The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-03-21
UNION |. !. ] ] OF CITIES
S SEEMS Il. ASSURED ) ( {. D
Consolidation Club Of Manchester
Claims Have Majority OF
Voters Enrolled.
.RuMoRs OF CONTESTS HEARD
Almost Every Citizen Now Allied.
to One Faction OF the
Other.

Forces for and against consolidatio,
are lining UP in Manchester for TIL
last round of the fight, which. whci
the whistle blows on the night o
April a. will either make Richmon,
indefinitely the third effort for an
nesation Though UP to this time tn,
contest has been one.sided and all Ii
favor OF the annexation people. the,
arc not resting on their oars. and vii
keep Up their aggressive tactics unit
1t Is all over On the other hand. til.
ANTS" despite the fact that thus IA,
they have been playing an uphill ant
losing game. have by nc means giver
up, and declare that every point vii
be contested until the matter is dc.
cided for all time. Meetings will be
held almost nightly up to the time the
polls are closed
Rnmors of Contest.
Although there was no contest be-
fore Judge Christian. or Lynchburg
who sat In the Corporation Court In
place u Judge Wells. and announced
the election day for April &. II was ru-
mored IN Manchester yesterday that
would file in the Corporation Court to-
day exceptions 30 the order to be heard
before Judge Wells.
Little credence Is given to this, how
ever. as 1t is held that inasmuch as
Judge Wells was not eligible to set the
date OF the election, 1t would certainly
be improper for him to hear any COM
plants. Then. too, after passing both
branches OF the Manchester Council,
and after having been signed by Mayor
Maurice, the ordinance lay on the ta-
bic for five days to allow time for
printing and the preparation or any
contest that might be made. At the
end OF that time Judge Christian sat
In the3court for the purpose OF hearing
objections, but none was raised. In
the face Of anything that may be said
to-day. there are the opinions OF City
Attorney Pollard, OF Richmond. and
City Attorney Goodwin OF Manchester.
to the effect that the ordinance and
procedure have been according to law
Win in Each Ward.
From the very time that the ordi-
nance was certified to the city OF Man.
chester. the Consolidation Club, or
ganfzed about that time. has been hold
ing meetings and enrolling members
in the most systematic way The sit
uation now, barring legal technicali-
ties which are not expected, is that It
is all over but the celebration. Ac-
cording to data gathered by men APP
pointed for the purpose. there are in
the city of Manchester about $50 vot-
ers qualified to cast their ballots in
this election.
OF these more than 400 have become
members of the club. the membership
requirements OF which are that each
man not only vote in favor OF annex.
alton, but use his Influence. Stop
ping at this point, therefore, 1t Is as
sured that there will be q safe ma for
Ity. %
It cannot DO expected that the en-
tire vote of the city will turn out on
election day. even II the opposition has
been as active as the annexation peo-
pie. It is known that there are set
lutte a number OF qualified voters who
are on the fence. Some OF them will
tall to one side or the other, and the
rest will keep away from the polls,
Splendid Organization.
The Consolidation Club has gone into
he fight with splendid organizations,
.aking the city Upwards and counting
he voters. with the result that more
han % have been pledged In each
ward. True. the Instrumentation fac
ion has a following which is strong In
Will. III not in numbers. 1t has held.
numerous meetings. some secret and
some open, at which influential men
lave expressed their views. Their
Methods have been different, however,
he gatherings having been more in
he nature of mass meetings. SO far
IS Is known. only one or two ward
meetings have been held. and II they
ave obtained an accurate poll Of their
yoters. the method OF doing SO has
,een kept from the public. It is said
hat several anti-annexation people
rave openly stated that they would be
defeated at the polls. but that they
would fight to the end.
Even It exceptions are nled before
fudge Wells to-day. it Is not expected
hat this action will cause any delay
IS the election has been officially an--
lounced for April 4. After that time
hero will be ton days IN which the OPP
position can contest the validity OF the
election. II nothing IS done In that
Inc. Judge Christian will return on
AprilE1 IA to certify the count and de-
,lare the union effected according to
he laws 81 the State.