Lizzie Borden Society Forum

HAPPY 4th EVERYONE!!!

Happy 4th Of July!!!

I hope everyone has a safe and joyous weekend.

I wonder what Lizzie would have done on the 4th. Any ideas?

Happy 4th of July, my favorite holiday. My Mother's birthday is on the 2nd, her sisters is on the 5th. My anniversary with my lover is on the 6th, we have been together for 17 years. I love July! We are going to Sanibel Island to celebrate this event. By the way, Greg's birthday is August 4th. Creepy coincidence huh?

snokkums @ Sat Jul 05, 2008 12:40 pm wrote:I wonder what Lizzie would have done on the 4th. Any ideas?

Probably sit around by herself and think of the "good" times she could have enjoyed if only her family was with her. But then on the other hand she might have gone out with "friends" to celebrate. Either way I'm sure she was rather lonely, especially if she did the killing.

Last night one of my neighbors set off a "fire cracker" so big I thought he had blown his house to pieces. It nearly blew me out of bed. The blast was deafening!

-1bigsteve (o:

Did they use fireworks displays in Lizzie's day?

Judging by this ebay offering, they must have:

http://cgi.ebay.com/4th-of-July-card-re ... dZViewItem

Fireworks were invented by the Chinese in the 12th century.

Of course they were around in Lizzie's day. Don't forget Handel's Royal Fireworks Music from more than a century before.

I'm pretty sure in Lizzie's day there was a 4th of July parade and such, probably picnics in the park, etc. Though I couldn't find anything concrete for Lizzie's era, I did find something interesting from an earlier 4th of July in Fall River with another Borden:

Sylvia Borden
At Fall River, Mass. On July 4, 1822, Miss Sylvia Borden presented an “elegant standard” purchased by the “ladies of the village” to Ensign Thomas D. Chaloner, on behalf of the Fall River Light Infantry. The event took place in front of Col. Durfee’s Hotel. Her speech follows:
Gentlemen of the Fall River Infantry, On the day an altar was erected to liberty in this Western Hemisphere; and the blessings of Heaven hallowed the offering. May the same principles, which, in your fathers, produced our Independence, long exist in you, to defend it.” “Ensign Chaloner, The ladies of this village have the honor to present, through you, this Standard to the Fall-River Light Infantry. Accept it, sir, as a pledge of their esteem, both for your virtues and your valor—Happy, if they can furnish one motive to the brave, or contribute one ray to the glow of patriotic ardor which this day enkindles. Should our country again be invaded, and you called upon to unfurl this banner in defence of its liberties, we are confident you will preserve it untarnished and pure. You will yield to none but the hand of time, to whose alone, it can be gracefully surrendered. The temples of your God, the tombs of your fathers, and the firesides of your families, your virtues as citizens, and your courage as soldiers, will gallantly defend. But may the courage on which we so confidently rely, glow only in your bosoms—may the sound of war and the clash of arms never call it into action; and the peace and liberty of our country, like the smooth surface of the ocean, appear still more sublime, when we know her greatness in the tempest.
Answer by Ensign Thomas D. Chaloner.

Madam, This elegant standard presented by you, I receive as a pledge of genuine patriotism—Permit me, in behalf of the officers and soldiers of the Fall-River Light Infantry, to express to you and the patriotic ladies of our village, the liveliest emotions of gratitude for this testimony of their liberality in presenting us this emblem of national glory—We hope, madam, that our country may remain in peace—but should we ever be called to unfurl this martial trophy in defence of our liberties, it will ever be the rallying point of victory, and never be surrendered to the enemies of our country. The tender solicitude of its fair donors, is alone sufficient to rouse the soldier to Independence—and the recollection that he receives this waving banner, consecrated by beauty, on the birth day of his country’s freedom, will inspire his breast with the true spirit of patriotism, and animate us to follow the examples of those heroes, who in this land of our fathers planted the tree of Liberty.
Rhode-Island Republican, 17 July 1822, 2.

From this site:

http://www.american.edu/heintze/Hubball.htm

That is so cool, Susan!
And thank you TK and Constantine. After TK's link I thought of Lizzie in Boston for the festivities.
(The eBay "rocket" cards were very evocative)
You guys are great searchers!

(I knew about the Chinese but wasn't sure if New England had events and fireworks c. 1900. That's s'pensive, Lucy!)

Have insomnia and can't sleep tonight and did some more delving and found this little blip about the 4th and Massachusetts:

Fireworks have always been dangerous. The firemasters were considered to have a dangerous job, as do those who handle and work with fireworks today. In America, the fourth of July has always been a noisy holiday with guns, drums and cannons. In the 1890's the "Society for Suppression of Unnecessary Noise" was formed. It tried to get people to stop using fireworks near certain areas of town, but to no avail. It was the first group to attempt to make fireworks illegal.

Later, between 1903 and 1907, the American Medical Association kept records of the number of injuries which took place during the fourth of July celebrations. During those years 1,153 people were killed and 21,520 were injured. The first state to outlaw fireworks was Springfield Massachusetts. Other states and cities began following Springfield's example. Today fireworks are illegal in 35 out of the 50 United States and there are many restrictions placed on their use.

Fireworks are loaded full of gunpowder or whatever powder they use so basically fireworks are bombs. With the extremely short fuses on firecrackers it is no wonder people get maimed and killed every year. One spark in a box of fireworks and up it goes. On New Years Eve and the Forth of July people fire off rockets that land on my roof. It's only a matter of time before one sets my place, or a neighbor's, on fire. Gun fire is another problem. I sleep on the floor those two nights to keep below window level.

Few things are as beautiful though as a big fireworks display.


-1bigsteve (o:

Many years ago, I was walking down Astor Place in the East Village in New York and some idiot aimed a rocket right past my feet! I was too afraid of what he might do if I reacted, so I just kept going!

I don't care if some idiot who should know better blows himself up, but if an innocent bystander is hurt, that's different.

I enjoy fireworks when handled properly. I was in Philadelphia last weekend and saw two displays, one near the art museum and another at the harbor. The second was cut short by rain, unfortunately.

Thanks Susan- I was up late myself
Leave it to Massachusetts!
Personally, I used to like fireworks displays. It was family time around Lake Eola. But now as an adult I think of it all as just lighting up $20 bills, and what city can really afford that nowadays.