South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-06-21
SAFE, SANE FOURTH
Is MAYORS ORDER,
POLICE TO ENFORCE
Seebirt Puts Ban on Danger
GUS Fireworks Hold Up
Sale Until June 80.

South Bend is going to observe an
other one of its safe and sane indie
.pendence days. This July Fourth is
TO be marked by special vigilance by
Chief of Police Larry Lane and his
instructed squad of bluecoats 20 pre-
vent use Of giant f1recrackers, and
other dangerous e-making ex-
plosives.
In other words South Bend on
July Fourth will sound comparative
~ like the Argonle Forest after the
armistice was signed. Plenty OF re-
joicing is Mayor Seebirt's slant on
the celebration but violations of city
ordinances regulating the sale and
use Of noise-makiDg demonstrations
will be nipped.
Not the Old Fourth.
Heretofore, a warning has been
all that was necessary to refresh the
recollection of independence day OBJ
servers TO vent their exuberance in
various forms OF gun powder which
are not a menace 10 life and limb
and destruction Of property. July
Fourth has been reserved as a day
on which excursions TO nearby lakes,
dancing, visitatiOns to tlSs parks,
and various kindred amusements is
.resOrted to.
Calling upon citizens to be mind
full of the dangers of too demonstra-
tive a celebration of the national hol
iday, Mayor Eli T. Seebirt Tuesday
issued a rigid ban on the sale Of
fireworks which by their character
and size are considered dangerous
and not in keeping with a safe and
sane" Fourth.
Orders to Merchants.
simultaneously orders went out
to merchants prohibiting the sale OF
fireworks Of all kinds until FIVE days
prior TO the holiday.
Those items in the explosive cate
CORY which retail for more than 25
cents are not TO be sold, reads the
edict. The prohIbitive list includes
mines and bombs, including day
go" bombs colored fire powder IN
containers larger than a quarter or
a pound. salutes ard fire crackers
larger than three inches IN length
and five -eighths inches IN diameter,
and as further provided against by
city ordinance, such articles as
canes. pistols and torpedoes.
The mayors injunction 70 mer-
chants conforms in substance 20 a
letter addressed by him to the Met
ropolitan Five and Fifty-Cent stores
Of Feb. 81, last, answering the ques-
ton OF what kind OF fireworks
would be permitted Of sale this
coming Fourth. The letter. IN part,
reads as follows:
Il have taken the matter up with
the chief Of police and the chief Of
the fire department and the view
that we entertain is that the job
bers them selves can enforce certain
restrictions which will bring about
the reform which we desire"
To Cooperate
Continuing. the mayor wrote:
1T is our opinion that they Cmer-
chants) should not lay in or sell IN
the city any fireworks o. such
dangerous character that they
would not be willing 10 permit their
own children 10 use the same"
H Wagman, manager OF the
store answered the communication,
and Indicating his willingness 20
cooperate in the movement for a
sane" Fourth, told the mayor ne
was at your services 70 serve in any
way 10 decrease the dangers from
fireworks
At that time the mayor called the
attention OF other jo6bers 70 the
code inauyurated against the larger
and more dangerous kinds OF fire
works and it is said. received slmt-
lar consent on their part 20 OBJ
serve the restrictions OF sale