FOURTH REAPED
SMALLER CROP
NOT AS MANY ACCI-
DENTS AS USUAL.
ONE BOY NEARLY BLINDED.
MYRON KING INJURED BY IM-
PROVISED CANNON.
Toy Pistols, Cannon Cracker and
Gunpowder Claim a Number
of Victims -- Noisy across the Line.
As the result of an untimely explosion of an improvised cannon, Myron King, the 16-year-old son of A. J. King, 1705 Linwood boulvard, received painful and serious injuries about the face yesterday afternoon possibly blinding his right eye. Myron and about fifteen of the neighborhood boys and girls were gathered in the front yard of H. G. Brown's residence, 3219 Highland avenue, shooting off various kinds of fireworks. After all of the firecrackers had become exhausted, some of the boys decided to use a tomato can as a cannon. It was touching off this cannon that the King boy received his injuries.
The can was about half loaded with black powder and slugs, and then plugged with paper. A small priming hole was drilled through the top of the can and firecracker fuses sere used as a fuse. Myrom stooped over the can to light the fuse. As he struk the match the sulphur tip flew off, falling on the powder which had been placed about the priming hole. There was an explosion, and the powder and tin struck the lad full in the face.
Myron staggered back, grasping blindly at the air. His companions ran to him, and the little girls set up a scream which attracted the attention of the whole block. Mothers, whose boys were in the crowd, ran to the scene of the explosion.
Mrs. G. P. Kincade, 3220 Highland avenue, thinking it was her son who had been injured by the explosion, started to run to Mr. Brown's home. She got no further than the front steps of her own home when she fainted in her son's arms. He had come hurrying home to assure his mother that he was safe.
"DON'T SPOIL THEIR FUN"
None of the King family was at home at the time, so the wounded boy was taken into Mr. Brown's home and several physicians were summoned at once. Among them was Dr. J. W. McKee, an oculist. The boy's face was completely blackened by powder and was badly cut in several places. Immediately the physicians and the oculist began to pick out the grains of powder from the lad's face and eyes, and when they had done as much as was possible at one operation, he was taken to his home.
At the time of the accident Myron requested that his parents not be notified until they returned home, saying: "There is no use to spoil their fun today. The accident has happened and it would do no good for them to come home right now." Nevertheless the physicians thought it best that they should be home to take care of the boy as soon as possible, and they were called from Elm Ridge, where they had gone to see the races.
Concerning the boy's condition, Dr. McKee said: "Myron will have a hard fight for the sight of his right eye. It was badly burned with powder and is in a precarious condition. It is impossible to say at this time just what may be the outcome There is still some powder left in the eye and it was not practicable to remove it this afternoon. His left eye is in good condition and it will not take much treatment to make it as good as it ever was."
MAY LOSE ONE EYE.
The physicians who attended the boy say that his condition is not serious. They fear only infection from the can and powder. Most of the particles were removed from Myron's face yesterday afternoon.
According to the physicians and occulist it will be some time before Myron can use his eyes to any extent. It was said that it would take at least three days to determine just the extent of the injuries done to the right eye, and if it can be restored it will take much treatment and a hard fight on the part of the oculist and boy.
