The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-07-06
Il Local Young America Had
Been Able to Locate Him,
He Would No Doubt Have
Met With a Sudden Finish.
a STEADY DOWNPOUR
SPOILS CELEBRATI
Customary Fourth of July Din
and Racket Were Absent
Yesterday-Every Arrange
ment Abandoned.

Richmond's Fourth Of July celebra-
tion which was scheduled for the fifth
was fizzer. The powder was damp
and after a dozen boxes of matches
had been burned in an Intellectual at.
tempt to light a skyrocket, the attempt
was given UP and the rain permitted to
have everything its own way. It was
about the meanest trick ever played by
the weather man. He was SO inconsid-
crate of the feelings Of the young Ant
erican as to exert dampening influ-
ence, which was very effective. Every
thing that had been planned for the
day was failure. except the rain.
The rain was omnipresent and omni-
potent. It was the whole thing.
Was Really Lucky.
But after all 1t was real lucky for
those who had spent their week 5
wages In fireworks that the Fourth
was on Sunday. The celebration on
Saturday night and the desultory fir
ang Of Sunday helped get rid of a few
Of the flrecrackers. 1t was shortly af-
ter 8 o'clock Monday morning that the
deep gray dawn became water soaked
and the rain began. Previous to this
time the customary noise making had
been in progress. At midnight Sunday
there was scattered fusillade and 1t
continued Internationally until day
break when general cannonadine
began. No doubt It was due to the
weather that greatly reduced crowd
gathered on Main street during the dry
hours, to do It's celebrating. It is Gus
tomary for the crowds to flock to the
main thoroughfare, where the brick
pavement makes louder detonation
for the explosives.
Car Rails Happy.
The use OF caps and percussion pow
der on the street car rails was almost z
nonentity. Heretofore the greatest
noise has been caused by the cars pass
ing over these explosives But the rain
was too dampening to encourage cele'
orators to make the attempt It took
more nerve to run out into the rair
and place the explosives on the tracks
than 1t did to stand in a front doorway
and throw out giant or salute"
There was nothing doing at Gler
Miller or jackson parks. The celebra
Aions that were planned had to be post
poned indefinitely. The usual display
had been arranged for at Easthaven
but 1t was postponed. 1t Is safe be-
that there will be more fireworks seer
about the city tonight (unless 1t rains
than there was last night. Nearly
every kid In town saved roman can
die, pinwheel. skyrocket or some
other form of pyrotechnics for q dry
er night. Whoever heard Of rain,
Fourth Of July before, anyhow?
Hard on Baseball.
The dozens Of base ball games thai
had been scheduled had to be cancelled
Among them was q contest between
the Cambridge City Grays and thu
Richmonds at Athletic park. It woult
have been. the deciding game Of tn.
county championship series. A larg.
crowd would no doubt have been ou
TO see the game.
Picnic parties by the dozens tha
were planned for the day had to b
cancelled. There was few OF the brav
er sort who believed 1t would clear NJ
and went anyhow. Afterward the,
wished they hadn't. It was a cold
gloomy day to spend in the woods an.
by noon nearly every picnic party hat
fCop<}ruod IN Do 10 Covou