Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-11-27
j. F. Rosselli, of Buffalo, N. ", Pro.
poses to Furnish Machines to City
and county-somethlns About Their
Makeup and Usage.

city 1t is thought that one machine,
such as the one offered by Mr.. Rossel-
ii, could do the work in each ward
making total of seven that would be
necessary for this city.
It is estimated that each machine
will cost in the neishborhood of $3.50.
While their use will not possibly re-
duce the number of clerks, judges, ETC.,
necessary at every election, it would
at least result in arriving at the COM
pIete figures Of the count in at least
an hour after the polls were closed,
making saving in labor of from six
to ten hours, and in some instances
as high as twelve or more hours. The
/ clerks, judges and constables are
paid 26 cents per hour for actual time
spent and it will be seen that the
adoption of a voting machine would
save considerable money. Usually the
counting of votes is not completed be-
fore or 4 o'clock in the morning fol-
lowing the election and one of these
machines would result in the saving
of about $l25 on every election, and
Z would pay for itself in a short time,
as there are usually two elections
every year.
AS the voter steps into the booth
fronted with row OF blanks extending
from the top to the bottom of the up
per part of the machine. In front of
him is lever. BY turning this he can
bring before him the candidates of any
party he chooses. A dial following the
lever points to the uame and emblem
OF the party. The emblem and name
of the party also heads the names of
the candidates i'm that column
Opposite each candidates name is a
numbered lever by which the name of
any other candidate for the same of.
fice can be turned into position. When
the ticket is arranged to the satisfac-
ton of the voter, 1T appears before
him. Nothing is to be seen but the
names of the candidates he has select
ed, and there is no occasion to become
confused.
AS the voter leaves the booth lever
registers ballot for each of the can.
didates whose name was in the col.
umn. The mechanical difficulties sur
rounding this have been overcome by
simple and effective means based on
correct mechanical principles. Inc
operation of the machine is easy and
accurate.
The great possibilities in the num-
Der of names Of candidates that can be
put into the machine come from their
arrangement on cylinder. This cylin-
der is built in sections, one for each Of
flee to be voted for. The cylinder is
about eight inches in diameter. The
sections are wide enough to carry the
name of the Office to be filled and the
3 name of the candidate in clear, legible
type. They can be operated as whole
by means of the lever at the front of
the machine or singly by means of sep.
arate levers controlling each section.
In the present machine there are
three of the cylinders, one for the usu-
al offices, one for the presidential
electors, and one for the female fran
chise. When a woman enters to vote
an automatic device controlled by a
lever with an alarm bell attached locks
all but the cylinder on which are print.
ed the names of the candidates for
whom she is permitted to vote.
Besides recording the whole number
Of ballots cast, numbering machines
record automatically the vote for each
and every officer whose name appears
on the cylinder. If there is any way
of beating the machine good money is
awaiting the man who can do it. ALI
the mechanical movements within the
machine are positive and in accord
with correct principles. 1t promises a
revolution in voting machines.
Voting Machine Described.
Al Buffalo inventor, after years of
& experimenting, has built voting ma
chine which he believes has overcome
the objections to the existing ma
chimes, and to be decided improve
anent upon them. 1t was made in an
obscure hidden room, to guard the
principle of it's manufacture from
someone who in an instant might
have seen enough to have stolen the
idea, and to have beaten the inventor
to the United States patent Office
Now the patents have been secured
and in short time one of the ma.
chimes will be ready for public inspec.
ton.
@ The new machine is wholly unlike
the old ones, both in appearance and
mechanism. It is smaller, more com
pact, weighs less than half as much
as the Standard and 500 to 1,O0C
Z names of candidates can be put in tc
be voted for. The mechanism is sim
ply and skillfully arranged. When il
is put out for public inspection it is
said an offer of 1000 to anybody who
can cheat it will be made.
Neither the inventor nor the men
associated with him care to have
their names known at the present
time. Five years have been spent in
perfecting the machine, and in its
wake are two other machines which
have been discarded by the. mechanic
when he saw that he could improve
upon them. Original patents for II
points were granted on one of the ma
chines which was abandoned.
The most notable thing about the
appearance of the machine is it's small
size. 1t is 5 feet 6 inches high, o!
which only three feet belong to the
machine proper, the rest being the
supports on which it rests to bring ii
up to a convenient height for5voting
With provision for 500 candidates, it