The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-09-13
REVISED RETURNS
KEEP MAINE IN
DRY BELT
Errors In First Figures Shown
BY Official Count
DRY MAJORITY ABOUT ATS
Prohibitlonlsts Greatly EIated After
They Had Conceded Victory to
Their Opponents
DRY MAJORITY ABOUT ATS

Maine apparently is to continue a
prohibition state. After a day of al
most constant surprises during which
time the result was many times hang
ing in the balance, it appeared last
night on the face of returns from
town and city clerks in all but 1856
towns and plantations that prohibit
ion had won in the special election of
Monday by 465 votes. Most of the
towns yet to be heard from have been
unofiicialiy reported with small major
tiles for the retention OF the prohibit
tory amendment in the constitution
and it was generally conceded that ii
any changes were made In the vote of
these places 1t was likely to favor
the prohibitionists rather than those
who sought the repeal of the amend.
ment. In addition to the 465 majority
shown by the clerks return there are
so more dry" votes known to exist
in the city of Portland which are not
included in the city clerks report
because OF an admitted error on the
part of ward clerk. If necessary,
the anti-repealers will petition for a
recount in this ward.
The wet" faction started out yes
terday with majority by unofficial
returns OF 700 votes, but as returns
from town and city clerks began to
arrive this lead began to fade and
by noon time the result was hanging
In the balance. Early In the day 1t
was found that two large towns, San
ford and Wells. had been reversed in
the unofficial returns and the correc-
ton cut down the repeal lead by near.
lily 400 votes. All but two small pla.
ices, Monhegan Plantation and the
town of Otis, had been reported by
late afternoon Monhegan came in
at SIS and was followed half an hour
later by Otis. Monhegan is located on
an island a few miles of Booth bay
Harbor, the only means OF commune
cation with the mainland being q
small steamer which runs every Other
day. The steamer was due in at noon
yesterday. but because OF unfavorable
weather conditions did not arrive un
Ill s o'clock last night The vote
five for and seven against repeal was
Immediately telephoned to Portland
The town OF Otis is situated on {
; stage road, and 1t was not until las
evening that any one CHANGED into
, Ellsworth with the returns.
| The change from an apparent vic
tory for the wet" side by 200 voteI
, to 500 votes in favor OF the "drys'
: came as a big surprise. The prohib
lfffOufoto had nroctfoonxf cnpcadaa 40
/ feat and were already making thei
: plans to continue their fight wheI
| the question of the repeal OF the pro
| lhibitory law on the statute book
, should come up In the legislature
} while representatives of those VIII,
7 Isought the repeal of the constitution
/ al amendment had sent out numerou
> statements on the strength Of thei
/ apparently safe majority. Last nigh
: the prohibitionists celebrated.
2 OF the three other referendum ques
I lions before the people Monday tina
: proposing to make Augusta foreve
. the capital OF the state and that fay
D Ioring the direct primaries act wer
Q lcarried by large majorities according
e Ito returns received last night iron
D town and city clerks from all excep
2 1876 Of the small towns OF Maine, Tn
referendum on the proposition to II
: crease the debt limit OF cities of owe
e 10000 people, which concerns Port
= land alone. showed 2l9i majority 4
+ flavor. With no cities and only 10
| towns missing out OF 52l. the vote o.
= the minor propositions was:
4 Retaining capital at Augusta-Yes
!, 1926; no. 30,4l9
Increasing debt limit-Yes. S4,41S
Y no, 1892.
b Direct primaries-Yes, $3.50; nj
o i7,75l