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Pat Shingleton: "Yep, Its' the Fourth..."

6 years 8 months 3 weeks ago Tuesday, July 04 2017 Jul 4, 2017 July 04, 2017 4:10 AM July 04, 2017 in Pat Shingleton Column
By: Pat Shingleton:

Buried in today’s article are five nouns depicting events related to the Fourth of July.  On July 4, 1856, E Meriam, writing for the New York Times, noted that over 67 consecutive years, rain had fallen on thirteen Independence Days. It was 102 degrees on July 4, 1860 and if Madison and Monroe had been in Charleston, South Carolina, they may have learned that eight people died of sunstroke, including two German Fusiliers. A tornado hit Washington, D.C. ripping off roofs for blocks on July 4, 1874. Thomas Jefferson once thought that smoke from fireworks and other explosives could cause rain. On July 4, 1806 an earthquake occurred in Schenectady, New York, along with the rumble of distant thunder.I remember the weather being just about perfect for the Fourth of July. Memories of former 4ths include a huge picnic in the backyard.  Two or three wash tubs were stocked with drinks, kept cold from the blocks of ice from the local ice house.  On the grill, foot-long hotdogs and burgers, along with potato salad, baked beans and casseroles; delivered by relatives. My grandfather made sure there was a chilled watermelon in the basement.  After participating in a baseball game or marching in a parade, the backyard provided wiffle-ball games, volleyball or touch football.  Finally, from Longview Drive on Wiley Hill in Ellwood City, Pennsylvania, we would look out over a valley as fireworks blasted skyward from the Conquenessing Country Club below.  Other displays were viewed from the Blue Sky and Spotlight 88 Drive-In Theatres. We'd trek to J and T Frozen Custard Stand to wrap-up the day. Enjoy the 4th.

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