07/05/1913
Not all of the noise of the Fourth was made by explosives. The weather made a loud explosion when it smashed the heat record for this year by going to 99 degrees Friday afternoon. This is the hottest for the year, being two degrees above the maximum for this summer season. The 1913 record beats the one of 1912 for the Fourth by eight degrees, as it was 91 last Fourth of July. But July 10th last year went the weather of Friday one better, it being an even 100 in the shade on that date last year.
“It was a big Friday, the Fourth, in El
Paso. After a day of little activity, the old town woke up Friday night
and celebrated with all the noise making devices known to man or
Chinaman. Long before dark the impromptu fire works were started in the
residence district and the booming of the torpedoes and fire cracker
battalion down town got busy soon after supper, to awaken the populace
from the half holiday Friday afternoon. The Chinese restaurant keepers,
led by Mar Chew, celebrated with long strands of Chinese fire cracker
which were attached to telegraph poles, lighted and allowed to drive all
of the devils within a mile square away from the immediate vicinity.
These Chinese fire crackers were a novelty to many visitors and new
comers in El Paso who knew not how much noise one of them could make.
The street car tracks were covered with a mixture of sulphur and potash
which exploded with a noise like the battle of Juarez and made the sale
of nerve tonic brisk. The streets Saturday morning were covered with
burned fire crackers.
The Reyes band gave its patriotic concert in
Cleveland square to a large crowd which filled the square and Carnegie
square adjoining it. At the Paso Del Norte roof garden the crowd danced,
listened to the music and drank thirst quenching mixtures in the
gardens on the roof. There was also a crowd at the Country club, and a
number of private parties were given during the evening.
The
Southwestern train carried 350 to Cloudcroft and 40 more joined the week
enders at the resort Saturday morning. Practically all of those who
went up Friday morning remained in the mountains over Sunday.
The Andreas family observed the usual custom of having fire works on the lawn at the Andreas family residence on Upson avenue Friday evening. But the illness of Mrs. August Andreas caused the celebration to be reduced to a small one.
The Harvey house, the Paso Del Norte, the Sheldon and the St. Regis each had a large number of dinner parties in their dining rooms, as it was too warm for dinners at home, and many took their dinner down town.
The 9:30 closing law cut into the plans of the Fourth of July celebrants Friday evening and prevented them putting on the usual show which the frequenters of the gilded palaces usually plan for the national holiday. There were few drunks on the street Friday or Friday evening.
The reclamation service closed for the day Friday and left the Rio Grande to do its own reading, as no reading of the river was taken at Elephant Butte Friday afternoon.
The Southwestern coach engine which was “lit up like a new saloon” Friday in honor of the national birthday anniversary, was in charge of Homer Corp, as foreman, and switchmen Bledsoe and Chilton as the crew. The engine was decorated with flags and bunting.
From a standpoint of casualties the celebration of the Fourth in El Paso was a failure. From the standpoint of noise it lacked nothing. Three persons painfully burned and one small fire, marked the closing of the Fourth of July festivities.
Alice Van Haselen, the 13 year old daughter of H.G. Van Haselen, county courthouse janitor, sustained a seriously burned right hand when a Roman candle which she was holding exploded. The red, blue and white missiles, instead of going out of the proper end, came out of the side, and landed in the palm of the girl’s hand. The burns resulting were painful, but are not considered serious.
C.A. Philips, a conductor of the street railway company, was the second victim of the day. He was flagging his car at the Oregon street crossing of the Southwestern and the powder placed on the street car tracks by celebrants exploded when the car ran over it. The conductor was painfully burned about the right ankle. He was unable to complete his run and was removed to his home. Saturday morning he was at work again.
Boys
with fire crackers ignited the trash which was lying alongside of the
fence at Eight and El Paso. The alarm for the fire came in at 10:10
Friday night and the central company responded. The damage done was
slight.
**
It was also reported that Alamogordo’s Fourth was one
of the most eventful in the history of the city. There was a barbecue
dinner with ore than 3000 guests, some from El Paso.
There was a boys foot race won by Gilbert Gordon, the girls race won by Della Porter, a goat roping contest won by Albert Burch, cow pony race won by Marshall Parker on William McNew’s horse, Clifton Joy caught the greased pig, no one was successful in reaching the top of the greased pole, Oliver Lee won the free-for-all race.
“Dr. J.G. Homes and his “burro parade” was the source of much amusement. These had been drilled for several days and much care had been given to their costumes, not only of the boys but of the burros as well. Frank Stone won the prize for best costume.
“The city was beautifully decorated for the occasion with flags and bunting.
“The pleasure of the day ended with a dance at Beaver’s hall which was largely attended.
“Nat Gillmore, of Ruidosa, has been added to the list of auto owners in this county. He was delivered yesterday a Studebaker 25, by F.F. Rousseau, the local Studebaker agent. This makes two Studebaker cars sold here in the past week.”
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