The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1926-06-23
URGES SANE
OBSERVANCE OF
CELEBRATION
FIRE CHIEF PINDER TALKS
ON SUBJECT; "KEEP THE
Il IN GLORY" is SLOGAN
ADOPTED

Most people in Key West, as
elsewhere throughout the country,
celebrate the Fourth of July, but
there is one man, though as pa
triotic as the next, does a large
part of his rejoicing On the Fifth.
That man is Fire Chef Pinder,
and from the following brief in
terview it is easy to see why.
"Due to the growth of the safe
and sane movement" said the
chief, when questioned today,
"Key West, along with the rest of
the country, has gone some dis
tance on the way towards a Fire
less Fourth Every year shows
up little better than the one
before, but there is still plenty of
room for improvement right here
in town.
Just today | had a report from
The National Board of Fire Un-
derwriiers showing that fireworks,
firecrackers, ETC., destroys almost
million dollars in property annu-
ally, although the danger to life
is, of course, the most important
thing. Last year, as usual, num-
Der of lives were lost in celebrat-
ing the Fourth in various sections
two New York boys, for ex-
ample, were instantly Killed when
one of them struck giant cracker
with an axe. a New Jersey man
developed lock-jaw from pistol
burn ON his wrist and died; lit
lie girl on Long Island swallowed
firecracker and died the follow
ing day; a Fourth of July bomb
exploded in Jamaica, N. Y, Gel
lar, fracturing a boys skull; a
Peckskiil, N. Y, boy blew off four
Of his fingers with a dynamite
fireeraclser; and there were many
other cases. So it will be seen that
independence Day observances are
by no means fully safe or sane
even yet.
AS for fireworks in Key West,
Tm 'clamping down pretty tight
and prohibiting their sale, not for
getting the so-called safe spark
Ter. The sparkler is not really
safe at all for its core becomes
white hot and will ignite whatever
comes in con- act with it-a little
G rl's ffimsy dress, very often. One
case last year was of little girl
who was burned to death when a
sparkler touched off fireworks in
her lap. So every legal restriction
will be enforced here to keep small
fingers and toes where they be-
long, eyes uninjured and buildings
free from fire.
"0f course" the Chief conIinu-
cd, "some folks sill think noise
and fire essential to a proper OBJ
servance. For such people sports
and games, parade, perhaps, and
possibly community observance
at night closely watched by uni
formed fiTemen--are not enough.
It's a good thing their number is
not large-and it's growing
smaller. A misguided few still in
sis, on shooting Off type of
celebration, but they're being crit
cized by their more careful neigh
bors. They'll come around, too,
one of these days. Meanwhile I'm
ready for them and whatever trou-
BILE they may cause.
CAS- for those who must make
noise, let them keep in mind these
precautions:
Don't set off fireworks close to
any structure, especially one of
frame. Keep them away from
porehes.
avoid using cheap toy cannon.
pistols, and the Ike, in which
powder charges or cartridges are
used. Much of the yearly Fourth
of July life loss is due to these
contraptions.
"If frecraeker or other noise
making device fails to go off, wait
before investigating. Otherwise
it may explode suddenly and take
you OF part of you with it.
''In short" concluded the Chief,
lets make sure to keep the Il in
the glory that attaches to the
Fourth.