Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-11-10
Council Bluffs
ELECTION DAY Is HOLIDAY
Business is Generally Suspended and
Vote is Heavy.
INTEREST CENTERs IN CONGRESS
Time Taken by Voters Indicates
that There was Much Scratch
ing-JafI Bonds Prob
ably Lost.
INTEREST CENTERs IN CONGRESS


ing-Jan Bonds Prob
ably Lost.
Election day in Council BLUFFS was a full
holiday. All public buildings and offices
were closed all day, including the banks.
Under the Iowa law election day is a legal
holiday and its observance may be en-
forced IN the same manner as any holiday.
The retail and many Of the wholesale stores
we're open, but there was a notable absence
Of the usual first OF the week crowds.
Whether this was due to increased interest
in matters political or should be attributed
to the fine weather which gave such allur-
Ing promise Of pleasant outdoor work is
problematicaL While one OF the most
hotly contested and interesting elections
in recent years, with a phenomenally large
vote. II was at the same time one OF the
most orderly and quiet. Not a symptom
Of disturbance was reported at any Of the
city precincts during the day. Discussions
around the polls we're animated, but always
good-natured
Interest all day centered IN the re-eleo-
ton Of Congressman Walter L Smith, and
the white silken badges bearing his name
fluttered the lapels OF myriads OF coats.
Congressman Smiths friends in the city
rallied to his support and got out a heavy
vote for him, and early in the day the
question Of his election was lost sight of in
the effort to figure out the size Of his ma
jority.
! The voting began with a rush when the
polls opened at o'clock in the morning
and continued evenly throughout the day
At the noon hour and late In the evening
the voting accommodations were INSULT
cient in many of the precincts. II was
noticed that an unusual length Of time was
required by each voter TO mark his ballot,
thus indicating that about every fellow did
more or less scratching There were four
tickets on the official ballot and two propo-
stions on the special ballots, and on ac-
count Of the general scratching IT Is
scarcely probable that the counting will be
finished until late this morning.
4 A singular feature OF the election was
the lack Of interest in the two special
propositions on the little yellow slips
handed to each voter. One proposition
was whether a commission should be APP
pointed to amend the states constitution
and the ether was TO vote $4,000 bonds to
construct a new county jail at Council
, Bluffs. Many OF the voters appeared Ia
Auluh Nlc hAAiG gGAtoW hAAbo WoAH uoAAN NAtu
Of an advertisement, and many of them
, were Indignantly orumpled up and thrown
on the floor Of the voting booths. This
Indifference may cause the defeat OF the
jail proposition. for the east end Of the
county voted almost solidly against It.
When the polls closed at o'clock last
: night the full vote had not been cast and
t In nearly all OF the precincts there were
number OF tardy voters shut out.
Smiths Majority Reduced.
Up to II O'Clock last night It was i'm
, possible to Eft out but very few facts
from the chaotic reports and rumors thai
poured into party headquarters. The frs
reports came from the country districts
and all showed democratic gains over th'
vote of two years ago. The greatest loca
, interest centeTed in the congressional con
test, and as the reports came in from thu
, various counties composing the percentage
I OF loss, indicated that Il COngressmal
4 Smith carried II IL would be by great!
reduced majoritieE. The early democrats
, gains, applied to the whole district by tn
ratio process, gave Smith only q majorit
! OF a few hundred. In most Of the count
precincts the congressional vote wa
\ counted first. Valley township gave Smith
. SO; Cleveland. his democratic opponent, 10
a Carson smith, Ls8i Cleveland, ~ VIRGIN
! township. Smith, ~ Cleveland. Is Kno
township. Smith. les; Cleveland, sSl. Minde
Smith, g.; Cleveland. is9.
/, In the city not a precinct was complete
Il on the congressional ticket except ''ru
! through" count In the second Of the FRS
which gave SO to each OF the oongressions
= candidates. In the second OF the Fifth, tn
same kind Of count gave Capell (dem) 70
county attorney. a majority Of ~ agains
!, Scott (rep) and Barghausen (dem.) a ma
jorlty of 40 over Baird (rep).
In some OF the wards the straight ba
d lots were counted In the first precinct
n the First ward there were rs Democrat
q and % republican; second OF the Second
Is democratic and a republican; first 9
the Third, a and %; first Of the Fifth, I
and a.
Treynor village which gave Smith /
and Byers 1 IN the June primaries CAV
Smith, Is, and Cleveland IS.
At a late hour last night Judge Smit
= conceded that his opponent had carrie
" shelby. his own county. by a majorit
}, close to TOO The previous estimate CAV
: Cleveland majority Of 500
At II o'clock last night there was n
! prospect of the city vote being counted b,
- fore daylight.