The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-11-10
THE ONLY TOPIC.
he Excitement Over the Uncertainty
The Streets Crowded With People and
Business Almost Suspended.

election. The Republicans got much encouE-
| agement from the cheering news given them
in the PRESS, and later dispatches confirmed
it. The Democrats, as usual, were confident OF
victory. Much of this confidence was doubt
less obtained from the Argus, which suppress
ed dispatches which pointed to Republican
victory sent by the Associated Press and in
stead gave bulletins which indicated the
chances in favor of Tilden. Both parties kept
their flags out all day and were confident of
success.
The crowds about the bulletin boards and in
front of the PRESS and Argus offices were not
large in the morning. but they steadily increas-
ed. At 10 o'clock despatch was received by
Col. f. N. Dow from Hon. Zachariah Chan
dler, stating that Hayes had carried 81 states
giving him 1876 electoral votes This caused
great excitement and the Republican stock rose
correspondingly. 1t was impossible for news
paper man to step upon the street without be-
ing button hold by dozen men who pro.
pounded the thread.bare query of "what's the
latest"
At noon that wager between the two men
employed at Winslow's pottery, was settled.
The Republican wheeled the Democrat in a
barrow from the pottery through Green, Con-
gress, Preble and Portland streets to Brattle
street followed by large crowd of people, who
wondered why the Republican was in such
haste to settle his bet The more cautious ones
do not pay until the matter Is settled beyond a
doubt
In the afternoon the crowd on Exchange
street increased so fast, that as the day before,
the police were obliged to keep the street clear.
Besides those which collected in front of this of
flee, large numbers of teams would stop to get
the latest news and but fof the police the street
would have been impossible half the time. A
large bulletin board in front of Merchants Ex-
change attracted large crowd of anxious
people. AT o'clock bulletin was displayed
announcing South Carolina Democratic by
2OOf This probably ment that Wade Hampton
had 1000, but the Democrats thought of course
it meant Tilden, and then there was cheering
with will. Those who had been buying pools
on the Great Reformer were made glad indeed.
To be sure but few of them could read the de-
spatch, but it was read to them, and that was
just as we'll.
change in the tide took place when de-
York stating that the Governor, Congressman
and chairman of the Republican committee of
Florida claimed the state for Hayes. This with
other information received, induced the publish
ers of the PRESS to issue an extra at 345. Ar
rangements were made for it, and just as the
paper was going to press special was received
from New York stating that Hayes election
was assured beyond doubt. This despatch
was set up and put into the extra, which de-
layed the papers until 4 o'clock. When they
were delivered into the PRESS counting
crowd, and the rush continued for two hours
A very large edition was disposed of so great
was the anxiety to learn the latest news.
Soon after the extra was issued despatch
was bulletined at the Western Union telegraph
office saying that pools were selling in New
York 500 for Hayes to $50 for Tilden; that the
Republican National Committee claimed the
election for Hayes; and that Florida had given
1000 Republican majority. This information,
together with the good news contained in the
PRESS and Advertiser almost produced pam
ic among the Democracy. Among any other
class ofpeople it would have produced stam-
pede The betting which had been almost
dropped since election day was revived and it
was reported that bets Of two to one were made
on Hayes election. The only reason why there
was not more betting was the fact that the
men who are in the habit of risking money on
election had staked their pile, thus the large
crowd which gathed about the newspaper
offices yesterday and the day before. The ma
jority of them, do not care fig whether it is
Hayes, Tilden or even Cooper but they do care
to win their bets which they have made on the
result 1t would be hard to estimate the amount
which has been staked in this city, but it can
not fall far short of $4,000. Many of those
who have gone into this business have not the
amount staked to lose, and if they do lose it
their condition is not one to be envied. If men
will bet for pleasure and can afford to lose their
money it doesn't seem SO bad, but for men with
families dependent upon them for support to
stake their weekly earnings for some time to
come, as many have done in this city 1t is too
bad.
The excitement over the result among bust
ness men was very marked. Taking stroll on
Commercial street yesterday afternoon our re-
porter found merchants sitting around in their
counting rooms talking over the possibilities of
the result The Republicans were all hopeful
while the Democrats were not willing to con-
cede the election of Hayes. They were all anx-
ious to learn the result, and one of them re-
remarked that sit is impossible for one to work
urtIl it is settled whether we have Democrat
ic President for four years." Many others were
in the same condition, and the majority of the
Wholesale stores might have been closed for all
the business they transacted. This anxiety in
regard to the affairs of the government on the
part of our business men speaks we'll for the
future of our country.
m, to Democrat in this city, said, ''The belief
in Hayes's election grows stronger here"
The chairman of the Republican city coin
mittee, Mr.. Chapman, received the following
despatch at $50 from R. G. Mccormick, Secre-
tary of the National Committee:
regard the election of Hayes as certain. He
has 1876 votes. Florida is surely Republican mo
doubt at all.
The crowd fingered about the newspaper
offices until the counting rooms were closed at
night when they retired to the headquarters to
talk, tell stories and wait the result Lancaster
Hall was filled with cheerful crowd, who
were made happy at 8 o'clock by a despatch
from New York stating that all the dispatches
of the day were confirmed and Hayes was
surely elected. AT the elise of the reading of
this despatch the hall was filled with such
cheering as has not been heard for many day.
The crowd was prepared for just such infor-
nation and it received hearty welcome The
evening was spent 10 prospecting upon the re-
suit and the hall was not closed until late
hour The.bess of feeling was manifested and
all went home confident of victory.
AT Army and Navy hall there was as might
be supposed large crowd of despondent ones.
They fingered around for some time until at
last they received the information that Tilden
had 203 electoral votes This was received with
loud cheers. One of the faithful was asked if
he believed it, and he replied that he should if
the Republicans had not received just the op-
posite news from reliable sources, while theirs
was not authenticated.
If all the dispatches which were received here
vest erday could be published they would fur
nish varied column of reading matter. The