Durango semi-weekly herald., 1905-02-09
FORMAL COUNTING
OF ELECTORAL BALLOTS

WASHINGTON, d. c., Feb. S.
Thousands struggled for admittance
today to the hall OF the House of Rep
resentatives to witness the formal
finishing touches on the election of
Messrs. Roosevelt and Fairbanks. or,
In other words, the ceremony OF can
vassing the electoral vote. Those who
We're successful In gaining entrance
TO the visitors galleries were reward
ed by the sight OF one of the most I'm
pressiye and interesting ceremonies
prescribed by the constitution of the
republic.
The two houses OF congress met. as
usual at noon. For some time pre-
yious TO that hour large crowds were
TO be seen swarming toward the capt
toll Up the marbel stalrways climbed
frances to the house the visitors i'm
portuned the doorkeepers for admit
lance The majority OF them. however.
were doomed to disappointment, for
none but senator's. representatives.
their families and friends were admit
ted by card to occupy the seats usual
ly set apart for the general public.
Precisely at l o'clock, n messenger
having notified the upper house that
the lower was ready. the southern
door of the senate shamber swung
open and Il procession Of sages issued
forth upon the mosaic floor OF the cor
rdor AS an advance guard there was
a phalanx OF capitol police and bring
Ing up the rear were the assistant
door keepers OF the senate bearing the
polished mahogany boxes containing
the sealed certificates of the elector-
al vote. The double row of senators
was headed by Colonel Daniel NJ. Ran
sdell the sergeantat-arms, woo was
followed by the president pro tempore.
Senator William p. Frye. of Maine.
The arrival OF the senator's at the
door OF the hall of the house was the
signal for Speaker Cannon and the
1856 other members OF the lower body
to rise from their seats. All remain
ing standing until the uper house was
seated.
Beneath the large silk flag draped
Senator Frye and Speaker Cannon
took their seats side by side. the for
mer, on the right being by statute the
presiding officer of the Joint session.
There was an absolute stiffness
| throughout the great nall as Senator
Frye took up the silver keys placed
before him and unlocked the mahog-
1 Mi, .rIr. ba NJ, al
beginning OF the ceremony. Taking the
large brown envelopes from the boxes
Senator Frye arose. gavel In hand,
and addressed the assemblage thus:
| This being the day and the hour
appointed for opening the certificates
and counting the votes OF electors for
| President and Vice President, the
senate and house OF Representatives
have me, together pursuant to the
constitution and laws OF the United
States
Senator Frye then took up the brown
packages in alphabetical order. each
containing an inner envelope sealed
with wax. He first broke the seal on
the envelope from Alabama and
handed the certificate within to Sen
ator Foraker, one of the four tellers.
The other tellers were Senator Cor
man of Maryland and Congressman
Gaines OF West Virginia and Russell
OF Texas.
Senator Foraker read at length the
certificates of the vote OF the state OF
Alabama. Following precedents OBJ
served on former occasions the tel
lers, having observed that the certi
icates were in due form. omitted read
ing the others In full and, taking the
states in alphabetical order. an
nouncej the vote of each When Mary
land was reached II was found that
the vote fthe state was split sever
votes being cast for Parker and Da
Wis and one-rnat OF Charles J. Bona
parte-being for Roosevelt and Fair
banks. The votes Of all the othel
states were straight"
The secretary OF the senate gath
cred up each certificate after 1t WA
, read by the tellers and handed to hin
by the page. The votes Of all th'
states being read and added by thu
tellers. the announcement OF the re
suit was read to Senator Frye, VIII,
then announced tnat the state OF tn,
vote for President Of the United State
as delivered to the President Of tn
Senate. IL as follows: The whole mum