The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1909-06-14
CHICAGO NEWS
Letter

CHICAGO June 14.-spurred by
Americas record of 5,623 Fourth OF
July casualties in 190S, 4,413 in 1907
and 5,466 in 1906. Mayor Busse has of.
ficially declared for sane Fourth"
for Chicago, but the suburb Of La.
Grange mas outdone that, having TAX.
en- the lead In trying music as sub.
stltute for firecrackers in celebrating
Independence Day. Band concerts. or
chestra concerts and chorus singing
are to be pitted against the sound of
powder. The deadly work OF the giant
cracker and toy pistol, as summarized
by the Journal OF the American Med:.
cal Association shows $50 deaths upon
the last five Fourths, $40 being from
tetanus-lock-iaw. twenty-five thou.
sand casualties Of various kinds is
the total for five years OF pyrotechni.
cal, decorating celebrations. Chicago
rules will attempt to bar cannon
crackers, toy pistols, any fireworks
containing explosives more violent
than black powder, and dealers found
selling or keeping the tabbooed noise
makers are threatened with fines and
the revocation Of their licenses. The
limits of the Fourth are strictly pre-
scribed and fireworks or noise makers
OF any kind are under ban except on
the one day when the dog hides In the
basement and the parents vainly long
for peace and quiet. All the Wholesale
and retail dealers in the city have
been informed concerning the exact
provisions Of the ordinance, and the
police nave been instructed to be on
the lookout for the display or sale in
any store Of the prohibited varieties
Of explosives. The appearance Of any
Of these explosives in the hands Of any
persons also will be the signal for a
police Investigation and the arrest of
offending citizens and dealers.
Old Fourth Avenue" one OF the last
landmarks OF early Chicago, and once
called "the wickedest block in the
world" by William T. Stead, the Eng.
llsa editir. is disappearing to make
room for an up-to.date business build
Ing. This marks the passing of a
street which for years was notorious
In the annals Of American criminal
life from one end of the country to
I the other. The center OF the worst
resorts in the city and a harborine
place for criminals of every descrfp.
/ ton, Fourth Avenue at one time vas
known to the police as an mfaiIing
breeder of disorder at any hour Of the
day or night No other SPOT in the
world, tnot even the Bowery In New
York. could approach this narrow al.
ley for the number of drinking resorts
in one block, and murders, suicides
and robberies we're of frequent occur.
renee in the panel houses that flour.
isaed on the "AyeDae' There we're at
one time &c saloons on the west side
Of the street in the block given over
to vice. One OF these was the famous
resort of Tom Curley, which used to
be headquarters for prize fighters and
where John L, Sullivan used to spend
much of his time when visiting the
city. There is tradition that after
winning big fght one night Sullivan
laid $1,000 bill down on the bar and
treated everybody unity the moaey
was gone. Anthony Connolly's saloon
on the corner Of Fourth avenue and
Harrison street. was another resort
Of worldwide notoriety in the early
sos, until Connolly was shot and
killed one night by Bob" Bruce
"shang" Andrews, editor Of a sport
Ing sheet, Dan Scott, negro gam,
bier and race horse owner, and score
OF others were among the interesting
characters who lived in this ansevory
neignborhood. Even the name OF +he
thoroughfare has history. Before the
cIvM War It was called Buffalo stree,
aud contained residences of some Of
the best families, After the grea. IRE
which swept the city In 1873 1t was
Invaded by resort keepers and was
rechristened Fourth avenue, Later
the name was oficially changed to Gus.
tom House court and again, 10 Federal
Court but the ga name has never been
quite displaced, Fourth avenue began
TO wana abdul six years 40 when