New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-09-27
STEEL BOOTHS TO VOTE IN
THE BUREAU OF ELECTIONS PUTTING
THE PORTABLE HOUSES INTO PLACE.
SOME INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT THESE STRICT
UREs-WHERE THEY COME FROM AND
WHERE THEY GO AFTER
ELECTION DAY.

The Bureau Of Elections of the Police Depart
of the city has been busy during the last
week in assigning the portable steel election
booths to the different precincts where their use
has been made necessary by the lack Of other quar-
ters suitable for election purposes. This being a
Presidential year the duties Of the officers will
be more arduous and exacting, and the Bureau Of
Elections recognizing this fact, has taken tie
precaution to provide extra number Of the
portable booths The nui. er to be used this year
Is eighty-three and those i'm charge estimate that
with this supply both the election officers and the
public will find ample and available space for regis
tering and voting
These steel houses not The property of the
city They rented from the Buffalo Steel
House Company, at hSed yearly rental of $50.
In consideration of this sum paid by the city the
company is under agreement to move the houses
to and from the places where they are used Tor
election purposes, to clean and keep them in order
during the period of occupancy by the city, to
furnish all lighting and heating. and to store
them when the election is over until such time as
they shall again be needed
These booths have been put in all the To-
calities TO which they assigned. and from
now until after election the city Is responsible
for them. lin order that they may be protected
from damage and demo or by boys and hood
lums Il is necessary for the Police Department to
detail special patromen for this service As there
are eighty-three of these houses. and each of
means that 1868 policemen must be taken from the
regular force to attend this special duty. AS
registration begins. the booths are re-
quired by law to be kept open throughout the day
for the inspection by the public of the lists posted.
The policeman who is on duty through the day
closes up the booth at night. and then the night
thar depreciation H. com
mttcd under cover of darkness.
The dimensions of thesn steel booths 10 by
% feet. and each weighs about three thousand
pounds. When placed in position in the street they
are found right the curbstone, extending IL
feet into the street and running lengthwise along
the edge of the sidewalk % feet. OF the number
to be used this fall the bulk have gone into the
brownstone precincts Of the city. will be seen
from the following enumeration: The number as
signed to the Twenty second Precinct is Il: to the
Twenty-fourth Precinct. II; 10 the Twenty-hfth
Precinct :: to the Twenty-sixth Precinct I: the
Twenty-seventh Precinct. S. to the Twenty-nnth
Precinct. ;. Among the other precincts the num-
Der given out has been from one to three each.
In placing these steel houses in the different
parts OF the city those I'm charge OF the matter
have to great care and diplomacy The own
ers OF stores and apartment houses do not like to
have them put in front OF their property They
must be at certain distance from IA saloon All
sorts of requests and complaints sent in to
the Bureau of Elections about the trouble and an
noyance which the booths cause. especially il they
happen to be on a narrow street or street with
cartracks.
The interior of the booths Is arranged to
modate comfortably six voting compartments. to-
gether with ample for transactins the business
of registering and voting. The floor is of wood
Light is let in from windows the sides. and these
windows are covered with wire to protect the
glass from the sticks and stones of the juvenile ter
ror The city has been using this style OF portable
votinghou for three years and they have given
celent satisfaction to all concerned Formerly
wooden structures used. They were constantly
getting out of repair and causing end Of trouble
and annoyance. Every time there a wind
rain storm the roof, which was made OF sheet-tar
preparaton would blow off. and the employment OF
gang OF made necessary thereby in order 10
get the house in weather tight shape again 1t * said
that the houses seldom II get out of repair
and that in the coolest weather they can be kept
warm and comfortable may be desired. Once in a
while. some Of the narrow streets. an express
wagon or an lce-cart bumps into booth and causes
considerable damage. As a general rue. they stand
there from the beginning until the end OF the season
without having a stroke of repair done upon them.
When not used by the city the steel houses are
stored in vacant lots in different parts OF the city
Some Of them kept at the foot OF West Fifty
frst-st; others at Fify-ffth-st and Eeventh-ave ::
others al Seventy-fourth-st and Frst-ave. while
some are stored away out on the Kingsbridge Road.
being taken from one place TO the other they are
transported upon specially constructed truck with
small wheels NO douDt not a rev persons nave seen
them the move IN the last few days The sight
presented by OF these affairs moving slowly up or
down one OF New-iorks principal streets Is calcu-
lated make the passer stop and turn around for
the second time. While house Is passing through a
street is safe say that all other traffic Is obliged
10 conform with its rate of speed. thoroughly does
IL take up the way. One was being moved up the
boulevard last week, the disgust OF a long
string OF truckmen and blcycsts. who followed on
behind and filled the air with miscellaneous assort-
OF swear words.
IL is not lnfrequent for tramps to get into these
booths in the winter although careful. watch Is sup
posed 10 be kept on them When the first descent
made by the employees OF the Buffalo company upon
the houses prior TO taking them away from me vacant
taken up his abode In one OF them lie stoutly re-
fused to get and quit the premises, and the com
many enioyed the pleasure OF removing by force an
nlooked-fOr and unwecome tenant. who protested
that his the right Of squatter sovereignty, and
threatened 10 take the matter Into the courts.