The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1894-11-14

where no figures were entered. The re-
porters were compelled to use their ut
most efforts to centralize their attention.
for to miss a single figure was to lose the
rest of the list. There was no way to tell
after a space was passed. where to begin
again. Occasionally a pencil point would
break, and then-but reporters are all mod
els of patience.
The bicycle messengers did good work
No one could have found fault with any
of them. They seemed to realize that
work was important to the public, and
took pride in doing it well. Some excel
lent records were made, and the rudy
cheeks and steamng swea ters was evil
dence to the reporters that they had made
as good time as possible. The mascot of
the messenger corps, and Clerk Haneys
particular pride, was boy of II years
named Clifford Hayes. He had clearly
understood his instructions and made no
mistakes. Next to him in age was Harry
Heberle, a 14-year-old lad who lives in the
Second ward. The parties who came in
for the largest share of blame were the
election judges. The mistakes made by
them were numerous, and caused great
Inconvenience and many unnecessary trips
for the messengers. 1t was the general
impression at the city clerks office that
appointments based upon fitness rather
than political preference would be more
satisfactory.
At o'clock on Wednesday morning the
reporters relieved by substitutes
after hard nights work. For Mr. Haney
there was no such relief. From Tuesday
night until Wednesday night at o'clock
he stood at his desk reading the figures
from the return blanks and directing the
movements of his small army of messen-
gers and assistants. His task was one
which few men could fulfill and when he
read the last sheet of figures in voice as
clear as when he began, and at a rate
which distanced every pencil at the re-
porters table, he was greeted with cheers
FROM THE COUNTY.
The method of receiving the county re-
turns was similar to that for the CITY.
Instead of employing special messengers
who made it a business to bring returns
from one more districts, the county
returns were brought to the office of the
county auditor by one of the clerks Of
the country polling district. In addition to
the formal and official return there was
an unofficial copy for the newspapers
These We're opened at the county auditors
office, clerks copied the figures upon speci-
ally prepared sheets and messenger bows
hurried them into the vortex of figures
which kept a dozen men busy for many
hours.
The material for THE TRIBUNE'S
arithmetcal bureau was the sheets showing.
the vote either upon the state, city or
county ticket. These were brought by mes
and county auditor in envelopes properly
marked to avoid all possible confusion or de-
lay. They were copied at once by expert ac-
countants into the great ruled sheets upon
which the entire vote of the city were final
ly shown. The table upon which the CITY
vote was recorded was about two yards
long and q yard WIDE and the others were
SONS what smaller. The transcription of fig
ures from the sheets to their final resting
place upon the completed record was like
inlaying in ornamental woods each number
in its own particular square. If it was mis-
placed it played merry hob with the next
number and threw the total off.
Thick and fast these sheets began to come
few hours before election, but not too
fast for THE TRIBUNE'S accountants. Thu
only complaint was that they did not come
faster. for the minutes flew apace and
soon it was time to prepare for the first
edition. The state figures were in in suf-
ficient numbers from all over the city to
show that Nelson had carried the city by
large plurality. Hasty references to the