Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-08-03
NO ELECTION.
The Cardinals as Yet Unable
to Decide on Pope.
Vast Multitude Awaited Announcement
from the Vatican, Sunday.
Many Rumors Afoat, but No Definite
News from conclave.

| Rome. Aug. mo successor to Leo
Nil mas yet been chosen. From the
| smoke which issued from the little
chimney on the Sistine chapel, tonight.
a vast multitude gathered around St.
Peters learned that the second day of
{ the conclave had been fruitless. The
conclusion Is drawn that the strength
of the leading candidates remains I'M
broken and that no compromise candi-
GATE has yet appeared. And there is
no indication of how long this condition
OF affairs will continue. The prolonga-
ton of the contest has aroused ire
mendous public interest, if indeed. it
cannot be called excitement.
The irnpenetrable seclusion which
shrouds those engaged in determining
who shall be at the head of the Roman
catholic church heightens the feverish
curiosity of those who await their de-
clslon. People from every walk in life
talk of nothing but la sfumata (the
smoke from the burning ballots).
Both this morning and this evening.
this was the loadstone that drew tens
OF thousands to the square of ST.
Peter's. There for hours, with strained
eyes and craned necks, they waited in
the hopes OF seeing tiny stream of
smoke, SO insignificant that it was all
most impossible to realize that a great
issue was involved in it's fleeing an
pearance.
The scene of st. Peters tonight. was
by far the most impressive that has
occurred in Rome since the late Pope
became Ill. After the fruitless morn
ing ballot, belief spread that a new
Pontiff would surely be eected this
evening. All roads during the after
noon led to the Vatican. The streets
converging into St. Peters became
black with the thousands who entered
the square. From the barracks came
large achievements of troops who
marched across the piazza and lined up
at the foot of the steps of the basilica,
leaving only small spaces between the
companies in order to prevent a sudden
rush to get inside 81. Peters to witness
the new Pope to give his blessing to
the Catholic world.
A strong force of cavalry was picket
ed nearby in case of riot and over 1000
soldiers We're posted in the square.
But the troops made only an insfg-
nificant thin blue line compared with
the vast multitude around them. BY
o'clock, it was estimated that $4,000
people occupied the vast amphitheatre.
From the steps of the basilica which
were black with those standing or sit
ting, across to the opposite side of the
square there stretched, as far as the
eye could see, an undulating sea of hui
manity, with every face riveted on the
Sistine chapel, waiting for the smoke of
ballots.
Hundreds of cabs were drawn up
nearby, their occupants eagerly gazing
through glasses at the little smokestack
of the chapel When the hour Of 6
struck, a tremor of expectancy ran
through the multitude, because, accord
ing to yesterdays program, the burn
ing of the ballots or the announcement
of an election would come within a
few minutes.
When the quarter hour sounded the
nervousness increased and a large
number of officials of the Vatican, not
engaged in the conclave emerged to
watch the concourse.
AS the hand of the clock on ST.
Peters approached the half hour a
runor that a selection had been made
developed. in the minds of many, into
a certainty and each one momentarily
some favored cardinal to be
as the new Pontiff. Another
1uarter of an hour passed and the anx-
iety grew more. intense. Not breath
Of air relieved the sultry heat of the
evening and scarcely a sound came
from the vast multitude. Hundreds
gathered below the windows from
which the new Pontiff is to bestow his
first blessing.
Suddenly, exactly at $40 p. NJ, a
sharp cry arose, "TGcco, ecco." Instant
" the cry was taken up by $4,000
.hroats and grew and grew until the
piazza fairly roared with
'Eeco, ecco," La Sfumata.' Then the
silence fell like a spell while the
thousands watched from the tin smoke
tack of the Sistine chapel a tiny
stream of light gray smoke course laz-
ly downward. With no wind to carry
t away the smoke hung heavily in the
lot air and then gradually disappeared.
For moment the crowd believed
CONTINUED on page 81