lives. The paper Of the
cracker often CLOVIS for minutes after
! ills exploded, igniting trash in which
1t falls. The electric sparkler is harm
less unless its wire while still redhot is.
thrown into rubbish; Garden pieces
and the new Cannon string" which
contains thousands Of crackers, are
safe enough because they must be fred
by an adult.
But q very small part Of the fire loss
on the Fourth is chargable to sky rock
cts. The sticks are cooled in falling SO
they seldom ignite a roof But in the
celebration at Pittsburg, last year a
decending rocket pierced the skull Of a
babe destroying it Id it's mothers arms.
THE MORE DANGEROUS SORTS.
The small cannon crackers contain
dynamite and the very large ones
giant powder. One Of them exploding
in q hand converts it to gases. A story
often told is that of a Cincinnati man
who allowed one to explode while
against his chest. 1t was necessary to
dig his watch out Of nearby tree to
identity him,
The baby cannon is one of the most
deadly Joy producers. The number Of
tragedies from 1t has been enormous.
The hot air balloon is the worst of
incendiaries because the resin used
under II makes it a flying bonfire. Its
use certainly SHOULD be barred In cities.
Tie lightning and shooting matches
are dangerous because they are sold to
children and contain picric acid.
a new fire work called 1son Ola
Gun" is misnamed for only Lucifer
would admit parental claim to it. 1t
j is laid .lnnn the pavement to startle
i the passerby. When stepped upon it
hops about popping like a gatling gun
and often jumps into cellar window,
grating or trashpile to start a fire, 1t
all has the fiendish characteristics of
the Devil Chaser and sopse others.
a DEADLY THINE
The most deadly thing used in our
annual outbreak Of savagry called
patriotism is the toy pistol. 1t explodes
paper cap containing chlorate of