The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-11-10
GETTING THE RETURNS.
How the Semi Count
Is Made.
ELECTION OFFICERS DRUNK.
Scene In the Registrars Office and Assembly
Rooms Of the Election Com mission
ers Yesterday.
ELECTION OFFICERS DRUNK.


elbOwiDg, more or less sober politicians and
office-seekers, boys" and workers "
thronging the corridors leading to the Reg
istrar's Office and the Election Commission
ers' rooms.
l expected TO be nearly Rspbixiated by
tobacco smoke, and crowded and knocked
about till l became sore and bruised.
And | was agreeably disappointed. There
were no crowds in the corridors at the new
City Hall. The Registrars rooms were not
thrOnged, nor was the assembly hall Of the
Commissione rs packed.
Instead of all these disagreeable things |
found half hundred well-dressed. gentle
manly behaved young men who, upon IN
vestigation. turned out TO be newspaper re-
pOrters.
When first entered the Election Com
missioners' assembly-room l thought the
commission was in session, for :here. seated
high and nightly on the raised platform
and behind the long judicial looking bench
eontrived for the sole uses of the solemn
officials, were i've grave and important
looking gentlement busily writing and act
ing for all the world, 10 my unsophisticated
eyes, like real judges.
But they, too. proved to ba newspaper re-
pOrters, aud soon / found out that the entire
assem- bly-room had been taken possession
They worked like beavers, kept handling
big sheets Of printed writing paper and cali
iEg off TO one another, "Ellert, O'Donnell,
Easton," etc.
They were busy reporting the election re-
turns TO their respective papers. They
used the semi-official returns sent In from
the precincts, / discovered, making copies
Of each for their papers.
The heelers, small politicians, workers
and boys" were entirely absent Some of
the daylight lasted the inhabitants Of that
particular part of the lower regions OF the
new City Hall where the Registrars Office
is located were gentlemen. in dress and de-
pertinent at all events.
There were few politicians about, in
Tact during the day, great many Of the
different candidates and their friends
looked in at odd times to see how things
were going.
There was. however, a noticeable absence
OF Republican" candidates and friends Of
them.
Ex-JGdge Mcguire came In during the aft
ernoon, and when asked by friend how he
was going" replied that he guessed he'd
win.
This was hardly arash guess of Maguire's
either, Tor the returns. as they came In,
showed big mal0rities for him.
Ex-Judge Van Reynegom. who was a
candidate for the Superior bench on the
Nom Partisan ticket spent an hour or so
looking over the returns He didn't appear
TO be very anxious, and | don't believe lie
has worried bit about his election.
During the day l was introduced to
Harvey ID. TalcOtt. the tall, gentlemanly
looking candidate for Police Judge on the
Non-Partisan ticket.
MI Talcott's cheeks were rosy and his
eyes sparkled merrily. 1t was plain he had
lost no sleep lately.
''Pl1 bet hat" he said to friend, "that
I'm not elected" and with much laughter
the two shook hands and declared ii go"
The only humorous thing l observed in
the asSembly-room was something that
should have been considered, | have no
doubt, very solemn and impressive.
Perhaps my risible faculties are too easily
awakened; perhaps-Dut then I'd better
tell you it and let you judge for yourself.
The semi-cifeial returns were brought
from the polling booths TO the counting
room OF the Registrars Office.
There they were copied by an efficient
corps OF clerks and then taken into the re-
porters for them to copy.
Now, at intervals Of about every FIVE min-
utes, the door OF the assembly room, where
the reporters were, would open slowly.
Slowly tail. grsy-beaided figure would
move through the open doorway into the
center Of the room and deposit a return
sheet" on the table.
This parsonage was as straight as an
arrow. lie held his head high and stepped
carefully. He looked never to the right nor
TO the left, only straight ahead.
His movements appeared to be purely
automatic lie took SO many steps each
time he brought in a return sheet" and
never step more. lie neither spoke nor
winked an eye.
His mein was naughty and dignifed in
the extreme. His bearing would have been
impressive had it not been funny.
heard one man shouting that 'De
Young was all right"
him down very effectively by offering to bet
him anything from cigar TO 500 that Mr..
de Dung would not be the next United
States Senator.
The first man had not so much to say after
this. lie attempted to argue tie question a
little, but every sine he began explaining
"how and why" the other replied with the
statement that money talks"
1t did talk, too, In the Commissioners
room yesterday.
Sheriff Laumeister looked in during the
afternoon, but he didn't seem TO be over
anxious about the personality or politics of
his successor. He asked the reporters
whether ODonnell or Ebert was ahead.
and seemed pleased when one OF them an
swered ''Ellert"
Attorney General Hart was in a good
humOr, but he admitted that something big
had had decidedly downward tendency
during the preceding twenty-four hours.
L am told that the Acknowledgement
always smiles. ] can believe this.
for, although his heart must have been
heavy yesterday. his face was smiling and
his manner even jolly.
1t has never been my good fortune to meet
gentleman who wore silk hat with as
brilliant and scintillating polish as that
which adorns the well-shaped head of
Registrar Brown. i saw good deal of the
Registrar Yesterday. for he was in and out
of the Election Commissioners room con.
stantly.
white tie that is Of pristine purity. There
are few moustaches calculated to awaken
the envy of the male sex and admiration of
the ladies' more than that worn by San Fran
cisco's Registrar.
On the blackboard. In the Registrars
office, i read this legend:
."'-'''''''
FLOR SALE
saloon in good locality Owners