The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-11-09
RED FIRE FLASHED
ITS JOYFUL NEWS
Not One Yellow Rocket Shot
Skyward as Multitudcs
Watched.

AS clocks over town announced the
hour OF last night rocket tore it's
way heavcnward from the roof of the
American National Bank Building, It's
appearance conveying to thousands OF
watching eyes in every nook and
Granny Of Greater Richmond the first
of The Times-Dispatch election re-
turns. 1t was red rocket, and indi-
Gated probable Democratic victory In
New York.
Sixty minutes later second rocket
scared into the great above. followed
closely by a third. These, too. were
hours Of the night aerial beacons.
which from distant parts of the city
resembled red cracks in the sky. told
an anxtously waiting public of the
glad news from the East.
AS the o'clock rocket mounted sky
ward to height OF thousand feet
and there burst into myriad of brill
liant stars-red stars-a man who
stood watching at Tenth and Main
sang out to the evening breeze: $50
long. Colonel
Twenty Calls a Minute.
1t was about this time that the buzz
of the drop" on the switchboard in
the city rooms of The Times Dispatch
Building began to sing its busy little
song. First. 1t was just buzz now
and then-iike it is every night. Then
there Were longer buZzes at more fire.
quent intervals. Finally it became
one long buzz-z-z-z-z that buzzed and
huzzed without cessation until long af-
ter midnight. Seven special operators
answered 5.l37 calls in The Times-Dis-
patch Building up until o'clock this
m2nntng-an average OF something like
twenty minute.
There are 1927 telephones in Rich
mond nearly half of which were In
communication with the newspaper
building sometime or other during the
night With the excellent wire SER
vice furnished by the telegraph COM
panies. and with the special arrange
ments made with the telephone COM
pany. The Times-Dispatch was able to
furnish accurate returns without 8. sec
ond's delay to the thousands who call
ed for them.
"New Nationnlismn Dead.
1t was typical election night
Broad street had on a decidedly holi-
day appearance. Promenading up,
then down. the big crowd in the big
street watched the clock. and as the
hours approached surged toward the
corner Of Ninth Street. from where a
splendid view could be had of the big
skyscraper silhouetted against moon
lit sky. Boom! sounded the warning
bomb. Then a red streak appear In
reflected the funeral pyre of the New
Nationalism."
A happy band of marching. singing
students helped enliven the streets.
Fair near-suffr a gettes were out in
great numbers. wondering to each
other as they passed along whether
Mr. Stuart was elected in-"What dis
trict is it, Maud?" It was a real cleo.
ton night, with its noise, Its color. Its
excitement. its life.
The weather cold, but clear and ex-
hilarating. had Its effect In adding to
the spirits Of the crowd. Reminds me
OF the night Of the last presidential
election said one man. THAT was
just such night as this
For once In history anyhow, old
Main Street in the business district
was lively after dark. Between Ninth
and Tenth Streets, in the vicinity OF
The Times-Dispatch building, the
at times into the streets, causing the
motormen to clang their bells with ex-
ira energy. adding to the general din
Main Street shops that close at sun
down even on Saturdays were open till
midnight, their proprietors with an eye
to business, gathering In many ON ex-
ira penny from tho big crowd OF watch
ers for returns
From housetops. from porches and
balconies, from the street corners and
the open spaces people stood with their
eyes raised heavenward waiting for
the signals. AS red rocket after red
rocket mounted to the skies cheer at
ter cheer rent the air. AS the shout
died down In one place It's echo was
taken up in another, and so the well
come news Of the Democratic victory
In New York was carried over town.
1t had been announced that q red
rocket would be fired to indicate q
for a Republican victory, while a white
rocket was to be used to signify that
elections results We're in doubt. UP
until midnight nor single. yellow
rocket had assembled from the roof OF
the bank building. A white rocket at
1880 o'clock this morning showed that
the Ninth District was still in doubt.
Some amusement was caused by the
rocket that climbed through the air
at IL O'clock. Look at that one" ex-
claimed one Of the watchers. sit looks
like an exploded rainbow" And 1t did.
BY some mistake OF the signal expert
a rocket which had all the oolors there
arc in it's composition was fired in
stead of the intended white one,
3"Hurrah," shouted another wag when
the freak rocket exploded. Every
body's elected and Ireland's free"
q Il. II. WaWner, manager OF the PEI
itershurg branch OF the NATIONAL Fire
works Distributing and Manufacturing
Company. had charge OF tho rocket
display. and he Was on the lob