Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-01-25

II was probably the most interest
ing municipal election ever held In
Wheeling, and big vote was polled.
All the candidates for places on the
head of the ticket had many workers
at each precinct. The Republicans
appeared to have more money than
the Democrats, and they spent it in
a lavish manner. The Committee OF
One Hundred worked hard for the
success of candidates who had re-
ceived its endorsement, putting in
some especially effective work in the
Eighth ward, where the Democratic
victory was the greatest ever scored
in that Republican stronghold.
There was no disorder about the
voting places. But one arrest was
made. One Eighth ward citizen voted
in the First ward, and was arrested,
but was subsequently released from
custody. The activity of the party
workers had the effect of getting the
vote out early, and at two O'Clock
about four-ffths of the entire vote had
been cast in the city. There were
several instances in which voters
arrived just after the polls closed, but
they were not in sufficient number to
change the result for any office. The
hacks of the two executive commit
tees were kept constantly moving, and
both party organizations were stronger
than is usual in municipal elections.
oll Lee vi NJ al
the candidates on the head OF the
ticket claimed the victory, but admit
ted that there were SO many uncertain
elements as to render the result eX-
tremely doubtful. 1t was generally
understood that there was more
scratching than ever before. This
opinion was based upon the length Of
time voters remain in the booths. 1t
is, perhaps, a safe assertion that not
more than one out of four ballots was
voted straight. Voters did not draw
party lines closely
The returns were received in the
Office of Clerk O'Brien. AS early as
1880 o'clock the Office began to fill up,
and from that hour until the last re-
turns were received, the crowd was
so dense that the election officials
who carried the ballot boxes found it
difficult to reach the Office Of the clerk.
Mr. OBrien's assistant, Mr.. William
Nolte, read the returns as they were
received, while several prominent Re-
publicans tabuiated the figures.
1t was apparent that the interest in
the fight centered upon the city SER
geantcy. The Ritz rCGters appeared
to predominant in numbers, as they
unQuestionably did in noise. When
returns favorable to Ritz were read,
the applause and cheering was deaf
ening. and in nest instances MIR
Note was obliged to discontinue the
reading Of the returns.
The first ballot box came In from
the Seventh ward about $50 o'clock.
Between nine and eleven o'clock they
came in rapidly. at eleven O'Clock
there was but one precinct missing,
the C2ldwcWs run precinct in the
Sixth ward, which was brought in a.
five minutes before midnight. There
was then no longer any room for
doubt as TO the result upon any office.
and the crowd dispersed, cheering
wildly for Ritz
The Republicans in the city clerks
office, who were t2bulating the re,
turns, including city Chairman Jacob
Snyder. were 10th to give up hope, and
even when all signs indicated the de-
feat of Republican candidates. they
tried to figure out the possibility of
success in precincts which had not yet
reported. They found some comfort
in the fact that the Council will be
Republican on joint ballot, thereby
insuring the retention Of many of the
present Office holders.
The election is over, and there will
be cleaner and more satisfactory ad-