Arizona republican., 1908-06-23
BOOMING IN FOR FOURTH OF JULY
The Committee Overwhelmed with Cash and a Great Variety of Mer- chandise.

l There will be such a Fourth of July celebration in Phoenix as has not been | witnessed here since the old times.
 It will perhaps not involve as large an expenditure of money as some cele-
 brations have, and no great effort is
 being made to attract the attention of other towns, but as much money will be raised and spent as may be needed ! to have a good time It is intended \ to make it a home celebration for all
 the people of the valley and as many | more as may wish to come. When
 one of the promoters was asked yes terday where it was going to take lplace, he replied, "All over town" That lis, the air will be filled with the cele- bration There will be parades, games, contests, concluding at night with a
 grand display of fireworks and, may be, a dance.
 Yesterday a committee composed of
 Louis Melczer Eugene Brady O'Neill and Charles Sanichas canvassed the town. In a very little time they had
 long and heterogeneous collection, including one hundred watermelons.
 Almost every man approached "came in.h first asking how much he was expected to give. The sum was usu- ally placed at a modest figure for the committee did not want to be bur dened with a great deal of cash. It
 wanted just enough and no more.
 Some subscribed merchandise. much of it never before heard of in .connec- tion with a Fourth of July celebration. One man gave steer for which there will have to be a barbecue, for the
 committee does not want the animal
 left on it's hands after the patriotic
 fervor has died out. There were large
 quantities of hams, side combs, hand
 saws, some Rochester lamps. 1t seems as if one man offered a heating stove, and another garden hose. The list re-
 minds one of Mark Twain's thrilling descriptions of the storm on the Erie canal, when, to Tighten ship" they jettisoned "a sack of oats, Lord By rons works, a ripsaw and a sow"
 When George Kirkland was ap- preached bv the committee he was told that no money was wanted from him.
 In looking over the list of gifts, the committee had been unable to find that anybody had subscribed d mar riage license. It was not sure that one would be needed, but, then, said Mir O'Neill, it might come in handy. MT Kirkland put his name down for a marriage license, but he could not fill it out The committee would have to look around first to find couple upon whom they could saw it off. The committeeman are prepared to make 1t an inducement for some loV- ing couple to add another feature to the celebration by getting married in public They thought that they could get Justice Johnstone or Justice Kyle to subscribe his services for the occa- sion, and then there are a thousand and one things in the subscription list that may be devoted to the purposes of setting out" For instance, there are the hams, the hand-saws. the side combs, the garden hose and the Roch- ester lamps. The committee. before it gets through, may be able to secure the lease of a house and lot for a year.
 The Baswitz Billiard parlors sub scribed "S5 worth of trade" The com mittee has not very clear idea of what that may mean. Trade" may mean cigars or it may mean that any of the celebrants on the Fourth will be allowed to play s worth of billiards or pool.
 But more than the money or the merchandise accommodating on the com mittee's list is the Fourth of July spirit which is everywhere encountered.