New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-11-02
PRINTING THE BALLOTS.
REMARKABLE PIECE OF WORK DONE
BY THE CONTRACTORS.

81 HI CONTRACTORS
FIVE HUNDRED REAMs OF PAPER Used FOR THE
BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN AND THE BRONX
ALoNE-ovER TWO MILLION BALLOTS.
AS MANY Pastors AND TWO
THOUSAND PAGES OF REGIS
TRY LISTS COMPLETED
IN LESS THAN
WEEK.
The preparing. printing and distribution OF the
ballots which will be used in the election to-day
was far more OF task than the average voter will
think of as he makes the mark on the ballot that
viii be handed to him.
The official ballots printed for the Borough OF
Manhattan and the Bronx alone were $4,000 in
number. The Wynkoop- Hallenbeck- Crawford Com
pany. of No. Al Pearl-s;., the official printers
for the Borough of Manhattan and the Bronx.
Their bid Of 50 80 thousand was 81 CO under the
bid OF the Martin B. Brown Company, which here
tofore has had entire control OF the printing OF the
ballots thus saving to the city over 5000 When
the contract was awarded to the Wynkoop-FIal
beck Crawford Company by the Board Of Police
Commissioners. there were many protests, as 1t
was claimed that the firm could not do the work
satisfactorily and promptly Former Boards of Po-
lice Commissioners had always awarded the con-
tract to tho Martin y. Brown Company, and when
that firm lost the contract many OF the political
leaders predicted that there would be trouble in
getting the ballots ready. The work was, 1t IS
true, performed in the face Of unusual difficulties
caused by the many candidates placed in nominal
ton and the legal complications that resulted be-
fore the ballot was officially ready be printed.
To realize fully the amount OF printing and work
necessary to supply this division OF the greater
city and to understand how much paper was used
IT Is necessary to go further than the printers
statement that so reams OF paper were necessary
for the ballots. Each ballot is l6 by 2iis inches
In size and il the ballots pasted side by side
in one continuous strip two feet wide they would
reach from NowYork through New-Jcrscy to Phil
adelphia and =, yond for total distance OF ZIG
miles This L. without including the sample bal
lots. 10000 In number
II each separate column under the party emblem,
including the blank column Of the ballot. was cut
apart and pasted end to end. person could have
started from New-York. leaving one end of the
strip here and gone to San Francisco,
leaving unbroken trail behind him of the ballots.
After he had reached San Francisco he would have
several miles spare. the total distance which the
ballots would heinz about sos miles. These
figures only for the ballots for the Boroughs Of
Manhattan and the Bronx.
Before a stroke of work done I'm this i'm
mense number OF ballots It was necessary to nave
the certificate OF the Bureau Of Elections that there
were no contests and that the list absolutely
correct This certificate was not received until
noon on Monday Of last week. Thirty new men were
once put work in preparing the paper, setting
the type and getting the forms ready for the
presses The amount OF paper necessary for the
ballots was 5GD reams. Each OF these weighed l@'
pounds making total OF over . tons. or $500
pounds OF paper As soon as the forms were ready
ten presses werc set work printing the ballots
These presses were In operation every night until
10 o'clock up TO Saturday laFt. when the printing
completed.
After the official ballots we're printed thoy we're
counted into lots Of 1000 each and placed IN
boxes Each Of these boxes was wrapped IN strong
paper and scaled. With each l.o0 official ballots
pink paper. Those likewise were placed In hoHes
but not sealed. Tho printers AZ noon on saturday
sent ont their eight delivery wagons loaded win
these hsiotc. be delivered to the police stations
The ballots delivered early this morning under
the supervision OF the captains OF each precinct 10
tho polling places I'm his jurisdiction.
The printing OF 5000 pastors. made NECESSARY
hy the death OF Henry George. Was an un"Np"cted
piece Of work for the printers They, however,
promptly disposed Of thes" pastors. ara ny noon
yesterday they wcr" placed In envelopes sealed ono
addressed 10 the inspectors ~ election IN ~"
different police stations n tho same manner as ~.
regular ballots and were distributed aIo"b VII"
Them 10 tho polling places this morninS.
Tho Wvnkoop- ~ cnbeck CRAWFORD company
hc carrying ou' this contract "rr" -, ,ilr
time prlu-ing 80 - ballots for TIC BorouSh "i
prookiVu as n.1i as preparing IN" Brooklyn hrsl--
nv list % 2r7 pages RrooklSn required ."'-
masters with The name ~ Henry Gsorgc, ana tne-'
we're printed and distributed by THIS hrin y'S,ri,
dav In All the company printed a total ot nearE
. 40 nm ballots FOR Greater Sew York ABOUT the
"a me number OF pastors. and som" -.'' p'S's VI
registry lists In less than a week tlino.