Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-12-18
"MUNIMERso OF so YEARS AGO
Origin of Philadelphia's New Year Pageant and
Its Growth TO Its Present Popularity.

Its Growth to Its Present Popularity.
TNHE New Year shooters are sometimes re-
i fcrred to as "mummers," but though that
designation originally was the correct one,
it is not properly applicable to the clubs
which we see in fantastic parade on Broad
street on the first day of the year The num-
mer is English, while the New Year shooter
is the product of our own "Neck."
The antiquity OF the Christmas hummer is
admitted, but the New Year shooter does not
appear to date back much farther than 20
years, and, as we have known him OF late,
not more than so years. There is however,
a historical connection,
The custom in the "Neck" in the old days
was known locally as Bell Snlclllin'." The
quantity attired youths who visited the old
homesteads in the lower part of the city on
New Years Eve carried bells in their hands
or wore bells attached TO their costumes
They also carried pistols or guns and fired
them occasionally; hence the term, New
Year Shooter"
All this was before the organization Of the
New Year Clubs, now so numerous. The old
time shooters in the "Necl" used to travel
in small parties and usually were known at
all the houses they visited, but instead OF
attring themselves as Father Christmas,
Beelzebub, the Doctor and ST. George, the
principal characters in the play of st, George
which the English mummers used to recite
on their visits, they had no play. With them
went two fiddlers and man with a trian-
gle or an accordion. one OF the company.
who may be said to have been the leader
would recite long piece OF doggerel to this
effect;
We wish sou Merry Christmas and Happy
New Year;
We come tonight your hearts for to cheer
We've Travelled the neighborhood round and
round,
And very good nelghbors we have found.
We've shot off our guns for a New Year
And hope that this your hearts win cheer"
It may be interesting to know that the
appealing verses ended with an exhortation
TO Virtue liberty and independence" which
sentiment of the Bell snicklin visit was bor-
rowed from the State motto,
Something to eat and drink always fol-
lowed, and afterward there was a dance 10
the music of the hddles and triangle These
occasions used to be looked forward to with
delight by all the participants. both visitors
and visited. And for a long time the custom
was so completely confined 10 the Neck that
it was unknown in the northern parts OF the
city.
What Is regarded the first real organ
ization OF New Year shooters was known as
the Chain Gang which is believed to have
been formed in 1870. About the time of the
Civil War there was a club composed OF
members or adherents Of the shihier Hose
Company. and known as Santa Anna's
Cavalry, which made tour OF the southern
part Of the city ON New Years Eve and the
following day After the Civil War such
clubs as the Golden Crown, the Silver Crown
and the Clements New Year Association
sprang up, and early IN the 7os the clubs
ventured as far north as Market street The
Shooters paraded on the sidewalks, f0r the
streets were muddy and badly paved With
cobbles. The clubs became numerous, and
from the Neck finally spread % an parts of
the city Within recent years similar or
sanizations have appeared ~ other cities.
So much money was spent upon the dis
plays here rs to cause a demand that the
clubs should Join forces and parade on Broad
street About le years ago. after long neso-
tiatlou Intended to minlmize the rivalry, an
agreement sas reached ana the annual
PAGEANT vas instituted. 4he city appHopri-
ates considerable maaey p prizes. seae q
tha clues aeend s eFaat eeal Iaf fheiH eoz-
tumas altheash ler oFr 1en eqniaips
saa Used u "a he ~ ~ e
base ca 4a91Q