The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1913-07-19

results, as far as casua
ties are concerned. coul
be expected from a considerable bat
tie For though the number OF dea,
will be relatively small, the list o
wounded will be very large. Proba bl.
10000 or more will be seriously hur
In one way or another by explosives
or these more than 100 will lose one
or both legs Nearly 100 boys viii
receive injuries in the right hand from
toy pistols. from which they will die
in lingering and painful manner from
lockjaw
In the palm Of the human hand
there is plexus, or network of nerves.
When toy pistol explodes. or shoots
backward. as it is always liable to do,
the wound inflicted is usually in the
palm; there is laceraton of the net
work Of nerves aforesaid, and lockjaw
is likely to follow
The estimate of 10000 wounded
does not include the slight-hurt, who
will make a much longer list But
taking the figures given, and leaving
out of consideration all destruction of
property by fire. it would seem that
the nations bill for its Fourth of July
celebration is a pretty heavy one.
The property loss by fires due to
careless use Of explosives, will amount
to at least 100000 Possibly it may
run up into the millions, but the es-
innate here given represents merely
an average Fourth of July. People
will throw firecrackers into places
where they are likely to start confla-
grafton. and skyrockets, which excite
such enthusiasm when they go up,
have deplorable way Of coming down
upon roofs and making mischief
Then, too, many of the modern kind
of fireworks, such as the bombs, which
rise 1000 feet in the air and explode,
liberating beautiful showers of vari- !
colored stars. contain considerable /.
quantities of high explosives. and are
proportonately dangerous Only last
Fourth of July, 1t will be remembered, 7
many people were killed and wounded I
by the accidental setting off of a guam
tity of such bombs which had been
put In readiness for fireworks ex-
hibition
Some, probably a dozen. shops that
contain large stocks of fireworks will
be destroyed by the accidental setting
off Of the combustibles, incidentally
endangering much property in their
nelghborhood. Few finer and more
striking exhibitions in the fireworks
line are given on the glorious Fourth
than are furnished by such impromptu-
displays but they cost great deal
Of money.
II grown people are satisfied to risk
life and limb in playing with the high
explosives contained in many kinds of
lreworks, it is nobody's business but
heirs. Unfortunately, some of the in ,,
truments of celebration placed in the
lands OF children are loaded with small
Quantities Of similar deadly materials.
Naturally. the little ones like best the +,
orpedoes which make the loudest
oise. and those are the ones that con-
am Illuminate Of mercury ian exceed
hc'g uauStlOus SuDStdlCe) anu SOME
ines even dynamite.
Just why the police do not take the Fl
ecessary pains to suppress the sale of Il
UGH torpedoes nobody can say. To Of c.
ar them for sale is against the law.
ut ordinarily the regulation is not en-. n
breed, and little Bobby or Johnny Of
'alks innocently about the streets on
ne Fourth Of July with enough dyna-
lite in his jacket pocket to injure him Fl
ariously, or possibly kill him. If a mis- ii
nance should set off his package OF h;
all at once. 81
Parents are not acquainted sufficient.
with the danger that turks in some
nds of torpedoes. If they were at all VI
ware of 81 accidents of the kind
ould be less frequent, and public pI
Union would bring about the proper hs
OF the law which forbids al
q sale OF these bombs-for bombs
~ IRE though only small ones. or