The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1919-06-24
BANS DANGEROUS
FIREWORKS THE
FOURTH OF JULY
State Fire Marshal Tells Why
Dangerous Articles Are
Prohibited
APPEAL TO REASON
MADE BY OFFICIAL
Children's Happy Voices
Sound Better Than Shrieks
OF The Wounded
(By Alfred T. Fleming, State Fire
Marshal of Ohio)

(By Alfred T. Fleming, State Fire
Marshal Of ohio)
This country has a great victory to
celebrate the coming Fourth Of July
but not with dangerous and destruct.
i've fireworks!
The boys are home; they do not
want to hear loud explosions or smell
any gunpowder.
There was enough of that in Eu-
rope to last them their natural lives!
The same rules on fireworks issued
by this department last year are in
force now!
The reason (beside the noise dirt
and expense) Is that property and
human life is at stake.
Without any added horrors of the
red peril, Ohio has burned over 16o
people to death already this year and
crippled twice as many.
WHAT is LOST
The loss in the United States for
one or two celebrations with fire.
works in one year Is $275,00O.
We need every cent of that money
and the other huge amounts we care
lessly burn every day, to pay Off the
debts incurred in war!
There are lame, halt and blind peo-
pie enough Qeft by the undertow OF
war) without an added casualty list
made by a foolish display OF fire.
works July 4.
Let us have the same SANE Fourth
we had when this country was In the
grip of a worlds conflict.
In the year following the Spanish
American war, people celebrated in
such a manner that there were 2l5
deaths and 5O92 injuries credited to
the nations birthday.
Then fire prevention men and wo-
men got busy and campaigned more
vigorously than before to stop the
slaughter and let people see the un-
reasonableness OF the celebration in
that manner.
LIST OF DEAD DROPS
Tho list OF dead dropped to 2S In
1918. This year 1t should strike
zero!
The toy balloon, the chasers and
all fireworks such as will leave n
combustible base are under the ban
of this department.
A "set.piece" will be allowed on
ly when so charged that sparks will
not be thrown greater distance
than .pya feet .(when such exhibition
HAAh8wSd BY ordinance, and II must
esn6s BE discharged Witmri 100 feet of
btsfidfnsss or combxsti,ae Material
II must be fred by an expert and
all precautions taken against fire and
accident.
Dynamite and cannon crackers, and
cartridge, must not appear Mt any
time.
The wheat Is ripening and hay Is
in the barns. A toy balloon may
wipe out seasons crops They
should not be made by private peo
pie, nor should they be manufactured
and sold. The hot air tissue paper
balloon has millions OF dollars in
fire waste to It's credit,
MENACE TO PROPERTY
Roman candles and skyrockets are
a menace to property and to life, ant
a change OF wind or misjudging o
the angle at which they are dis
charged may cause 100000 fire.
Most OF the municipalities have
sufficiently strong ordinances to pro
tect their citizens and their propert.
from fireworks.
Police chiefs and prosecutor
should see that such ordinances arr
enforced.
Only the small Chinese hrecrackel
and the sparkler are possibly as saf'
as any kind OF fire, and may be used
provided that they are not fired with
in 25 feet OF q building and are firet
when some grown person is watch
ing the children.
No Statutes" over 2ha inches long
will be allowed and the 10-cent We
snyius fountains are barred.
WHAT is BETTER
There is more patriotism in tn
click OF a spade in the garden tina
there Is In the roar of canno
cracker.
There is more beauty in a glowe
planted in memory Of those who slee
In Flanders fields than in the mo,
splendid burst OF rocket stars. whic
CLEAN for a, moment and are gon
forever.
The 0dor OF the freshly cut gra,
after rain Is far to be preferred