Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-04-03
A HARD STRUGGLE.
THE MUNICIPAL ELECTION CANDI'
DATES AND WORKERS BUSY.
At $50 a. m. the Count Shows the
Mayoralty Contest Between Harris
and Clement.


firms, saying he had a little business for
some lawyer, but he could find none Of
them in. This fact. in measure.
gives an idea of the interest shown.
The lawyers. some of the doctors, mer-
chants, mechanics, capitalists and in fact
a large per cent of every class attended to
little other business, other that brought
about by the election. From this it must
not be judged that it was a noisy, bolster
Gus affair that there was singing, yelp-
ing and whooping on the streets around
about the polls. On the contrary it seems
to be the general opinion that it was one
of the most orderly elections ever held
in the city. The interest seemed
to be deep and universal
to a certain degree but not of the violent
and noisy sort that is too often seen when
politics and political feeling is behind it,
II was estimated that general interest in
the city's welfare and an interest in per-
sonal friends would be strong enough to
bring out voters but not of that kind
which leads to the comnotion often seen
around voting places.
The leading interest seemed to be cen
tered in the mayor fight. This was the
in the wards there was considerable strug-
gle over the selection Of councilmen.
The ward workers who are accustomed
to figure around the polls and get in effec-
tive work were az sea. They had been &C
customed to be able to figure on the result
with some certainty. They had as rule,
been able to get pointers OF how the battle
was going but it was not that way yester-
day by any means. Voters would appear i'll
the vicinity Of the polls and a gang of
fellows would come at him with tickets.
AS a rule he would take them all; finally
in the shuttle, some fellow would get him
of TO one side, mark ticket, he would not
assent many times and join the line. The
ballot he marked would be in his right
vest pocket Reaching the window he
would pull ticket from the left pocket,
vote it and go away. Many hundred, 1t
would be safe to say, did mat very thing.
IL would be safe to say there was more
vest pocket voting than at any previous
election in the city. There were more
votes cast than at any previous municipal
election, and the vest pocket business was
the feature that paraIyzed, at least terri
fled the workers. Inquiry at any voting
wish seemed always father to the thought.
A worker, as a rule, would confidentially
state his man would win. 1t was set
down early in the day as a
neck and neck race. Whoever should
win it was stated at the close
of the polls would do so by very small
margin. At that time the supporters
were always in good hopes for success.
1t was also noticed that many of the
faces in the poll working ranks that were
usually in the heat of the battle were not
to be seen in that capacity. They might
be discovered on the opposite corner. on
the outside ring of the crowd, but with no
tickets in their hands or pockets,
with no expressions of alarm in
vivid colorS in the face, but
quiet, serene in every respect, and ap-
parently manifestng less interest than the
average voter. This was very noticeable
feature, and the cause for such phenomena
alone might make few columns of very
interestin local reading Some middle
aged and old men who were never seen be-
fore in the working ranks were out with
all the cheek necessary to accost a stranger
on the question of the day
come up with the fact that some of the
old workers were seemingly content with
voting.
In the various wards the contest for
council was one of the striking features.
Possibly the hottest fight was in the Sec
ond ward, while apparently the most
sluggish was in the Fifth. In the First
it was all "about mayor" or so
much so that it seemed to be
greatly in the majority. In the
Third and Fourth, it was lively pull with
the question of councilmen, good second
TO the interest in the mayorality question.
One of the very noticeable features was
the intense quiet and good order that pre-
vailed. The crowd was kept at least fifty
feet from the polls by police who attended
to their ward assiduously and the voter
when he got in line was not disturbed in
the least. With single exception there
was no disturbance.
In the Third ward couple of hot-head
ed fellows tried to fight but could not for
their desire to "clinch." They wrestled
each other a little and would look square
at each other, but the extra amount of
temper was soon exhausted and they were
compelled to take the laugh.
AT THE POOL ROOM.
A good sized crowd had collected at the
Monarch byS o'clock last evening, and
and there was several inquiries for the
news. Occasionally some one would offer
> TO he could name the winner tor mayor.
Then some fellow would hand in a $40 on
q certain fellow for council. This would
be followed with some fellow wanting to
name two of the justices, but as rule
all seemed very careful that they should
not get a hit. The betterS were uncertain
and not anxious to put out their money.
No one seemed to have pointers on the in
side The bet.ers were at sea rs we'll as
the workers.
The streets were crowded with people
who wanted TO hear the latest. Some back
offices were in use supplied with rooms by
runners employed to get the vote as it
was being counted. Occasionally late in
the night or early in the morning some
fellow who had received batch of good
news would give loud voice TO his feel
ings. About this time the other fellows
were leaving and the victorious were get
ting ready TO stay awhile.
At 2:30 o'clock this morning it was esti-
mated that the contest for mayor would
not be settled until tomorrow at Q a. M,
the real contest being between Harris and
Clement, both having distanced Pratt. In
some of the wards only mayor and council
vote was being counted, the justice and
constable vote being left for the last pull.
The vote as counted at ESQ a. rn., IS as fol-
lows;
FIRST WARD.