The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-07-02
CITY NOW READY
FOR BIGGEST DAY"
Fourth of July to be Celebrat-
ed With Saneness But
Enthusiasm
RESIDENTS ASKED
TO HELP KEEP ORDER
Chief Werner Expects to Keep
Down Accidents by Adopting
Ounce Of Preyention
Theory.

Buy all the fire crackers you wish,
Remember that while July Fourth is
great and glorious day. July Fifth
the day after. is, In too many in
stances. exactly the contrary--and all
because people have not been care
full.
! The above. in substance ts the ad-
! vice given by Chief of Police Wer-
nor. who Is strenuously advocating a
celebration OF the safe and sane
variety.
| Major Werner has a large batch OF
statistics which he shows to the
skeptic. in which are set forth the
appalling list OF those who have lost
! life or limb in what they fatuously
imagined to be patriotic celebration.
! but which, In reality was Grass foolish
ness. Annually every city of any size
in the nation pays Its toll OF injuries
and death as a result of fiamboyanl
recknessness. Annually too. after 1t Is
all over. and of course too late. Il is
a simple matter to figure 1t out low
at least ninety per cent. Of those &C
cidents would have been avoided had
reasonable precau ions been taken.
WIN Preserve Order.
| And SO this year. Mayor Werner
intends to follow the ounce of pre-
vention rule to the last letter. The
police force will be doubled. Addi-
tional patrolmen will be stationed on
iall the business thoroughfares With
Instructions 10 keep closely in touch
with headquarters. Bicycle policemen
! will be on the alert
These policemen will of course be
on the lookout for all iawbreakers,
| but in the main. their attention will
be occupied in stopping very little
small boys from firing of very large
! cannon crackers
There are lots OF people who cele-
brate with the best In intentions in the
world bat who tae thugs that endan-
ger their aNr les AMI the -nXHS- OF
others as we'll These are the ones
we must get AFTER" said Major Wer-
fner.
''Of course. many Of the accidents
concern children. The boys and girls
hurt themselves with toy pistols, with
blood poisoning as not infrequent
result Then there is the danger OF
premature explosions, powder burns
and many other things some deadly
all dangerous
1T In natural for a child to want to
make as much noise as possible or
the Fourth, and. consequently. they
want the largest cannon crackers ir
the store. II is all right for them e
celebrate. but we must see to 1t thai
they are all right the next day.
Grown Folks Cause Trouble.
But there Is another class the mem.
bers OF which are responsible for no
few Fourth Of July accidents. I re.
fer to grown men and sometimes WON
on. who fire revolve OF course
they do not wish to harm onyone
Usually they fire blank shells. AT th'
same time there is danger The wad-
ding from blank shells makes mast,
wound Of II strikes. fired at closs
range. Besides, there might be som,
mistake real bullet might get mix.
ed in with the blanks glance off the
street or some stone when fred, and
strike a chance pedestrian.
Finally l want to urge that tn,
"Grownups" in Richmond aid tbs
members of the police force in makins
this sane Fourth Let them set
lookout for others who are not doinl
so.
All viii Celebrate.
Plans for the celebration OF tn,
Fourth In Richmond are to many and
devious. All sorts of fireworks Will
splutter crakle and hiss Of course bu
In addition to this. there win he man,
other sort OF celebration including pa
trietic address. eulogies of dead he
roes. parades and music.
All public buildings and offices viii
be closed for the day, and many OF tn,
larger private business establishments
viii also close. Others will give thei
employees a half holiday.
A goodly proportion OF Richmonder
will take advantage OF the respite from
routine. to take a flying trip to som
out OF town resort. There will b,
many picnics to the woods. with tn
customary baskets almost bursting
with things good TO eat and drink
Others will go to the water either 10
river excursion. or for fishing ex
petition. There will be morning an,
afternoon ball games and the theatre
will offer special attractions.
, 81 Finally every Richmonder will eele
, tbrate In the way that appeals hin
most, with the practical certainty thu