125 Years Ago This Month: Post Election Celebration in Rushford Leads to Injuries
McKinley/Hobart Presidential Campaign Poster, 1896. Library of Congress. 125 years ago this month: The following is a news item from the Rushford "Spectator" of November 12, 1896. It reports on the happenings following the election that was held on November 6 of that year. In that election, William McKinley and his vice presidential candidate Garret Hobart defeated William Jennings Bryan for the U.S. presidency. ---------------------------- Grand Blow Out Marred Only by the Terrible Results of a Premature Explosion [The Spectator, Rushford, N.Y., November 12, 1896] Tuesday evening, almost before the ballot box was closed, the small boys began celebrating for they felt sure someone was elected, and from that time on more or less celebrating was done until Saturday evening when the joy and enthusiasm culminated in one of the grandest jollification’s ever seen in Rushford. About seven o'clock an immense pile of pine stumps were set on fire in the center of Main Street, a
