The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1902-02-26
]. M. BOUTWELL,.


Thursday evening was a record break
or for Montpelier. Armory hall is a
large auditorium but the floor space
not taken up by the ward booths was
filled as were also the galleries. The
meeting was most harmonious, all
present extolling the good points of
their candidates and voting for them
with the utmost good humor.
Very few estimated the attendance
over 900 but the first ballot for mayor
showed there were 1923 voters present
to say nothing of the large number of
non participants. This fact demon
strates that the people are coming to
take a livelier interest in public affairs
and have awakened from the lethargy
which more frequently surrounds a
city caucus. Because of this the city
can look forward to better things.
The caucus opened for business at
Z 80 O'Clock and it lacked only few
minutes of midnight when the bust
ness was completed There were con-
tests for mayor, listers, and grand
juror, which with such a crowd
consumed time in voting by wards but
was not attended by the confusion
that would have prevailed under the
old fashion
John p. Adams, chairman of the
city committee, called the meeting to
order announcing it had been agreed
by the candidates to vote by wards
and by check list. This was also rec
commended by the city committee The
voters promptly approved of this feat
ure as did they of the tellers and bal
lot clerks agreed upon by the candi-
dates for mayor
These ballot clerks and tellers were
as follows:
Ward one-F. D. Dewey, W. E. Ter
ill and c. F. Boswell
Ward two-E. M. Harvey, M. II.
Ryle and John Jelliman.
Ward three--O. E. Senter, A. Ga
laise, and John Lee.
Ward four-G. X. Putnam, Henry
Holt and Edward Gill.
Ward five-R. B. Denny, A. G..
Eaton and w. d. Jones'
Ward Ska. w. Prescott, E. J.
Fallon and w. A. Leland.
The nomination of j. Fl. Senter as
chairman of the meeting created con-
siderable hilarity as it was understood
he was to nominate j. M. Boutwell,
for mayor F. A. Rowland and M.
E. Smile were also put in nomination
but asked to be excused and Mr.. Sen
ter was promptly elected and took the
chair G. X. Putnam was made sec
rotary.
The first business taken up by the
meeting was the nomination of may
or. Contrary to expectations in some
quarters there we're not any hot time
in the old town. speeches. 1t was
evident such would have been fruit
less, as without doubt every voter
present had come to the meeting so
fully convinced as to whom he desired
to vote for that no amount of oratory
could have swerved him from his pur-
pose
From somewhere in the vast sea of
humanity the name of Joseph G.
Brown, the present incumbent, was
put in nomination for mayor in the
briefest sort of way and in the same
way was that of James M. Boutwell,.
The first nominating speech was
made by Hon. H. A. Huse, who nomi-
mated Martin w. Wheelock. Mr.. Huse
said that when he first came to Mont
pelier, over thirty years ago, it was
not so large as now, and the first man
to give him the work so that he knew
what he could depend upon for exist
ence, was Joseph w. Wheelock, father
of Alderman Wheelock He said he
was glad to be able to present the son
as candidate for mayor, as he believ-
ed he would give an honest admins
tration. He also said his candidate
would abide by the will of the caucus
and would not file any nomination pa
pers.
Mr. Senter called upon w. A. L. ord
to preside while he returned to the
floor to second the nomination of Mr..
Boutwell,. He said he also knew the
father of his candidate many years
ago and that the stock was good He
said the son was successful bust
ness man and an honest one, who had
the interests of the city at heart, and
who would give the city an incorrupt
administration. He said his candi-
date would file no nomination papers.
+. L. Laird seconded the nomina-
ton of Mr.. Brown for re- election.
He said Mayor Brown had given the
city a good ,business-like administra-
ton and that the objection to a third
term idea was inconsistent with the
course adopted in other walks in
business and official life. If such an
argument was sound why should it
not apply to bank officials, city clerks,
city judges, listers, etc.
J. j. Eagan seconded the nomination
of Mr. Wheelock by calling attention
to his different acts in an endeavor to
aid the laboring man, especially the
nine hour day for the city employees,
which was laid on the table by the
city council.
Q. P. Pitkin seconded the nomina-
ton of Mr.. Boutwell,, stating that he
was an upright and successful bust
ness man such as was needed for the
high office of mayor.
The balloting for the candidates then
began and consumed some time. When
a voter emerged from the crush and
jam it was with the hope that a sec
ond ballot would not be required.
While the balloting was in progress,
W. A. Lord moved that the meeting
nominate other officers viva voce from
the floor except in cases where a con-
test occurred and it was so voted.
Timothy r. Merrill was unanimous
ly nominated for city clerk and treas
L.. l,n., -.