The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-03-18

Tuesday, March II. 1t was day of
many events. In the first place it was
st. Patrick's Day, and the shamrock
and the green glintcd like harbingers
of spring from many hat and many a
lapel. Then it was the day on which
the ground hogs spell was broken, drat
the peslly little varmint whose fearsome
conduct over his own shadow has given
us month and half of bad weather
But the spell was broken, and the day
shone under splendid sunburst, till the
spirit of every man, woman and child
in Roanoke rose like mercury in sun
kissed thermometer on a July day.
1t was bond election day, too. One
would hardly have known it, however,
for the election was carried on so quietly
that stranger would never have sus-
pectcd it from outward signs. Yet
every one in town was keenly Interested
For tho public improvements of Roam
oke depended upon tho result of the
days balloting. The gray hours of
early morning saw the gentle votes fall
in. Tho Fire Department did good
work After the first hour the workers
saw how things wero going, that the
fire ordinances were safe, and then
they turned in with will and carried
the battle along the whole line. Every
ordinance felt the lift Of their spirited
work, and reports went from First ward
to Second and from Second to Third and
so on around the ring-"Ten to one for
the ordinances" "All the ordinances
arc running straight" "The Jail and
court house little weak in the Second,
but coming out all right"
BY noon half the ballots were de-
posted. Everything was orderly. Not
drunken man around the polls. The
bluecoats had an easy time of it. The
afternoon wore on. The sun dropped in
the West. At COG every vote was in;
the polls closed and the work of assert
ing and counting began. In the First
ward the election officials were experts,
and the sorting and counting went on
rapidly and like clock-work.
TIMES reporters were at each polling
place. Tables were prepared giving the
returns. The figures were filled in as
fast as read out, and the minute tho last
one was received the reporters put for
THETIMEs office like his Satanic majesty
treading tan bark.
At the office all was ready. Printers
were at their cases; blank tables had
been prepared, and all that had to be
done was to insert the figures and put
the tables in the form.
Within Is minutes from the time the
last figures were received THE TINES
Extra was on the street, and you, friend,
were reading it while the ink was
damp on the pen that wrote it.
The First ward polls were opened
promptly at sunrise.
The first votes were cast by mon
living in the suburban portions of the
city OF the eleven first cast ten were
in opposition to the streets and sewers.
The advocates of public improvements
were alarmed and went to work in
earnest. Although it was in the early
morning and the air was damp and
chilly, c. Markley stood at the window
and waited on the freeholders. He al
ways handed out a straight ticket and
stuck to the place nearly all day BY
o'clock the prospect looked brighter and
as the business men came down to the
offices, great many stopped to vote.
Hardly any colored voters were to be
seen around these polls during the en-
tire day. BY 12 o'clock 1Os votes had
been cast. AT o'clock there were 100,
all going nearly solid for the appropria-
tions.
At tho Second ward voting was begun
early, mostly by the colored freehold
ers. Pat Oliver and Bill Redd were in
STRUGGLING them as they desired to vote.
The former was opposed to all except
the firm alarm and schools The latter
favored everything, but Bill looked as
If he had lost his old-time way of forcing
the issue.
At 10 o'clock 1879 votes had been cast.
Everything looked bright for carrying
the entire list of ordinances, despite the
votes cast against the streets and sew
ers early in the morning. Everybody
thought at ~ o'clock that the court
house, Jail and mayors Office appropria-
ton mad gone under. But the firemen
came tp the rescue and worked as;,idu-
81. r. \, Il -.