Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-11-09

All parties had watchers on hand to instruc
and give information. The man who knew
how to vote was quite willing to help hi
neighbor who didn't.
A Contrast to Former Elections.
The spirit of fairness shown all around i.
commendable and in marked contrast to the
lively scramble for votes under the ole
plan. The chain around the booths plainl,
said to the public, "Thus far shalt thou
come and no farther" People respected
the lines drawn by the law, and though al
the requirements of the act were no
strictly enforced, voters were respectful
and wanted to know what was allowable
and what not. The majority agree thai
the new system has put the elections on :
higher plain, and if there has been a good
deal of fraud in the past, it will be difficult
to cheat in the future.
The effect of the law first was to bring
out an early and in consequence full vote.
The latter result NAV be due to the in
terest always taken in national contest,
but it is fact that great many people
who probably would not have voted at all
went to the polls to try the new ballot act.
it would be like waiting for chair in
barber shop on Saturday, and they we're
under the impression it would take a long
time to vote. Herein they were sgreeably
disappointed.
No One Had to Wait Long.
All the precincts in the city were pro-
vided with from four to six booths, and no.
body was compelled 10 wait more than a
few minutes. The vote in the suburbs and
in the outlying wards was very heavy in
the morning. The citizens deposited their
tickets before going to work, and many had
made arrangements to remain in the city all
night to hear the returns As an example
of how rapid the voting was done, a few
instances may be cited. In the First pre-
cinct of the Fourteenth ward, IS
tickets had been put In up to
7:30. The eighteenth man was
a barber, and he thought it was pretty
lively work for a half hour. In the first
precinct of the First ward, Allegheny.
William Witherow says SO votes had been
cast at o'clock, and only one was against
the bond issue.
In the downtown wards of Pittsburp the
vote was slower coming in. In the Fourth
ward the average was maintained all day.
while in the First and Second wards the
workers claimed in the afternoon the vote
was not as large as it ought to be- However,
the busiest time in the lower wards is be-
tween and in the evening, and yester-
day was no exception. The mechanics in
the mills go to work in the morning before
the polls are open, and they quit earlv in
the afternoon. Many of the boys 20 direct
to the voting places from the shops, and it
is needless to add that their ballots are
always welcome.
Remarkable Vote at the Northside.
In Allegheny Superintendent Muth at
noon had completed the rounds of ali the
precincts He said the vote up to that time
was the heaviest in the history of the city
Another good effect of the law noticed |
was that it stopped the peddling of tickets |
around the polls, and there wasn't SO much |
button-holing of voters as in former wears
The Democrats and Republicans were yery
watchful, and the challenges were numer-
GUS. A politician stated last evening that
in all his experience he had never seen So
many voters questioned. No tavoritism
was shown, and the man who had not full
filled the requirements of the law in every
detail was turned down This feature of
the election was commented upon BY work
ers in all parties, and they expressed them
selves as glad to see it 1t will cause citI-
future or lose their votes The usual
crowds around the voting places were on
deck, but they were smaller than usual.
A United States marshal was stationed in
every precinct, and the officers saw that
good order was maintained. No boisterous
ak was permitted, and, indeed, the mar
'hals had little to do. The official tickets
we're carefully guarded. In one OF the
downtown districts discussion arose in the
,rowd about some requirement OF the law.