Sayles Jenks Bowen
On this Fourth of July (Observed) I want to look back on Independence Day celebrations past, in particular the one in 1868. Why that one? Mainly because it is the year described by John Philip Sousa in his novel Pipetown Sandy.
While Sousa does not describe that day in particular, he does have this to say in a list of other days of celebration:
Fourth of July, carrying with it the cannon and fire-cracker, pistol and torpedo, was made notable by the reading of the Declaration of Independence, and brought to a glorious ending by a fine fireworks display.
At least, that was his memory 40 years later. As it turned out, 1868 was a little more subdued than usual, at least according to newspaper reports of the time. The reason for this was mayor Sayles Jenks Bowen’s recent ban on fireworks. The Washington Evening Star published an article “Pyrotechnic Patriotism” that began:
The police today are enforcing with considerable rigidity the law against firing crakcers and other fireworks upon the public streets, and consequently to the relief of sick persons and quiet people generally, much of the usual crackling, hissing and sputtering of “Independence Day” is missed on this anniversary. There seems to be a general disposition to institute a reform in this particular, and to substitute some less demonstrative but more agreeable form of exhibiting patriotic feeling.
At an early hour this morning the usual bell ringing and national salutes took place, though the juvenile portion of our community did not make as much noise as usual with their fire crackers, torpedoes, &c., the recent proclamation of Mayor Bowen having serve to deter them from that amusement. Nevertheless, there was some cracker-popping during the day.
The National Republican on the following Monday concurred in the last paragraph of their article headlined “Independence Day”
In the city, notwithstanding the proclamation of Mayor Bowen and Major Richards, the boys and girls managed to explode a large number of fire works, principally of the less dangerous sort. Thus far we have not heard of no accident of a serious nature occuring by the explosion of fire-works, and trust that the 4th went off without anything occurring in this vicinity, to cause any one sadness in the slightest degree.
Otherwise, it was generally agreed that it had been a fine, if rather warm day. The Republican had begun their article:
On Saturday last the nation’s ninety-second anniversary, which by the way was a red-hot one as all truthful persons will testify, was celebrated hereabouts to the full extent permitted by the weather. All the shaded parks, hill-sides and springs were eagerly sought after by our half-roasted citizens and their little folks; and generally a quite agreeable day was spent, especially by those who were energetic enough to arise and proceed to the cool retreats before old Sol had ascended high in the heavens, and who returned after he had spent his heated fury for the day.