FOURTH IS SANE AND BLOODLESS

Few Accidents and No Fires Mark the Local Celebration.

A sane Fourth of July without compulsion. A sane Fourth without effort or organization to that end. Freedom from serious accident and not a fire, for a stretch of seventeen hours and only two arrests in that time. This was the most remarkable Independence day in the history of the city with sellers of fireworks reporting a good business but people evidently using them with greater care.

Minneapolis never experienced so quiet a day. James Canterbury, chief of the fire department, has no recollection of a Fourth so free from fires. Frank T. Corriston, chief of police, has never known of so few arrests and so little disorder. The minor accidents began with the burning of a small stock of fireworks about 9 o'clock Saturday night at a stand owned by Mary Burns, 2544 Central avenue.

Some Small Fires.

A cigaret thrown into a stock of fireworks at a small stand at 637 Third street S caused a fire shortly afterward, which destroyed the stock of the stand. No one was injured.

Fire originating from a sky rocket on the roof of 606 Twentieth avenue N caused the third fire late last night. The house was damaged to the extent of about one hundred dollars.

Some Small Accidents.

Since Saturday night less than a score of minor injuries were reported to the department. Throughout the city occasional calls were received by the police where potash was placed upon the car tracks, but though several calls were investigated, only two arrests were made. The accidents recorded during the last forty hours are as follows:

Morris Sigel, 15 years old, 1823½ Sixteenth avenue S, had lacerated by explosion of a firecracker.

Louis Schwartz, 13 years old, 1823½ Sixteenth avenue S, face burned by an explosion of powder.

Percy Getchel, 15 years old, 526 Emerson avenue N, right hand lacerated by the explosion of a firecracker in the street near his home. The boy was taken to his home after being attended by Dr. C. M. Kistler. Condition not serious.

Frank Holberg, 22 years old, Western avenue and Tenth street, finger lacerated by premature explosion of a giant firecracker held in his hand. Taken to a drugstore, where injury was dressed.

"Bunny" Alling, 9 years old, Third avenue and Eighth street S, head cut by a tin can while playing in an alley back of the Farmers and Mechanics' bank. Several boys were blowing up tin cans with powder when the boy was struck by one of the tins. Condition not serious. Taken to his home.

Loses Two Fingers.

Christ Becking, 19 years old, 2015 Girard avenue N, today mourns the loss of two fingers of his left hand as a result of an attempt to load a toy cannon charged with powder and potash. According to companions the boy poured powder into the cannon muzzle, adding a quantity of potash. Before placing a fuse in the explosives, the youth seized a small hammer and drove a nail gently down the muzzle. There was a blinding flash and a loud report. When the smoke cleared away companions found Becking lying on the ground with blood streaming from his mutilated hand. The cannon was overturned and the hammer was blown nearly a block by the force of the explosion.

Becking was taken to the office of H. J. Tunstead, 829 Sixteenth avenue N, and later removed to the Asbury hospital where two fingers were amputated.

Boy Breaks Wrist.

Rutherford Longley, 10 years old, 207 Second street SE, suffered a fracture of his left wrist in falling from a shed at the rear of his home while celebrating the Fourth. The boy was with companions, firing fireworks, and fell while attempting to avoid sparks from a skyrocket.

All day the police were busy preventing the careless use of potash, which was placed on the cartrack on nearly every street in the downtown district. Robert Lovass, 2031 Thirtieth avenue S, and Unfin Nelson, 2731 Thirtieth avenue S, were arrested for placing potash on the tracks.