The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-01-05
CONTEST
Is Fiercely Ra-
ging.
BOTH CONFIDENT.
Prior and Stone Each Claim
Other Defeated.

The contest for the street commits
sioners' office attracts all the atten-
ton now. Hardly a word is heard in
reference to the contest for assessor.
Everywhere the street commissioner
fight is discussed. Both factions of the
city council are disturbed over it.
The candidates are not greatly dis
turbed. Street Commissioner w. s.
Prior says he is to be elected. and
lucien B. Stone says he will get there.
Both are confident There is no pre-
tense about their claims either. Each
Ieels that he can rely on a majority of
the city council when it assemblies in
point convention Monday evening.
street Commissioner w. S. Prior was
throwing his blanket over his horse in
front of the city hall last evening
When The Spy man asked him what
ne thought on the subject He replied
II YOU want to bet on the election
oct that w. S. Prior will win. If I
uon T. nobody else Will; you can wager
on that" -
A few minutes previous l.. b. Stona
was matted as he drove past the corner
OF Main and Pleasant streets. When
asked the same question, he rspljed.
am going to be elected I win get
ming"
Talk regarding the contest has taken
every conceivable shape. There are
aumors of deals and trades galore
Ihe action of the minority faction en-
ters into the contest to a great extent
with some, with others the minority is
not considered -
me possibility of a third candidate
enters into the question. 1t creates as
H4uCh oliference of opinion as any
olher point of the discussion. Some
people talk Of a third man. and tbsv
say charles II. Hildreth would win
hahds down. Others say those who will
man. q IL"
democrats are certainly on the fence
GoW' Ihey voted unanimously for
stone Monday evening, and might have
elected him in the Joint convention
dhey are not so warm for him now
stone supporters ''trun down. the
democrats. Even the democrats them
selves know that
Inc trade was made Monday evening
5tter the board of aldermen had assem-
DIed' ana While the council was wait
ing Tor the call to order The Stone
men agreed to give the democrats siv
votes for John f. Gallagher for assist
ant street commissioner if they cast II
ballots for Stone Everybody knows
what happened. The democrats voted
II ballots for Stone, electing him in the
council. and then the election of an
assistant came up. The stone men did
NOS deliver the goods they promised
Two OF them cast blank ballots and
Two others voted for Burt s. Prior. 81
that he was elected.
The democrats will probably hold a.
caucus to decide on their plan of action
a ATWE Nf.1r.
a caucus they will vote as a unit; if
they don't, they will vote on the go-as-
you-pIease plan, every man for himself
In that case, Prior will certainly get
some Of their votes
II the democrats hold a caucus and
decide to vote as a unit, their man will
either by Stone or a new man for
Ihey can't get anything by voting for
Prior For that matter it don't seem
as II they can get anything, no matter
whom they support
Prior secuted the idea of a trade with
the democrats. He said he had nothing
10 offer them. When asked il there is
any possibility of his brother resigning
TO make way for Gallagher, he replied;
That has been mentioned as one of
lhe possibilities Of this contest But I
might add that a great many things
nave been mentioned among possibili-
ties which will never turn into probab-
1Hties. My brother was elected assist
ant street commissioner. ] don't know
what his intentions are. If he should
desire to resign, that remains with him.
] know nothing about it,
He further said that he thought he
can get d majority vote easily. When
asked if he ever said that he didn't
want a democratic vote, which, by the
way was reported as coming from him,
ne rep1ed, I never said anything OF
1he sort. ! am not such a fool as to
drive away votes when I am looking
,slfor an office. / did say, however. that I
,aught the republican members of the
WI council should unite on their can
Esate so that it would not be necessary
@ reckon on democratic votes. I think
Ihowever. I will receive a few demo.
HCratic votes Monday evening"
- Mr.. Stone, in speaking of the prob
abilities, said Il feel certain I viii he
elected. ! will hold the republican votes
when received last Monday. and think
Inc democrats will support me- 1 hear
7 some criticism about republicans voting
! Tor me am republican and / am en-
Tilted to republican votes as much as
Bar. Prior or anybody else. If the demo-
Gratis choose to vote for me- why
cant help that. I haven't heard any
pooy else throwing away any chances
of getting democratic votes
The particulars of the Stone-delnO.
cratic trade came out yesterday. The
democrats were to vote for Stone and in
return the Stone men would vote wifi
democrats to postpone the election Of
an assistant street commissioner Wher
the matter came up a week later, Stone
was TO recommend that Gallagher be
elected his assistant. In this way stone
would accept the onus Of the trade am
was willing to.
A democratic member Of the board oil