INDEPENDENCE DAY

Hokitika Guardian, 6 July 1931, Page 3

INDEPENDENCE DAY

HEAVY DEATH ROLL. {.United Press Association—By Electrk Telegraph.—Copyright. J NEW YORK, July 4. The Fourth of July (Independence Day) fatalities have already reached a heavy total with but half of the holiday week-end passed. The deaths already number at least one hundred. Th© intense heat prevailing drove great crowds from the cities to the seashore, where a gay throng participated in colourful Independence Day celebrations. New York City alone has reported that two deaths and one hundred injured from fireworks, mostly children. The majority of the deaths recorded are, however, due to drownings and motor accidents, while fires, explosions, .shootings and other accidents have increased the itoll.: ; One of the chief centres of holiday interest in -New York was the airplane'; “Winnie Mae,” which , circled the globe, and whicli thousands visited, while the; two airmen, Post and Gatty, hav© gone: on a golfing tour. Much 1 excitement occurred at one • point ,when a dropped cigarette fired kthe decorations about their airplane, Kit 'the -iaijiej} ,were extinguished beKi'e the plane was damaged..