The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-01-03
A LIVELY REGISTRATION.
SEVERAL HUNDRED VOTERS QUAIL
IFY THE FIRST DAY.

The Rush in the First and Fourth Dis
tricts-Policemen Called on to Keep
Order - Plenty OF Reflections and
Kicking-The Managers Strict-Al-
dermen Harmon and His Friends
Think They Are Being Badly Treated.
The registration books for the municipa
election were opened yesterday and several
hundred voters registered. Il was the heav-
lest first days registration that has taken
place here in years and shows that the mu-
nicipal contest is attracting great interest
The offices in the First and Fourth dis
tricts were crowded all day and policemen
had to be stationed at bosh places to keep
J order. The northern part Of the Fourth dis
trict handled the largest number. and at
times the line of applicants for registration
extended beyond the sidewalk into the road.
way.
1t is the strictest conducted registration.
probably, of any since the law went into ef-
| feet. None except those entitled TO vote
will be allowed to register, and the failure
to pay one years. taxes since the adoption Of
the constitution In 1877 or since the voter
became of age is sufficient ground for re-
fusal. There was considerable dissatisfac-
ton and much kicking as a result In the
First and Fourth districts.
THEIR NAMES NOT ON THE BOOKS.
Many persons applied for registration
whose names, through some oversight, did
not appear on the books, or against whom
taxes for certain years were not checked,
and the managers refused them. They
quarreled and threatened, but TO no effect.
Al
either the tax receipts or a certificate from
Tax Collector McGowan that there were no
obligations due, and when these were pre-
sented registration was allowed. A number
of well-known citizens were inconvenienced
in this manner, but in most instances they
took IL good-naturedly, as they
realized that the managers were simply fol-
loving the law and trying to prevent any
fraudulent registration.
Tax Collector McGowan's Office was over
run with men after certificates proving
their payment Of taxes, aud the annoyance
at times interfered with the regular bust
ness of the Office. The failure TO get the
names of some of those entitled to vote on
the books can be accounted for from the
fact that the work Of compilation by dis
tricts is no easy job. and in the hurry Of
preparation names were overlooked
ALDERMAN HARMON AROUSED.
Alderman harmon and his friends pro-
tested against the strlctness OF the mana
gers. They seemed TO be under
the impression that the man.
ayers were sndeavoring TO keep
down the registration of the Harmonites,
and cited the fact that many of those re-
iected at first were men known always TO
have been voters and had paid their taxes,
but they lost sight Of the fact that the man
ayers are not supposed to know anything
about applicants for registration unless
their names appear on the books as square
with all taxes.
Mr.. James J. Hearnmade demand to be
allowed seat In the First district Office as
a representative of Alderman Harmon, but
as the law provides for the presence only of
the managers he was refused. Mr. Hearn
then went outside and took the names of
all those refused registration. This, he ex-
planned, is for the purpose of taking the
matter before the courts.
DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY LIVE.
Considerable confusion resulted on &C.
count of people applying for registration
out of their districts Many seemed to be
unacquainted with the boundaries Of the
district in which they live. The First dig
trict extends from the Ogeechee canal TO the
west side OF Montgomery street inclusive;
the Second district from the east side of
Montgomery street to the west side Of
Barnard street, inclusive; the Third district
from the east side Of Barnard street to the
west side of Absrcorn street, and the Fourth
district from the east side of Abercorn
| street to the city limits on the east.