Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-09-17
'lTTH & CHESTNUT
. IN NERVOUS NIGHT
Election Uncertainty Mingled
Gloom With Cigar Smoke
at Headquarters
FINLEY HANDLED FIGURES

Everybody smoked cigars Bill
Finley, executive secretary Of the Re
publican city committee, surveyed the
smoky roomful Of heelers with lordly
and contented mien in the headquarters
last night at Eleventh and Chestnut
streets.
Stump Of cigar in his mouth, coat
of, up TO his neck in returns, he was
the chief figure in the little office where
iangling phones we're tumbling in the
returns and spreading JOY. Time; y
p. m.
ITS Patterson, said Finley to the
gathering. ITS Patterson without
doubt. He's leading by 10000 and
thirteen wards to twelve"
Nobody cheerod One of the 100 per
cent Americans present, his hat 100 per
cent over his eve. and 100 per cent
collarless. beamed and bit the end on
another cigar. Other 100 per cent
Americans also registered joy. but not
Of the noisy brand There was some.
thing nervous about it all.
Only 5000 Now
One hour later Five thousand to
the good, announced Finley, not so
confidently as before. Getting better
as we go along
BY this time all present were leaning
heavily on the railing surrounding the
phone desks and hanging on each an
nouncement. With every phone jungle
the lead was being cut, apparently.
Came a parade in the street below and
everybody made a dive to see whether
It was for Moore or Patterson. It was
for Moore
At this disconrerting moment for the
Varemen. there came a cry that almost
broke up the meeting and cleared the
atmosphere at one, fell swoop.
"It's all right fcllers." yodeled
newcomer, volumnous cap hiding his
identity. The mornin papers gives
Il to Patterson by 10000" he added,
with a careless wave OF his hand.
As the gathering stood up open
mouthed at this shock when things
seemed to be so close, an explosion like
q big calibrr pistol sounded from the
roof overhead. The heelers and the
bosses joined in the acclaim. They
danced around the room. slapped zach
other on the back and chcNred in
unison.
Just then somebody happened to look
at the paper. II said Patterson and
Moore in close racc." That was all,
except for few figures. The Bolsho-
vik agitator was run out and the
meeting settled back TO the cold. hard
figures once again.
As 20 Public Sentiment
Dave" Lane. sage of the Republi
can organization, somberly clad for
the occasion in black, StrOllcd in He
was at once surrounded by the heel
ers and the inside dope" slipped into
his ear in hushcd tones. A few hasty
puffs from his cigar was his reply,
and then they usherpd him to the back
room where the deep stuff in figures
was being plotted.
Another leading Ware man TO hold
down a place at the meeting was Sen
ator Salus. lie never let the figures
get ahead of him. He always had
ready 1900 majority for Patterson.
Long about midnight the heeers
were uncertain.
Il amt goin home till the last
divisions in" said one. Gloom hung
all around. but cheer went up when
a phone call announced sixty three
more votes for Patterson than an orig
inal return on the same division.
And so il went-Onc moment It
looked bad for Patterson. the next
moment he looked like a winner.
But just the same, twas a nervous
night in Ware headquarters.