Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1911-09-14
GRANDEST
DISPLAY OF
FIREWORKS
NOTHING LIKE 1T EVER SEEN IN
THE NORTHWEST-IN NIAGNI-
TUDE AND BEAUTY IT is SIM
PLY INDESCRIBABLE.

The fireworks at the fair ground
last night drew a large crowd and
it will draw a larger one tonight, and
still larger ono Friday night, or
whatever night the third display is
made, if there is third. More than
that, it Is safe to say that all Salem
would get the habit and go every
night for a month, if there was night
ly such exhibitions as that given last
night, under the personal direction
of w. H. Wilson, who owns the big
factory in Los Angeles, where the
beautiful fire spectacles are can
ned" and sent out for use.
They were great!
They were magnificent!
They were indescribably beauti-
full!
From the first big bomb, that gave
notice that everything was ready,
until the last grand spectacle, the
vast crowd looked, and applauded,
and enjoyed.
A thousand involuntary ejacula-
tions of surprise and qualification
we're heard, and, for many of the
pieces. there was such appreciation,
that the vast crowd just sat spell
bound. forgot to comment; forgot to
applaud. in fact forgot the world,
and lived for a brief spell in Fairy
land.
The rockets were of infinite varie-
ty, and the big bombs lit the sky un-
til it seemed but the purple central
eve of an immense peacock feather.
The immense shells, exploding and
exploding again and again, each time
showing brilliant shower of i'm
mense 'soap bubbles" of all the col
ors of the rainbow, that floated
gracefully for a moment, and then,
like most beautiful things, went out
forever.
The set pieces were revelation
to Salem people, and, indeed to ev-
ervone. A gentleman from Chicago.
I sitting near the writer, said: 81
have seen much larger displays of
fireworks. but never anything even
approaching this in beauty" and
that about covered the case.
The fountain Of amethysts and
sapphires was just what 1t was
named-and wonderfully beautiful.
The horizontal bar performer
caught the crowd, especially the
Youngsters. who howled with delight
at the comic antics of the perform
er, who. a blaze of light, did all kinds
of double-jointed and comical stunts
The program was too long, the
Dieces too numerous, and the whole
| too beautiful to even attempt to pic
ture in words-but as one recalls 1t
one is forced o mention the beau
t'frl waterfall It does not seem
possible that fire could be made 70
so nearly resemble its old enemy
water. yet when out IN the big field
where d-rkn had for a moment
prevailed. suddenly there was glow
and 10, beautiful waterfall o'
silverv fire poured and sparklec
down, ripping. tumbling, breakine
into drops and spray, a yeritab,f
river of LIQUID fire. It was indescrit
ably beautiful.
The set piece where William Tel
shoots the apple from the head Of his
son was another fine one. The form
of the big archer with his bent bow
! all outlined in fire, and away across
the field. the boy with the big rec
Hood River Pippin of fire on hii
head. faced each other, suddenly
there was a fash and the big fierl
arrow sped across the field, cut th'
core out of the apple, and set thu
small folks wild with glee.
The great show wound up with