Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-02-27
CHICAGO CHOSEN.
The Lake City Gets the Worlds
Fair Site.
EIGHT BALLOTS WERE NECESSARY.
st. Louis and Washington Never in the
Race After the First BaIlOt-New
York Contests Every Inch OF
Ground.


above the glass panels of the ceiling OF
the hall of the House at high noon yes
terday, when the Speakers gayel tell'
the galleries were packed with specta-
tors and crowds DISTRACTED the CORR
doris. All of these people had gathered
to witness the deciding struggle between
the adherents of the cities of New York,
Chicago, st. Louis and Washington, up
on the result of which partly depended
the location of the Worlds Fair Of 1892.
A host of representative men were to be
seen in the reserved galleries.
Representative O'Neill, of Pennsyl-
vania, opened the proceedings by pre-
senting John E. Reyburn, the successor
Of the late Representative Kelley, of
Pennsylvania. Mr.. Reyburn took his
place before the bar and was sworn in
by the Speaker.
The clerk then read the special order
of the House prescribing the method OF
voting upon the site for the Fair, requir-
ing some one place tohave majority OF
the votes cast.
Mr.. Blount, of Georgia, wished to
know if there would be an opportunity
afforded to pass upon the question as to
whether there shall be a Fair before Sc
lecting site.
The Speaker replied that under the
special order this opportunity could not
be had and Immediately directed the
clerk to call the roll.
There was some applause as the first
few responses were made, which was
promptly checked by the Speaker. The
vote resulted: Chicago, lis; New York,
70; St Louis, 81; Washington, Sc, scat
tering, /.
The Speaker announced that the total
number of votes cast was sos and 153 was
majority. During the callmany mem
bers kept tally for themselves, and so it
happened that when Mr. Mason's name
was called he shouted out ''Sixty-fve,"
meaning the total number of votes cast
for Chicago up to that point, but cor
rected himself Immediately to ''Chica-
CO." to the amusement of the House.
The Chicago people were jubilant up
on the announcement of the vote, but
were restrained from expressing their
feelings openly by reason of the Speak
er's caution to the House torefrain from
any demonstration. During the re-
capitulation of the names there were
signs of consultation among the leaders
and the Chicago and Washington people
looked with suspicion upon Mr.. Dockery,
of Missouri, when he approached Mr..
Cummings, of New York, and held
whispered conversation with him for
moment
The second ballot was taken and re-
suited as follows: Chicago, 121; New
York, SO; st. Louis, SO; Washington, 40.
This showed gains of six and eleven for
Chicago and New York respectively and
losses of two and ten for st. Louis and
Washington respectively. The single
scattering vote also disappeared. The
total vote was &c., of which 155 was
majority.
As soon as the result had been an
nounced, without affording an oppor-
tunity for discussion, the Speaker stated
that no city had received majority of
all the votes cast and accordingly di-
rected the clerk to again call the roll.
So the reading clerk again began to call.
There was a good deal of Unsurpassed
excitement visible which was hardly
justified by the result, although the New
York and Chicago people professed their
satisfaction.
The official announcement of the third
ballot was: Total vote, 3O6: necessary to
a choice, 154. Chicago, 1877; New York,
%; st. Louis, SO; Washington, 81 As
compared with the second ballot it
showed a gain for Chicago of 6 and New
York of and losses for st. Louis and
Washington of 6 and u respectively.
The clerk had no chance to rest, for
ignoring the appeals of certain members
who had been at luncheon to be allowed
to record their ballots "a practice for
hidden by the new rules the Speaker
again directed the roll to be called.
This was the fourth ballot, and it re-
suited in the casting of the same total
vote-S06 The details were: Chicago,
1874; New York, IS; st. Louis, As; Wash
ington, 90. The Chicago men frightened
visibly at the result for they had gained
seven votes as against gain of only
three for New York, while st. Louis mad
lost five, the beginning of the end in
their case, and Washington five.
Even without waiting for recapitu-
lation of the votes the reading clerk,
showing WEAKNESS, began the monoto-
nous roll call once more. As the call
progressed the Chicago men began for
the first time to show signs of uneasi-
ness and Messrs. Mason and Springer,
who were doing the larger part of the
whipping in, redoubled their efforts,
hurrying pages into the restaurant and
committee rooms after absent members
and routing oat others from the Hobbies
and cloak rooms. Dir. Flower was keep
ing tally for the New Workers and
greeted every accession with 8 smile. |
From his seat in the center, Mr.. HIT |
was doing the same for the Chicagoans,
and he appeared to be the least anxious /
of the little knot of earnest whisperers
in his vicinity. Mr.. Martin, of Texas, /
was consulting with his colleague, Mr.. /
Mills, as to whether he would be justi-
fed in changing his vote from 81. Louis +
to New York, and his hoarse whisper
with the other conversations disturbed
the proceedings to such an extent that |
the Speaker was compelled to suspend
the roll call to obtain order. Finally
Dir. Martin changed his vote IN time to
join the losing side.
The fifth ballot showed total vote of
S12, and the apprehensions of the Chica-
goans were justified in a measure, for
New York gained fifteen votes while
Chicago added but six to her column.
St Louis, meanwhile, fell OF zen votes
and Washington five.
All was excitement as the roll ealA
9 rrai 49,. II