Omaha daily bee., 1896-12-02

EDw. DICKINSON. j. G. wHARToN
While the official count has not been COM
pleted and the official result will not be an
nounced for at least a day or two, there
seems to be no doubt that the ticket bear
ing the names given above was elected
as directors by a large majority By the
stockholders of the exposition last night in
the Board OF Trade hall
When President Wattles called the meet
ing to order at exactly Z o'clock the large
hall was flied with holders of stock ready
to vote for board OF fifty directors to man
age the great exposition. without any un-
necessary delay the meeting proceeded at
once to business. G. w. Wattles was chosen
chairman OF the meeting and the following
stockholders were chosen to conduct tho
election: Judges, C. S. Montgomery. r. w.
Richardson and Il. ]. Cornish; clerks. J A.
Wakefield, A. Hospe, jr and w. c. Patter-
son; tellers, ]. NJ. Daugherty, C. E. Ford
and w. Farnam Smith
The clerks took their seats at a long
table placed at the south end OF the hall
and the judges and telers retired TO one OF
the adjoining Offices and prepared to count
the ballots The stockholders formed in n
long line extending around the room and
the voting commenced
In recent years in which so much interest
was manifested as this election OF directors
Tor the exposition. The large hall in which
the election was held was crowded 10 its
utmost capacity until nearly midnight, and
the halls adjoining were also filled with
stockholders interested in what was going
on. Electioneering was prevalent in ali
quarters OF the large room and in the halls
Men with tickets were on every hand and
me whole proceeding resembled nothing so
much as an old-fashioned primary election.
lnere were three tickets in the field The
ticket made up at the meeting of stockhold-
ers held at the Commercial club rooms Mon
day night was of these; the ticket
named at the beginning OF this article was
another, both of these being printed ON
white paper. The third ticket was made up
OF twenty-four men on the ticket which was
elected seventeen from the other tickets
and the balance made up of men on neither
ticket. No one could be found who would
admit the paternity of this third ticket and
1t ana not cut any figure in the election. The
entire fight was between the other two
tickets.
LOCATION TALK.
The ticket which was successful was
printed on a sheet Of paper almost square
in shape and was referred to as the square
ticket" while the other ticket was
printed on a long, narrow strip OF paper
and was generally called "the long ticket"
When the square ticket appeared on the
scene II was quietly whispered about Eat
that was the only ticket to vote Gradu-
ally its supporters became more confident
and 1t openly stated that the square
ticket was supported by all Of the heavy
stockholders, the corporations. the banks
and. what seemed the pet argument OF its
supporters by the present directory.
One of the most energetic supporters of
Miller park as a location for the exposition
has been Councilman d. II. Christie and
last night he openly boasted that the ques-
tion OF location was settled "These fell
lows who are now directors came to us and
offered to lie down" he exclaimed III We
would elect them to the new board. The
street railway the b. & NJ. and all the cor
porations are with us and have been on
our side all along There will be twelve
votes cast which will decide the whole
thing and il don't make any difference how
the little fellows vote. The square ticket
is pledged to Miller park and the question
OF n location was settled before the voting
commenced"
There was a strong sentiment OF resent
ment manifested toward the Square ticket
by several elements which were present. Tho
laboring men were ignored entirely in maxi
ing up the ticket South Omaha was not rep
resented nor was anyone known to be favor
able to Rivcryiew park on the ticket. It
was openly charged that the present board
Of directors had been mainly instrumental
in making up the ticket and this charge was
born out by the fact that the entire board
OF the present directors were hrst on the
ticket.
President Wattles denied that there was
any thought of location in the composition
OF the ticket. He said that the only thing
which had actuated the makers Of the ticket
had been desire 10 reconcile all interests
and at the same time, secure board COM
posed Of representative citizens. III denied
that there was any understanding about tho
location and said that question would be
settled on rs merits when the proper time
came.
MOST OF THE SHARES VOTED.
The voting progressed very rapidly, the
facilities for receiving the ballots being all
that could be desired but when It came TO
counting the votes the preparations were de-
cdedly lame and o tedious delay ensued.
There were nearly GOO votes cast and at
least 30 per cent OF the tickets were scratched
and names substituted for those erased.
There did not seem 10 be any system about
tho scratching and the tcllers thought II
would not affect the general result.
The poles were closed shortly before mid
night, after over $4,000 shares had been voted
OF the 30 900 or more on which the assess
ment had been paid.
In addition to the ticket printed at the
head OF the column the following persons
were voted for
W f. Bechel, T.. W. Bandle Il. A, Benson.
c. f. Beinforf Rev. 5. W, Butler, g. w.
Coyell. II. a. Cudahy. j. H. Dumont, J. a.
Gillespie, H. A. Garner, G, Hartman, g. 8.
Hayward G. W. Llninger 4. Morsman. II.
NJ MorsmAn w II McCOr1 d, II. Mercer.