The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-04-05
DISTRICT VOTES TO ISSUE MORE
BONDS.
ELECTION A SPIRITED ONE
Johnston and Mills Elected Trustees
by Handsome Majorities-Many
Women Voted.

BY the narrow margin OF IL votes
the electors Of school district No. 2
decided last Saturday to bond the
district in an additional sum OF $685.
900. Small as the majority was, it
gave the proper authority to the trus-
tees, and new school buildings for the
First and Second wards may now be
said to be assured.
While happy over the result, it
must be said that the friends OF the
proposition were agreeably surprised
when the judges announced the out
come, for it was feared by them that
it would be defeated. Many who
realized the necessity for more room
were of the opinion that the amount
asked for was too large. Only the
assurance of the board that although
$4,000 was asked, the total amount
of the issue would not be sold, but
only as much thereof as was absolute
| ly required to carry out the plans for
enlargement of the existing facilities
made success possible. Even with
this understanding it was a narrow
squeak and the trustees and their
friends have ample cause OF congrat-
ulation, for had the negative prevailed
! a very serious condition would un.
doubtedly confront the board in a
short time, Notwithstanding the ur-
gency of the demand for more room.
Had the trustees called for no more
bonds than were absolutely necessary
to buy the ground and erect the pro-
posed building little reason woulu
exist for believing that no opposition
would have arisen. It was the mag
nitude of the issue asked that fright
4 ened some of the voters. But "alls
we'll that ends well.'
Was an Exciting Election.
The largeness of the vote cast
shows the interest taken in the elec-
tion. Many persons who were never
known to vote at school election
we're not only out to vote themselves,
but much electioneering was done and
both sides worked hard and earnestly.
4 In the matter OF permitting votes to
be cast on the bond question, the
erned by the opinion of Attorney
Johnston, that all taxpayers, whether
freeholders or not, were entitled to
express their choice. This caused
the total to be undoubtedly larger
than it would have been otherwise,
and probably also helped the cause
of the pro-bondists. Not a few who
would have been debarred from a
voice in the matter had the former
construction of the law been adhered
to were favorable to the bonds and
took advantage of the new rule to
vote accordingly.
An unusual number of ladies were
out and seemingly among those deep
est interested. They voted and work
ed for their candidates for trustees
and also whenever possible voted on
the bond question. They did more,
that is many of them did, for it must
be admitted that some very clever
electioneering was done and some OF
the fair ones showed a familiarity
with such things that was astonishing
to the men, who are supposed to have
monopoly of such matters.
The Vote.
A total OF 4O2 votes was cast, the
Largest number ever recorded at q
like election in the city, exceeding
the vote of last year by nine.
Three hundred and seventeen votes
were cast on the bond issue. OF this
number 164 were in the affirmative
and 153 in the negative.
The vote for trustees was as fol-
lows:
Johnston .................... 354
Mills .................. 1o1
\ prickett l6S
4 One ballot was thrown out for ir-
regularity.
Mr.. Johnston was accorded the
honor of having the highest vote thus
far given any candidate in the his
tory OF the district. Last year F. L.
: Summers received 81, the next high.