Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1911-06-30

brate il must be admitted that the practice
has undergone some changes with the passing
of the years. In the days of our grandfathers
the booming of the big guns kept up pretty
much all day-indeed in these days the
patriotic citizens of the new republic liked
such din so we'll that they fired off cannon not
merely on the Fourth, but on Thanksgiving
and Christmas and New Years as well. And
ON independence Day if the booming did not
literally keep up all day at least there was
PROLONGED salute at sunrise, another at noon
a third at sunset and a final laundering along
with the skyrockets and Roman candles in the
evening
In this more decorous generation we have
to be content most of us, with one salute OF
this sort on the Fourth At .. s. navy yards
and military posts and other governmental
reservations the salute is fired at noon, but in
the average town or city where the civilians
must do the firing-especially If these SELL
same civilians are to participate in a picnic
or a parade-the regulation salute is sent echo-
ing over the countryside soon after the breaK
of day Of course, if there e - We a cere-
monial flag raising during tue day, or monu
ment is to be unveiled some high-up public
official is to be given a reception, there may De
a salute as a sort of accompaniment for the
function, but for the most part nowadays the
average American community has to get along
on the Fourth with one formal salute.
Another change that has come with the
passing of the years is in the matter or the ar
rangements for the firing of the salutes. The
average individual who listens to the reyerDer-
alton of the distant guns never gives thought
to this part of it, but obviously somebody has
to attend to this part of the celebration In
the old days almost anybody who volunteered
for the task-and who, mayhap, was willing
to contribute for the powder-was considered
compctent to act as artilleryman for the occa-
sion. Similarly almost anything that would
answer the purpose of a cannon was accepted
as a vehicle of noise making. How often IN
der such circumstances was worn old held
piece dragged forth to do such duty and load
ed nigh to the muzzle by enthusiasts. who
thought far more of the din than of the dan
ger that lay in an overcharge of ammunition
Sometimes a hollow log even length OF
nine was made to serve substitute
The natural sequel of such happygo-lucky
scheme of firing Fourth of July salutes came
In constantly increasing record OF accidents
which finally bestirred public sentiment on
the subject. Manifestly a large share or TEE
mishaps of this kind, the chronicle or whlcn
filled the newspapers on the day following,
the Fourth were due either to inexperlence In
handling the guns or to the kindred cause
of lack of knowledge in measuring powoer
charges Well, the upshot of the agitation
was that there found favor scheme for nav
ing all Fourth of July salutes fired by pro
fessionals," as 1t were-that is by men VINO
make business of setting off large caliber
guns and who do it every day of their lives,
or at least quite frequently, instead of mere
" once year.
Thus it has come about that in most COM
,,unities where their services are available
the ofh,dal Fourth Of July salutes are now
6rea M enlisted men of the United States
,x navy or marine corps members OF
che National Guard or Naval Militia of the
sar..raI states. Accidents have not been elm
sod but they have been greatly reduced
t tho salutes are more accurate-7that is,
salute fred by such gun crew will consist
Of just the number Of
uuiiori ,,s+e.d of the hodge-podge that was
between 1aI;yered in many instances when
former" a,te was likely to be prolonged until the