Jasper County Democrat, Volume 6, Number 33, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 November 1903 — QUAINT CITY ELECTION. [ARTICLE]

QUAINT CITY ELECTION.

wicket Gates, Sweet Hrrbs and Nose* Kaye Are Features. An interesting old-fashioned ceremony will be witnessed in the Guildhall on the occasion of the election of bridgemaster by the liverymen of the guilds, in the room of the late Alfred Norris, says the London Express.' Outside the Guildhall a qualnt-look-lng barricade consisting of a dozen wicket gates is to be erected. Over ths gates will be painted the names of various livery companies and behind them will be the beadles, who are supposed j;o recognize each liveryman as he demands admission through ths gate over which the name of his company figures. Inside the hall more barriers will have to be passed and more challenging will go on. At the back there is room for a couple of hundred of ths public. The platform at the eastern end will be strewn with sweet herbs, a relic of the disinfecting methods of plague times, and the members of the cirie procession will carry old-fashioned English nosegays of bright-colored, sweetsmelling flowers. The election proceeds in much the usual way until the show of hands is taken. Then when the recorder says “So many of you as will have” So-and-so, a painted board with the candidate's, name is hoisted by means of a pulley to a good height, so that every man who can see may know for whom he is voting. 'There are four candidates for ths office and, singularly enough, not on# of them has had any training in ths building of bridges or of keeping them clean and passable. There are two bridgemasters who receive £230 and £2OO a year each and their duties mainly consist In presenting a report to the livery, "in common hall” once a year showing that London. Biackfriars and Southwark bridges are safe and sound and are kept in good condition. It is the office of junior bridgemaster at £2OO a year which is to be filled.