The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-01-09
THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE.
DRAWING OF THE 4 ca DEM 7 Of
Music GIFT SCHEME.
scenes In the Building-A Slim Crowd
How the Drawing was Managed-A
Fair and Square Plan-The Big Prizes
and the Lucky Numbers, Sc, Sc, &C.

The anxiously awaited drawing OF the prizes
offered by the South Carolina Land and I'M
mIeration@Assoeiatio began, as appointed, at
eight O'Clock yesterday morning. A majority
of the managers were present, and we are able
to say, from personal knowledge and obserVa-
ton, that the deposltlng Of the tickets and the
drawing itself were conducted with scrupu-
lous fairness, which made any collusion, to
the injury of the ticket-holders, absolutely i'm
practicable. TO those who know the gentle
men who, from the beginning, have con-
trolled the affairs OF the association, Lnls
assurance may seem unnecessary; but the
plan of the drawing has been advertised
throughout the United States, and we
deem it only proper to declare that
the distribution has been managed In
such way that every person has had an
equal chance of winning a prize. Every
check and security which could be suggested
has been adopted, and we have right to say
that the whole affair has been managed in
way which should satisfy the most captious
loser. 1t is square drawing, whose only
fault is that all the ticketholders cannot take
thk capital prize. We give officially the num-
ber of the tickets which win the prizes OF
$1,000 and over, and hope to publish, when the
drawing ends, an official list ofall the winning
numbers.
AT o'clock yesterday morning the doors
of the Academy were thrown open, and the
ticket-holders began to- enter, slowly at hrst
46d in silence, as if awed by the chilly solitude
IW the place which they were accustomed to
behold brilliantly lighted up and echoiDg to
the noisy plaudits Of the audience. 1t was
still enough now; and the sober change seemed
TO portend the chance which might 30 soon be-
fall the structure. The thinly scattered spec
tators eyed each other askant and scanned the
decorations Of the beautiful Temple OF the
Drama with newly-awakened Interest. The
delightful possibility of becoming it's propri-
etor, at one turn of the wheel, Kept
rising in their minds, and gave a
pleasant coloring to their Thoughts. On
one of the front rows of the orchestra
chairs sat an old gentleman from an upper
deest-rict. He had anticipated great rush
for seata, and was seen hanging around the
door little after daybreak in his primitive
black felt and domestic suit His seat COM
mandIng full view of the stage, and within
easy hearing, he never abandoned 1t during
the whole day, and as each number was
called he would scan, with anxious care and
all.absorbing interest, number OF tickets
which he held In his hand. He gave no signs
of having been in luck, and never looked
around except when he was wiping his silver
speetacles in the corner Of his handkerchief.
Near him sat an old lady, whose bolt upright
position and sternly compressed lips gave one
the Idea that she was continually about
to leap up to fearful height In the air
and give vent 10 fearful scream. She
never. looked to the right or to the left,
but watched the wheels intently. It was
plain that she had but single number and
knew every figure In 1t by heart. Luckily for
the crowd it never came oat, OR the services
of the coroner might have been necessary.
The seats we're thinly peepled, but on every
countenance the same expression Of eager
interest could De detected.
Generals N. G. Butler and n. W. Gary, and
Jonn Chadwick, Esq, made their appearance
little after eight, and the commissioners,
Colonel Benz. 81. Rutledge and G. N. suber,
being present, the Important business was
begun. On the right Of the stage was mount
ed the big wheel for the one hundred and ffty
thousand numbers. The one ordered from Bal
timore By the Sea Gull had been repndiated,
and the one used was made to order IN this
city. 1t was "a big thing" being about five
feet in diameter, eighteen inches through, and
being turned by large spokes on an iron axle.
The numbers from / to $4,000 were brought
out upon the stage in three trunks and box.
These were Inspected by the commissioners
fpQd large number of The audience who came
ss96rward by request for the purpose. large
tin funnel was then placed in the square door
ofthe big wheel and the numbers were then
rapidly shovelled in. They were neatly print
ed on red slips of pasteboard, with star on
one end to denote the right Of the long num-
bers.
The email wheel which had been obtained
Sie the occasion from the Charleston Charita-
Association, was mounted on the left Of
In this were placed 2405 slips OF
ber, each having the value OF the prize it
neatly printed upon 1t in large
red letters. The slips were rolled up tightly
Like cigarettes, and were inspected by the
commissioners as they Were placed In the