The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1916-04-20
sF+s
Candidate For Mayor Carries
Three of Four Wards in
City Polling. .35 ss

City Polling. 4 4
4 1t was an April blizzard that
struck Mitchell yesterday. With the
heaviest poll in the history Of the
city, the voters registered emphatic
disapproval of the proposition to IL:
cense the sale of liquor and placed
their endorsement on the candidacy
of James E. Wells for mayor. &
The vote on the license question,
a majority of 234. represents tho
strongest protest against the sale OF
intoxicants the city has ever given
and the Wells majority of 262 votes
was one OF the strongest endorse
ments ever given a mayoralty candi-
date. The anti-license forces carried,
the First, Third and Fourth wards
and the Wells hackers swept every
ward in the city, with the exception
,of the First.
Record Vote Cast. u,
From 8 o'clock in the morning un-
til the polls closed at s O'Clock IN
the afternoon, the voting places were
thronged and the election officials
kept busy for most Of the time, Iti
was evident early in the day that all
past voting records would be surpass-
ed. A total Of 1854 votes was cast.
on both the license and mayoralty
issues, compared with the following
total license votes Of past years:
1913, 1886 votes; 1914, 1,541 votes:
1915, 1,72S votes.
The only contest for an alderman-.
ic post, in the Third ward, was won
by Arthur Miller, who defeated K. "A.
Johnson by a vote Of 209 to 200.
City Treasurer H. r. Kibbee was un-
opposed and received q total Of I ,060
votes. In the various wards the cam
didates for the council received the
following votes: First, L. H. Nedrow
394; Second, A.. j. Kings, 800;
Fourth, A. c. Miles. 424.
| Republican Announced News.
The record made by The Republi-
can in announcing the election re-
turns was revelation to the citizens
of Mitchell. Within twenty minutes
of the time the polls closed, at exactly
1920 o'clock, the Milwaukee round
house whistle blew the signal that
indicated that the dry forces had
carried the city. Thirty-five minutes
later, at 5:55 o'clock, the same
whistle blew the blasts announcing
the election of Mr.. Wells as mayor
of the city. The size Of The Republi-
cans circulation, both in the city and
the towns surrounding, made 1t Inn
practicable to hold the presses for
the results. Many compliments came
to the office today over the success
of blowing the whistle as a signal.
The winners of the two issues In
the campaign held campaign jubilant
sessions in their respective head
quarters. BY most followers OF the
Ivoters the result was taken as an
indication that the temperance and
mayoralty issues had been complete
lily divorced in the minds of the vpt-
ers and each question decided sep
arately.
Hill Makes Statement.
w. S. Hill commented briefly this
morning upon the result OF yester-
days mayoralty contest, declaring
that he felt relieved that he was not
given the responsibility Of the Of
flee. Mr. Wells, the successful can
didate stated last evening that he
appreciated the support given by the
voters of the city and that he would
do his utmost to merit their express
sion He declared that he desired the
backing of all citizens and elements
of the city in the enforcement Of the
law and the upbuilding Of the city.
w. H. Fritz. president Of the Nit
chell Progressive Voters League,
which backed the candidacy of Mayor
Elect Wells declared that the results
| of the election were sufficient graft
fication to the organization. He stated
that the vote showed conclusively
the object of the league and that the
attacks upon the organization had
given it an increased vote Of conf
dence He said that the victory Of
the league and of the temperance
forces showed clearly that the two
We're not working at cross-purposes.
/ Will Back New Mayor.
That the Better Mitchell league.
which carried on the campaign
against the license element, would
support Mr.. Wells in his administers
tion was shown in statement by w.
II. King, chairman of the campaign
committee. Mr.. King stated that the
league was permanent organization
and would help the city administra-
tion in every way in the enforcement
of the law. s.4
"While we were expecting . ma
jority of about 200 for the drys,' =
said Mr.. King, 81 was somewhat SUR
lprised at the endorsement given the
Temperance cause. I think that the
splendid work of the ward commit
tees is responsible for our victory.
1 am hoping and believe that this
will be the last fight on the saloon
question in Mitchell. I am satisaed
that there was no crooked kIle d work IN
4 1, q n T.aIs lgl,.SS nod