The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-06-10
WOMEN VOTERS FEATURE
OF MUNICIPAL ELECTION
IDEAL Weather Promises Large Vote From the
Women Who Have Registered.
Election Passing Off Quietly and Predictions Are That
More Than Six Thousand Votes Will Be Polled,
Detailed Reports From Various Wards.

vote of women who for the first time
in any large city in Tennessee are ex-
ercising the right of suffrage given
them by the last legislature and early
morning predictions were that large
majority of the women who registered
will vote today. Mingled among the
early morning voters about the polls
were a number of women. some wait
ing to vote, others serving as clerks or
officers Of election. The eleventh.
hour discovery that the polls could
not, under the city charter, open until
10 o'clock did not make any change
and those who had gone to the polls
before 10 o'clock merely waited about
the voting places and discussed the
chances of their candidates. At sew
eral of the voting places some colored
women were voting and from the dis
patch with which they marked and
handed in their ballots they showed
they were adept pupils. The predic-
tions are that there will be very few
ballots thrown out because of being
mismarked. There were many SOL
diers over II voting for the fixss Sme,
as they had been absent in to 0kny.
About the streets early could be
seen the automobiles of candidates
and their friends flying banners in the
interest of those in, whom they were
interested. Due to the presence of
women about the voting places the
election is proceeding with quietness
and perfect order. Local suffragists
were busy with automobiles getting
out the women voters, where there
was interest or need of attention.
Each worker at the polls merely hands
out his cards and the loud talking
and threats of betting are absent. In
other words, the right of suffrage be-
ing exercised by the women has
thrown an air of respectability and
order about the polls which is proving
decidedly beneficial Every candi-
date has watchers at the polls and if
out of the ordinary occurs
this will be at once reported. The
prediction made this morning at the
headquarters of number of candi-
dates was that the total vote would
reach 5000. Other estimates as high
as 1000 were heard.
Official Count.
J. b. F. Lowry. of the Hamilton
county election commission, stated
that just as fast as the boxes were
sent to election headquarters tonight
the official count would be made by
the commission and he expected to be
able to give out the official vote short
ly after midnight. Mr.. Lowry said
this was being done in order that no
controversy might arise and repeti-
tion of the incidents of past elections
would not occur. The members OF
sthe cofamission, Theo King, J. B. F.
Lowry and Mckinley Hays, will be at
the election commissions headuarters
during the entire day and night. Each
ballot box reached the voting pre-
cincts in good order and the election
began with the same quietness and
order in which it promises to end.
Leaders.
Early predictions from the election
in several of the wards were that
Judge A. w. Chambliss, candidate for
mayor, was running strong and his
friends are much gratified over the
showing he is making. The predic-
tions also are that City Judge Martin
Fleming is running the race expected
by his friends and will be first by a
SIbSldHlldl pun amy. III tllC dtC ACi
city Judge. Fred B. Frazier is also
well up in the running and. his friends
say at the clip he began he will lead
the candidates for commission.
There was certainly a contrast in
the election scenes today and in the
city election four years ago. Then,
II will be remembered, were the fa-
NOUS schools for negro voters in
- r. Je tho Vuhi cly
bottles s.rewn about, today families,
fathers, mothers. brothers and sis
ters proceeded to the polls together
and everything was orderly as a
Sunday SChoo. assemblage.
First Ward, First Precinct.
Conspicuous in the First ward in
the forenoon today were Commits
sioner e. d. Heron and Emil Wass-
man, both actively engaged in hand
ing out their cards. Workers for all
the candidates were there in force
and those for Fred Frazier were de-
cidedly in the lead. Up to noon ap-
proximately 800 votes had been cast
in the First ward. with the number
in each precinct about even. Senti-
ment in the First precinct was
strongly in favor of Chambliss, al
though Murray received a good vote
Commissioner Huffaker was in the
ward during most of the
morning working hard for
Frazier. A &C mpany ing him
was Mrs. Huffaker. Also actively
engaged in assisting Frazier's candi-
dacy here was a number of friends
from Dayton who came down Tues
day morning for this purpose. Miss
Virginia Benham. from that city, was
handing out his cards to those who
entered by the west door.
Second Precinct.
The number voting here the first
! hour was los, unusually large fol
! the time. stated old men acquainted
with the situation. Women appeared
in large numbers the first hour and
up to noon. They did not tarry long
| simply going in and voting with as
! much ease and as much precision as
! if they had been handed the ballot
several years ago. Some men vol
unteered to show a number OF
/ women who came in the forenoon
how to mark their ballot, and i'm
mediately all said in unison: "Yol
can't show us, for we know"
Second Ward.
When the polls officially opened a
: 10 o'clock in this ward, the officer:
: found a large and anxious assemblagt
awaiting them. Several were women
although they did not show up II
any large numbers during the fore
noon. In the forenoon only thirty
three women had voted Chamblis'
was apparently leading here. Senti'
ment was decidedly in favor Of Judg'
Fleming, most every one making M
hesitation in stating that the judg'
! was leading here without a doubt.
Third Ward.
Voting here was light during al
of the forenoon and very few womel
arrived during the morning hours
At noon it was stated that only tel