Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1891-03-06
A heavy VOTE.
How the voters Turned out in the Differ
cnt Wards.

The noteworthy features Of the election
were the promptness aud enthusiasm which
characterized the voters OF both parties
throughout the day. Each side felt that it
was Il critical day and tho city and ward
committees were on hand and busiiy work
ing long before tho the hour Cor the open
ing of the polls. Nneu 10 o clock arrived
the inspectors OF election had posted the
directions for voters a, prescribed 10y law
and in nearly every ward the casting of
ballots began promptly and continued al
most uuinterruptedly owing to the number
OF voters assembled.
The chief exception as regards crowd was
in the First ward, which has the smallest
number of voters OF any ward IN the city.
Here there was no rush and m Ost of the
time a casual visitor would hardly have sus-
pected that an exciting political contest was
in progress quiet was everything about
the voting place. Outside OF the building,
however, all was animation and 50 lively
was the work on both sides that by , o'clcck
100 ballots had been cast. When the ballots
were counted il was found tuat odt of III
persons whose names wor. on the list 1872
had voted 80 having staid away from the
polls.
In the Second ward a large crowd was in
waiting when the polls were opened and vot-
ing began with "a rush which continued with
out a moments interruption tor over an
hour. At tue end of that time the vOt ers
began to struggle in but rs ~ clock ap-
preached work became more rapid and be
tween ~ and | there was regular jam
caused by laborers taking advantage OF tn
noon hour to exercise their right of sui
irage. At O'Clock about 40 votes out of
a total on the list Of G67 had been cast and
| the close of the polls saw III ballots with
100 delinquent voters,
One of the livcliest spots in the city dur
ing the day was the Barnes hose house
where the voters of Third ward cast thcir
ballots. There was crowd in front Of the
building and for some distance Oh the sid --
walk each way almost continually au.
the teams in waiting were SO humorous
that it was often difficult matter for car
riagcs to pass. Here also the casting Of
| ballots began in hurry and the rush con
/ tnued for over an hour. There was an
other hurried time at noon and by 2;3O
O'Clock 800 votes had been cast. The total
vote in the Third ward was $50 out Of ,Ul
registered, leaving 1872 stay-at-homes.
The Fourth ward voters started in mod
erateiy at tae City Court room, but tie IN
tercst increased rapidly as the hours passed,
ing intense. The democrats had plainly Sc,
Out to capture the ward and the repuuli-
cans though some slow at first, soon awoka
to the gravity OF the situation and did good
worl; during the afternoon. 1t 3 o'cloci
over $40 ballots had been deposited auc
when the box was turned it showed a tota
Of 2J3 ont Of iJ4 names on the lit leaving
lOl voters to be accounted for By sickness,
or other causes OF absence
W hen the polls were opened at the Amer
lean House there were about 20 voters il
waiting but the Fifth ward'srepu.a;I as
hustler was soon redeemed 10y a regula
stream OF voters. At noon about 30
ballots had been cast and at 3 0 clock TIT
number had been increased to about 42J
The total number Of names on the list wa
JtO so that l3J voters remained away frou
the polls. Considering the fact that Their
was no contest in this ward over alderman
or school commissioner, this was q surpris
lngly large vote.