The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1905-02-02

Count VIII Run into the Millions - The
Piano Proving an Ugly Elephant.
The Wesley piano contest closed at
high noon on last Monday. AS the
hour drew nigh'for the termination of
the contest the ballot box became
buried in mass of tickets, and it
would have required a wagon load of
ballot boxes to hold all the ballots.
Low-number tickets became obsolete
long before the contest closed. With
practically the withdrawal of the
Catholic church from the contest on
the statement of Father Levings that
he did not desire the church to partici-
pate in the contest if unfair means had
to be resOrted to to win the prize, the
bars came down and the contest re-
solved itself into test of the speed OF
printing presses, and could the I'M
written chapters of the contest be
placed in cold type there would be
some interesting reading. In justice
to the merchants who were parties to
the contest it must be said that in the
fight for the piano outside influences
formed an important factor. In fact
the contest was carried to the extrava-
ganza stage.
On Monday morning boxes of bal
lots with many ballots good for 500
voets were delivered to be counted.
These ballots bore the names of
several of the merchants in the con-
test. Thousands and thousands of
ballots, with high and low numbers,
and credited to different contestants
were piled in card board boxes of all
descriptions. At Armitage's drug
store there are several of these boxes
awaiting the final disposition.
| Village Recorder Borden who is
supposed to count the ballots was
tempted to throw up the job, but in
formed the business men that he would
proceed to make the count if they de-
sired. ..-.-..
The Baron Munchausen aspect of
the contest called for some action and
a meeting of all business men inter
ested was held last evening at B. D..
Grants store. Out of the twenty three
merchants interested there was a
quorum present. N. E. Jesmer was
chosen chairman and AL Num- secre-
tary. There was lot of ''horse'
comment and ridicule INDUCED in for
some time. when finally the meeting
attempted to take the bull by the
horns and settle things, but without
much success.
A motion was made to throw out all
tickets having over fifty votes, and
then eliminate all the Cahill votes.
The motion was seconded, but died at
the feet of the question. Every sug-
gestion placed matters deeper in the
mire. A motion was made to also
eliminate all votes for Mrs. Mark,
but A. S. Mark stated that while he
was positive that Mrs. Mark did not
have votes enough to win, he was GER
tain that she would not consent to any
such procedure. This motion also
was lost in the ballot babel and sharp
ened keenly the edge of the discussion.
| The absence of those merchants in
terested in the contest was brought
before the lime light and those pres
ent were of the opinion that they
should shoulder the responsibility of
settlement along with the rest of the
parties to the contest.
A motion was made that the piano
now in Marks Bargain Store should
De removed and given into the custody
OF J. G: Borden, who will count the
ballots it they are ever counted. This
motion was vigorously opposed by
A. S. Mark who stated with consider
able heat that the piano would never
leave his store until finally awarded
to the winner, and that any attempt to
take the instrument until then would
have to be done by due process OF law.
Here endeth the first chapter of the
Wesley piano contest, which will be
"cOntinued in our next.''