The Paducah sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1898-1906, 1903-10-28
Fire Department Called Out TO
to Get a Crowd for the Gov.
Speeches Made to Small Crowd and
There Was no Enthusiasm
Whatever.
REGULAR
FIASCO.

Governor Beckham today made his
first speech OF the campaign in Padu.
cab. IL is very probable he will new
er want to make one here again. II
was about the heaviest frost on record
in these parts. It withored all the veg
citation for blocks around, including
that on the speakers stand with the
governor.
The governor arrived early this
morning He was met at the train by
three hacks, a band of ak or eight
pieces, and few local Democrats. II
became evident very soon that there
would be no crowd st Second and
Broadway TO attend the speaking. and
the politicians put their heads togeth-
err and evolved the ingenious scheme
OF turning In a fire alarm. They were
aware Of the alacrity with which all
Glasses run when there is the slightest
/ hiuN VI hici hhu Nhey uot@hcu
trusted minion to 90 around to Central
station TO put the firemen next to the
stunt that was required of them.
shortly after 8 O'Clock an alarm of
fire was turned in, but the big bell at
Central Station wouldn't ring. IL
went on n strike, but not the kind
they wanted. The department was
all ready, the boys with their clothes
brushed up and the horses with an
unusually good head OF steam on. Out
they went, Chief Wood leading the
procession.
Down on the river front there was
also something doing. Wharfmaster
$. A. Fowler got busy aud passed the
word sround to all the boats in the
harbor to toot their whistles. Those
that hal airy steam to spare did so.
One enthusiastic city official who tried
TO blow the whistle on his concern
founn that he didn't have any steam
up, so he abandoned il IN disgust.
Meanwhile wharfmaster Fowler had
set fire to a small goods box and that
is the oonhagration that was given as
an excuse for the alarm TO he turned
in. As the department cleared Broad
way IN magnificent run the people
rushed down In its wake to the levee.
They pushed and showed for a time,
and the histling of buats made them
think something was afire. They soon
caught on TO what il WAS done for.
however, snn slowly wendell their way
back up the street, ing il was only
another Democratic graft "
There were not 90 people around
this stand on the north side of the mar
ket where the governor was to speak,
before the fire alarm. but after the fire
department came Governor Beokham
and Congressman Ollie james, and q
few other diRnitsries in carriages.
The crowd on its way hack from the
river fron' halted and some stopped
and some went on in disgust at the
ruse that had to be adopted to get the
people to turn out.
Until the speaking began the crowd
spent its time wondering which one of
the gentleman on the platform was the
governor. With him were quite a
number Of local politicians, and sever
oil star fiction writers of the Louisville
press who no doubt telegraphed to
Their papers that Governor Beck ham
had a large and enthusiastic crowd Of
several THOUSAND people at Paducah,
when as matter of fact there were
never 800 people listening to the speak
ing at any one time, according to ths
best estimates. Many people left the
speaking before it was out.
The otfiosholders and candidates
stuck pretty we'll, however, and did
not desert the distinguished speakers.
The greater part of the crowd, Demo.
rcats, and all. were intensely amused
at the method adopted by the local
committee to raise . crowd, and made
no bones Of the evident fact that the
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