The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1892-01-15
The Election Booths.
A TRIAL OF THE NEW LAW WILL BE
EXPENSIVE.

ker ballot reform bill to select suitable
voting booths, guard rails and ballot
boxes is composed Of Secretary Of
State Harrity, Secretary of Internal
Affairs Stewart and Auditor General
McCamant. The action of this COM
mission is important, as it involves the
expenditure of about quarter of a
million of the States money, the first
cost of those supplies being borne by
the commonwealth, after which each
county will have to keep up its
own voting apparatus. 1t has been
virtually decided that the commission
has no power to purchase ballot box,
but it will make recommendation
that is expected to have considerable
weight with the County Commissioners,
who will purchase them for their own
districts. Another expense that will
fall heavily upon the counties will be
for the providing polling places to con
form with the requirements of the law.
Rooms will have to be secured thirty
by twenty feet, and as these are not
always easy to rent for one or two days
4 year. it may necessitate renting them
by the year or the purchase of nova
bic polling places that may be set up
in the street, and. after election, taken
to pieces and stored away for future
use. As there is no material that
would answer the purpose SO well as
steel, the purchase Of these polling pla-
ces means the outlay Of large amount
Of money.
The Commission has decided that
it will not purchase booths composed
of wood or wood and canvas, and the
competition has virtually narrowed to
three styles, one, all of steel, which
closes up something on the principle
Of jack knife, manufactured by St.
Louis firm, and two, built Of iron and
wood, manufactured by firms at Mari
eta, Lancaster county, and Buffalo,
N. Y, respectively. The Commission
took vote on the question a few days
ago, when Secretary Harrity favored
the St. Louis booth, Secretary Stewart
that from Marietta, and Auditor Cen
eral McCamant that made in Buffalo.
The St. Louis firm, to put itself on an
equal footing with any concern in this
State has pledged itself, if awarded
the contract, to manufacture the booths
in Pennsylvania
The booths now under consideration
range at SIS piece. At the Novem-
Der election next year there will be
about 1850 voting districts in the
State, and an average Of five booths
for each polling place will be required.
That means 2a,5oo booths at total
cost of $ISo,ooo. In addition to this
will be the cost of guard rails, SO that
$500, 900 is low estimate of the first
cost of the new law to the Common
wealth.
A LATER REPORT.
The commission has adopted the
style Of ballot box manufactured by
c. +. Hodson. of New York, which it
will recommend to the county COM
missioners for adoption. The coun-
ties must furnish the boxes. AS it will
be necessary to procure boxes large
enough toShold the blanket tickets to
be voted it is likely that that manufac-
tured by Mr.. Hodsdon will be gener-
ally adopted.
The commission has prepared the
following specification for a polling
booth: Material to be clear seasoned
white pine, number one grade. The
divisions and backs from one and one
fourth inch stuff, surfaced on all sides,
to be made in separate panellings and
must follow accurately the size and
shape shown on drawing, the styles
and rails to be moulded on the solid,
framed together and mouldings COPIED;
each division and back to be hinged
together by two two-inch by four-inch
back flaps; the first or starter booth
and the annexes to be joined by
screen door fasteners, one at top and
one at bottom. The shelf to be from
one-inch stuff, surfaced on all sides and
held in place by stub and plate on the
back and single-bed fastener at each
end, and set to slope one half incl
from back to front. The metal fittings
described to be in malleable iron O
sizes and weight shown, on drawing.
STYLE OF THE GUARD RAIL
The pattern of the guard rail Sc
lected is similar to that presented b,
, the Buffalo Portable steel house com
pany, Of Buffalo, n. Y. The specifi
cations for this rail as adapted follows
Floor flanges are to be made Of cas-
: iron containing five screw hoes to b.
tapped so as to admit three-quarte
, inch pipe. Standard to be on three
: quarter-inch pipe, thirty-two inches i
: length, threads cut on lower end t
enable it to be firmly screwed int
floor OF cage. Top to be one an
| three quarter-inch iron knob, contain
: ing hole to admit chain, also top ho.