Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-08-11
STATE FAv0R1TES ARE CHOSEN.
Rivalry Of Fair Ones in the Park Contest is Ended and
Nine Are Elected For the Trip.

Not until 2 O'Clock this morning did the
Inter Mountain office force relinquish IT'S
labor of counting the ballots in the free
trip to the park" contest. The undertake
predicted all along that there would be
some surprises on the last day, in the
| way Of heavy voting, but hardly anyone
was prepared to see the printed slips
come in during the last hours packed by
hundreds and thousands in shoe boxes,
express packages, paper bags n en-
velopes. while d numbers ranging from
one coupon clipped from the last edition
to a hundred saved OF collected during
the period of the contest, We're handed
over the counters. Tables, desks and the
floor were Uttered with the bundles and
the first duty of the tellers was the sep
aration OF the votes from the various
towns. Several thousand a been count
ed during the day, but the piles which
confronted the eller when the nights
| work was commenced was really formid-
able. The regular force and a few 9TH
ers pressed into service commenced their
work with a will and soon the fingers of
a dozen men were flying through the hit
! tie slips. The number of votes was an
nounced to Judge c. NJ. Palmer, who saw
that proper entry was made, and then
the counted ballots were dropped into
mail sacks. 1t was tedious toll and the
eyes of the workers grew dim, their fin
gers stiffened and their spirit was near
unto WEAKNESS before the last coupon
was counted.
Promptly at 10 o'clock the contest
closed as far as the receipt of ballots
was concerned, but up to the last mo
ment the friends of the Butte contestants
| came in with their punches of ouDons
/ varying in size and number The post
Office was visited n an armload of be-
lated votes from the outside towns
brought in. All during the count the
Inter Mountain office yyoc rrnu6nd with
spectators some of whom had come from
the other own to watch the count in be-
half of their favorites. The Butte con-
tingent of course was the largest and 1t
was patiently good-humored In spite OF
the fact that the Butte votes were the
last to be counted. Many remained until
after midnight and a few stayed to see
the last entry made on the tally list. One
of Butte's fair contestants was an inter
ested watcher and she did not depart
until she Knew that her victory was as
sured.
There were scores of Incidents. all of
which would be worthy Of telling If we
only had the space. One little compli-
ment rendered by an unknown will be
mentioned. An envelope was received,
inscription: "77 votes for Miss Sullivan
forwarded to her because her name is
the same as that of his honor, Homes,
Judge Sullivan"
Altogether it was a great Cornerstone
that has never been equaled in Montana
in the point of widespread interest, eager
rivalry and tribute to newspaper enter
prise. More than 26S, 900 votes were cas-
and Miss O'Neill of Butte, who headed
1.-THE list with 46. 800 received more votes
than Bryan did in THE whole state of
Montana our years ago. The large to-
tails Of the leaders in the outside towns
were astounding compared to he opu-
, lattion pf the districts and is an excellent
commentary on the wide circulation of
the Inter Mountain.
This morning $40 votes were received,
too late, of course, to be counted. Fig
uring from the total, the average daily
vote was $3.50.