Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1896-12-11
ELECTION RETURNS.
HOW THEY ARE PUBLISHED IN
THE CITIES.

| POWer1ul OXy.hydrOSen ana EIeC.
tric Stereopticons, MegnphOnes
and Search-Lights Used TO An
nounce the Results TO Enormous
| crowds of People.
| Special Correspondence of the STANDARD.
Washington is so largely composed
of government clerks, and people
dependentupon government patronage,
that a Presidential election is watched
with the keenest interest. Although
the District of Columbia has been dis
enfranchised, yet the result is bound
to effect thousands of officials, who
watch the bulletins hour after hour,
knowing that before morning the re-
turns will assure them of continuance
in office, or indicate that they must
look for outside enjoyment before the
flowers bloom in the spring.
The resent election was of more
than usual interest, because it was
popularly believe that if Mr.. Bryan
were elected there would be a dis
missal of the entire force of office
holders, while if the Republican candi-
date were victorious, the present civil
service system would be maintained.
In order to give the earliest and
most complete election returns, the
three daily papers, the Star, Post and
Tinee, made far more elaborate
preparations than ever attempted be-
fore. They utilized every available
means to secure the news, bringing
into service all the special news
associations" and the Western
Union Telegraph and long distance
Telephone companies.
The Star" had three enormous
screens for showing bulletins, and
two oxy-hydrogen and one electrical
projection lanterns. As the dispatches
were received they were written upon
glass or gelatine cards with India ink
and thrown upon the screen. If glass
were used it was afterwards washed
and used again, but the gelatine cards
which were far more satisfactory, were
thrown away. Interspersed between
the returns, pen cartoons, and comical
views, prepared beforehand, served to
keep the crowd good natured, Upon
the balconies were stationed two
'megaphones." These were enormous
speaking trumpets, so large that they
had to be supported by tripods.
Through these "red-hot" news was
shouted out, the words being dis
tinctly heard above the cheers of the
multitude. How great was the volume
of sound from twenty-five thousand
people shouting together, may be
imagined when it is said that the
cheers could be heard to the confines
of the District.
In front of the " Times" Office, one
block away from the STAR" there
were two screens, oxy-hydrogen Ian
terms being used with both. Here the
bulletins were printed with rubber
type, a number of compositors being
employed. AS soon as a dispatch was
set up it would be impressed upon the
glass or gelatine and the type dis
tributed. Here particularly good
sketch artist was also employed. Upon
the roof on the building powerful
search light was called into use, to aid
in disseminating the news. Steady or
Pickering beams thrown in different
quarters of the sky would indicate
how the battle was going in certain
doubtful States, while beams thrown
across the sky from north to south, or
from east to west, would indicate the
general result. The complete key to
the signals was published for several
days, beforehand, so that people living
in the country within a radius of
twenty-five miles, could learn the
result by watching the skies in the
direction of the city.
Further up the Avenue, the "Post"
had in two screens, and the Jackson
Democratic Club had a single one.
One of the screens was used both for
showing bulletins and for the wonder
full vitascope." This instrument
combines the kinetoscope" and the
projection lantern, so that the figures
appear to be in motion. The photo
graphs for these views were taken ut
the rate of twenty-five a second, and
were arranged in the form of long
ribbon, while the photographs were
themselves less than an inch in height,
they were magniied so as to appear
life size on the screen. Here the Loie
Fuller skirt dance was given in all its
glory, from time to time, and another
enormous crowd was collected.
At the Republican headquarters
another screen was used, and from the
roof of the Shoreham, Levi P. Nor
toms hotel. n second search LIGHT
pointed out the result with its magic
finger.
Altogether the arrangements were
the most elaborate ever made in the
city, and judging from the single
cheer (seven hours long), the people
were content to accept the inevitable.
Two masked men held up H. Beneke