New Britain herald., 1914-07-03
feet some of the plans it now has in

The safe and sane method of cele-
 brating the Fourth of July has evil
 dently come to stay. It had it's first
 trial in New Britain under the ad-
 ministration of Mayor ,Landers and
 wise as was the movement it occa-
 stoned some opposition. The people
 had been so accustomed to the old method with it's canes, the worst form
 of an instrument for producing noise
 that Independence Day had up to that
 time since invented, the merchants
 had them in stock and many and
 various were the voices raised in op-
 position. The sewer department was
 engaged in doing some work on East
 Main street at the time and it was learned during the evening preceding
 the Fourth that the box which con- tained the implements used in the construction of the work also con- tained several sticks of dynamite and
 as it had been placed on the side of
 the street opposite the residence of Mayor Landers and as there were great many people abroad and cele- hrating the coming of the Fourth it was feared that some one might give attention to the tool box and blow up everything in the neighborhood. It
 
 of the sewer commission and police man was finally detailed to watch the box until morning, when the, ex- plosives were removed When asked the next day if the dynamite would do much harm one of those connected With the sewer department replied
 that it might if some one sat on it. He treated the matter in light man. ner, but there was nevertheless much fear on East Main street, the owners of property there being fearful of an explosion that might have been terrible in its results. A complaint was made
 on one occasion that electricity was esca ping from the third rail at the Main street crossing and an expert l came to make an investigation. He said that there wasn't enough elec- tricity escaping to operate a door bell. l It happened however, that a team was passing at the time, the horse stenE1 | into a pool of water that had bS
 charged with electricity and
 almost thrown to the ground. -( expert made another test and changed his mind, and it would have been the same with the sewer department em- | pioye had an explosion occurred on East Main street. There have been | 1 OH account of the premature explosion of fireworks and cannors around the l Fourth beginning with the time when the old field piece was operated on 1 Walnut Hill which had local record of blowing an arm off one of the
 celebrators Possibly some of the old settlers may know of the whereabouts
 of that cannon, which figured in so
 many celebrations in the early days of | the city. It was there the Fourth of
 July claimed it's first victim in New 1 Britain and there have been many in
 jured since, some more than others, | but in several instances people were rnaimed for life. The safe and sane
 method has been gradually elimi- rating the serious accidents; there is l nothing left now but the burns and powder stains and even those are 1 heing reduced. It would be a pleas-
 ant ending of the day this year if
 there are no accidents reported, and l the day had been one of real enjoy
 ment and there were no regrets. Such l 8 condition is the object of the safe | and sane celebration. .,..