POLITICAL NOTES: Baltimore’s Bicentenary

Baltimore’s Bicentenary

On Sept. 12, 1814, British frigates besieged Fort McHenry, defender of Baltimore. Enraptured U. S. Citizen Francis Scott Key, a prisoner aboard a British ship, scribbled hastily: “Oh! say, can you see. . . .” Last week, citizens again saw the rockets’ red glare, the bombs bursting in air, as fireworks went off and Baltimore in bunting celebrated the 115th anniversary of siege and anthem, also the 200th anniversary of Baltimore’s city charter. The Navy sent to Baltimore the big-gunned battleship New York and five other ships to fire salutes. Squadrons of Army, Navy and Marine airplanes gyrated geometrically. Three soldierly divisions paraded with artillery, cavalry, tanks. Maj. Gen. Charles Pelot Summerall, Chief of Staff, orated patriotically. In pageant and parade appeared facsimiles of Poet Edgar Allen Poe, Philanthropist Johns Hopkins, Tom Thumb (first U. S. locomotive), first telegraph, first U. S. electric car. Tolerant Baltimoreans rejoiced to see Catholic, Masonic, Jewish fraternal organizations parading amiably together.Up-and-coming Baltimoreans, impatient with these oldtime mementos, bustled pridefully at reminders of civic betterments: police floats “Heroism” and “While Baltimore Sleeps,” Bureau of Street Cleaning float “Intersection of Streets,” Bureau of Sewers float “Sewage Disposal.” Nostalgic Baltimoreans thought of old time celebrations when oysters exclusively Baltimore’s were eaten, when red rye whiskey preeminently Baltimore’s was consumed by the barrelful.