Chicago, Ill., June 9.--The first ballot in the Republican convention was cast at 8.30 o'clock tonight. Hughes led the field with 253 1-2, while Roosevelt was eighth with 65. The other candidates trailed in the following order: Weeks, 105; Root, 103; Cummins, 85; Burton, 77 1-2; Fairbanks, 74 1-2; Sherman, 66; Knox, 36; Ford, 32; La Follette, 25; Taft, 14; DuPont, 12; Brumbaugh, 9; Willis, 4; Borah, 2; McCall, 1.

On the second ballot Hughes received 328 1-2; Root, 98 1-2; Fairbanks, 88 1-2; Cummins, 85; Roosevelt, 80; Weeks, 79; Burton, 76 1-2; Sherman, 65; Knox, 37; La Follette, 25; McCall, 1; Willis, 1; Wood, 1; Harding, 1.

That no significant steps towards greater harmony between the Progressives and Republicans were made today was shown by the reports which the committees on conciliation read at the conventions this morning.

Senator Borah's unexpected desertion of the Republicans and his entry into the Progressive convention this morning was the subject of much comment in both camps. Senator Borah declared himself in favor of the Colonel, but pleaded for harmony, and said that the essential object was the preservation of the Republican party.

The prevailing sentiment here has been that even should Roosevelt be nominated by the Progressives, he would be quite likely to refuse the nomination in order to preserve party unity. At times during the day it was even thought that the Progressives might not name the Colonel after all.

The entire afternoon at the Republican convention was taken up with nominating speeches. Thirty minutes of applause followed Governor Whitman's nomination of Justice Hughes, while Roosevelt's nomination was greeted by forty-six minutes of prolonged enthusiasm