FIRE, FUN & FIASCOES ON THE 4th (1887)
Brownstone Detectives investigates the history of our clients’ homes.
The story you are about to read was composed from research conducted in the course of one of those investigations.
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A lot of accidents happen on the 4th of July.
While it has been a day of celebration for Americans since its inception, certain citizens have tended to go a bit too far with their fireworks and other dangerous weapons.
Back in 1887, a few days after Independence Day, a listing of the damages occurring and casualties effected on that date appeared in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle – once the authorities had had the time to assess the collective destruction.
“Pistols and pyrotechnics of every kind were used with absolute impunity by even mere children,” the paper noted, “and the wonder is that more accidents did no occur.”
The following list reflects a number of police blotters and lays out the accidents occurring primarily in the Eastern District (Williamsburg and Bushwick areas, and parts of Bed-Stuy). It is partial, but it will 1) boggle your mind, and 2) make you laugh.
FIRE CRACKERS AS ASSAULT WEAPONS
8:30 – A boy whose identity could not be discovered threw a firecracker at the peanut stand outside the frame building at 21 Grand street and set it on fire. The building, which was owned and occupied by Sauer Brothers as a saloon, was damaged to the amount of $500 before the flames were extinguished.
Some boys threw firecrackers on the roof of Charles Frank’s tailor store at 404 Keap street during the afternoon. A fire engine was promptly on hand and the incipient blaze was stopped before any damage was done.
While fireworks were being exploded in front of John Strauss’s salon at 96 North Fifth street yesterday the building, which is a wooden one, caught fire and was slightly damaged.
A lighted firecracker was thrown on Charles Reynold’s coal shed at South First and Rodney Street, in the evening, but the fire was extinguished by a fireman throwing a few pails of water on it.
At 10 p.m., ignited fireworks fell on the roof of the one story frame building, 146 Broadway, owned by Mrs. Reynolds and occupied by William Hayes causing a trifling damage.
REVOLVERS & PISTOLS AS CELEBRATORY WEAPONS
William Brown, aged 21 years, of 57 Taylor street, who while discharging blank cartridges from a large toy pistol shot Samuel Myers, aged 11 years, of 43 Taylor street, in the forehead, causing a slight flesh would which was dressed by the ambulance surgeon. The injured lad’s father declined to make a complaint, but Brown was held for violating a city ordinance.
William Mills, aged 15 years, of 91 South Eighth street, discharged a revolved in the street during the afternoon and was arrested by an officer of the Clymer street Station.
While discharging a revolver charged with blank cartridges in front of his residence, 53 Harrison Avenue, Horatio Hewes, aged 18 years, was taken into custody by an officer of the Clymer street Station. Hewes was released on bail later.
A man was discharging rockets on Grand Street in the evening, when one of the sticks struck the plate glass window in the saloon on the northeast corner and broke it, causing a loss of about $20.
About 11:30 a.m., William Keicher, of 15 Stagg street, aged 15 years, wounded himself with an old fashioned double barreled pistol six inches long and was removed to St. Catherine’s Hospital.
About 9:15 p.m., the roof of 57 Meserole street owned and occupied by Michael J. Kneff, was set on fire by crackers, but the blaze was promptly extinguished.
About 10:30 p.m., George Meyer, of 371 Broadway, aged 18 years, was shot behind the left ear with a revolver by George Southwick, of 432 South Fifth street, who was visiting friends at 369 Broadway. Young Meyer was removed to St. Catherine’s Hospital.
NOT ALL WOUNDS CAME FROM ‘CRACKERS’
Alexander Doller, of 35 Bogart Street, aged 35 years, entered the Stagg street Station House about 10:30 o’clock last night with a wound in his head which he said had been inflicted by a Mrs. Tolmer, of Catherine Street. he was taken to St. Catherine’s Hospital and there subsequently arrested on a charge of assault.
Four small cannon, one of them a dangerous affair of considerable size and made of cast metal, were brought in by the Thirteenth Precinct police.
At 8:35 a.m., a fire broke out in a closet in the pork packing house 859 Broadway, but was extinguished promptly, after slight damage.
About 9 a.m., John Fee, assistant fireman of Engine Company No. 18, extinguished a fire at 338 Humboldt Street, caused by a cracker setting fire to a lace curtain.
At 11:45, the two story cottage 55 Magnolia street was set on fire by crackers and partially destroyed. Damage about $200.
About 2 p.m., a bullet came whizzing through a pane of glass on the second floor of 215 Stagg street, occupied by Mr. Christian Klieber and family. One of his daughters, who was sitting at the window, narrowly escaped. The house is not a block from the Stagg street Station House.
At 4 p.m., the awning of George Young’s grocery, 171 Stagg street, was fired by crackers and totally destroyed. Mr. Conrad Biehler, from the second story, tried to extinguish the flames with a pail of water. Philip Schneider, in endeavoring to do the same thing from the third story, drenched Beihler from head to foot.
FIRES WERE NOT UNCOMMON
About 5:30 p.m., a fire broke out in the three story frame tenement house 237 Ellery street, caused by a furnace setting fire to some joists in the rear of it. The building was damaged about $200; the tailoring stock of Mr. Schwartz, on the first floor, about $50, uninsured, and the furniture of Marcus Marx, on the second floor, $75.
About 9 p.m., Louis Gentsch was sitting at a window on the third floor of 240 Hopkins street, with his little 2 year old daughter in his arm, when a bullet fired from the opposite side of the street struck his wrist just abrasing the skin, but leaving a large swelling. The ball was found and taken to the Flushing avenue Police Station. Detective Brady immediately proceeded to the place and endeavored to ascertain who had fired the shot, but no one appeared to know anything about it outside of the Gentsch family.
About 10 p.m., a skyrocket traversed a large portion of Grand street above Ewen street and resolved itself into stars against a plate glass window in the upper part of Mr. Daniel Canty’s residence, 532 Grand street, fracturing a pane worth $75.
About 11:30 a.m., while Joseph Volkemmer, aged 18 years, was kneeling over a small cannon and helping it to go off by blowing in the touch hole, it went off and nearly blew his left eye out. He was taken to his home, 160 McKibben street, and attended by Dr. Cutter.
At 12 o’clock last night Alexander Doller became involved in a quarrel with Richard Vallmer, of 125 Bushwick Avenue, in the saloon of N. Hoffman, corner of Montrose and Central avenues. Doller, it appears, then left for home and was followed by Vallmer and wife and the quarrel was renewed, during which, it is alleged, Doller drew a knife and slashed Vallmer about the head and face. Doller, too sustained a scalp wound, caused by a brick thrown by Mrs. Vallmer. Doller went to the Sixth Precinct Police Station, whence he was taken to St. Catherine’s Hospital and was subsequently arrested there by Detectives Brady and Delahanty, of the Thirteenth Precinct, on complaint of Vallmer.
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