This Day in Norwood History-July 1, 1904-Police Regulations for July 4th

According to regulations made by the Fire Marshals department of the District Police, relative to the sale of fire-crackers, fixed ammunition to minors under the age of seventeen years, and prohibiting the sale of potash-dextrine explosives.

No person shall sell or keep for sale any fire-crackers of a greater length than six inches.

No person shall sell to any minor under seventeen years of age any cartridge or fixed ammunition.

No person shall sell or keep for sale the explosive known as the “cane” or “potash-dextrine” tablet or torpedo or any explosive of a similar kind and power.

Parents and guardians of youth are requested to assist the police in enforcing these regulations.

WARREN E. RHOADS,
Chief of Police.
Norwood, Mass., July 1, 1904

For a Less Dangerous Fourth.

Chief of Police Rhoads requests all parents and guardians of youth to cooperate with the police on July 4, in restraining children and minors from the use of toy pistols, dynamite cartridges and fulminating caps on July 4, as such use is in violation of law, and those indulging in such use are subject to arrest. The use of firecrackers, torpedoes and a few other of the older explosives is usually winked at on the Fourth, but the use of firearms and dynamite explosives by minors is prohibited, and the laws against their use will be rigidly enforced as far as the authorities are able to do so. It may not be generally known that the use of all explosives, including even firecrackers and torpedoes, is prohibited by statute j on all days of the year, including the Fourth.

There is, however, considerable latitude allowed the small boy in the use of firecrackers and torpedoes. The use of pistols by the youngsters as well as the use of toy pistols, canes containing dynamite cartridges or lulininatmg caps or any dynamite preparations is prohibited, and the law will be enforced this year. The movement around here is not so much for a noiseless Fourth, which is something not altogether practicable, but for a less dangerous Fourth.

Local dealers in fireworks say that they are making every effort to comply with the law and are in full harmony with the police on the matter. The firecrackers and cannon crackers sold here are legal ones, and the guncotton and dynamite crackers are not being sold by them. The canes, if properly used, are distinctly mentioned as harmless by Judge Emmons. They are to be used with a thin, harmless torpedo, and not with the fulminating caps which are dangerous and prohibited. The toy pistol is not necessarily so dangerous, unless ballbearing cartridges are used with it. The accidents from toy pistols arise largely from a bullet or ball-herring cartridge, never intended for them, being used with them. The blank cartridges intended for a toy pistol contain only gunpowder and are practically harmless. On the box containing the pistol it is distinctly stated that only blank cr .bridges are to be used in it. When the regular bullet cartridge is used accidents do not neccessarily occur, but are very apt to.

The cartridge is apt to clog the barrel of the pistol, and a pistol exploded at the wrong end and an injured boy may result.

The fireworks dealers show every desire to cooperate with the police in working for a less dangerous Fourth of July.

(All articles were originally published in the Norwood Messenger unless otherwise noted)