Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-12-13
A SPECIAL, ELECTION
At McKee's Rocks in the Early Spring
Will Give the First
TEST OF THE BAKER BALLOT LAW.
The Modified Australian System Will De-
eide Heated Contest.
SUNDAY PICNICS WILL BE THE ISSUE

The town of McKee's Rocks will hold the
ballot law. Besides becoming the people
educator in this way, it will very likely be
able to give pointers to the best Of states
men on sharp political work. Republican
and Democratic lines will not be drawn,
but the question to be decided will be that
of Sunday picnics. Instead of political
economy, the gay young masher and the
lady who captures him on the summer ex-
cursions to the green just below the town
will be the issues of the campaign, and on
the way their freedom is decided will de-
pend the future liberty of Pittsburg's rest
less Sunday picnickers.
It is now almost definitely decided that
McKee's Rocks will become borough. An
application was presented to the grand jury
yesterday by Attorney Frank Thompson,
and, as there is no opposition, the petition
will undoubtedly be allowed. 1t will then
have to lie over until the next term of court
before it will be confirmed. This will be in
March, and, as the Baker ballot law goes
into effect March 1, the borough officers will
have to be elected under the new system.
A Heated Contest Expe ected.
The expediency of the law will be fully
tested. There are about 500 voters in Nc
KEGS Rocks, and as affairs now look there
will be a contest that will bring every man
to the 'front.' There will only be one elec-
tion precinct, and if, as is claimed, the Aus
tralian system is slower than the present
method, it will take lively hustling to get
the entire vote polled.
The Sunday picnics are held within the
proposed borough lines and have heretofore
had as much freedom as Columbus and his
followers when they stepped on American
soil. These parties are made up of Pitts
burg's most lively classes who are taken to
freedom for 10 cents ride on the boats that
make regular trips to the grounds, and in
summer the celebration is rather bolster
Gus.
One class of citizens wants to enforce
order after the borough is formed, but they
are opposed by the people who found profit
in the picnics The former are in the ma
jority, but the latter are better fighters and
will make desperate attempt next March
to elect borough officers of their liking.
The indications are that they will paint
election day a brilliant red. and unless peace
is patched up between now and then, the
Baker law will receive baptism of mighty
hot water
Booths Must Be Obtained.
When County Commissioner Mercer was
told he would have to get the new booths
ready in March, he was greatly surprised. He
had been counting on having until Novem-
ber to make preparations, but said that
McKee's Rocks would not be kept back
by the county. The new law provides
that the Secretary of the Commonwealth,
the Secretary of Internal Affairs and the
Auditor General shall determine on pat
g., tI,e ho1
has not yet been done. Enterprising firms
have been furnishing the County Commits
sioners with price lists of the necessary fur
niture, and state that they can fill an order
without delay.
Mr.. Mercer thinks there will be great
deal of trouble in enforcing the new law,
and saws that McKee's Rocks will un-
doubtedly have great many visitors and
politicians from all over the State on their
borough election day.
, Squire Bryan states that he hasn't any
doubt that the West End Railway Company
will run electric cars to McKee's Rocks
next season, but there is hitch as to the
price of fares to be charged, and some other
things.
Not Able to Reach an Agreement.
The township authorities have received
several propositions from the company
which were rejected, and they in turn submit
some. The company wants the people of
the proposed borough to agree not to pass
any vexatiously restrictive ordinances, and
the people reply that they are not willing
to contract to relinquish control. The pro-
posal is to run cars as far as Bryan's tavern,
on the Middletown road.
The people insist that they shall be car
ried from that point to the intersection of
Fifth and Liberty avenues, this city, for 5
cents, no double fare arrangement at Saw
mill Run, as at present, and the company
insists that the sum is not sufficient. Bry-
ans tavern is opposite Duff s station, on
the p G. &, v Rv