Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1875-09-30
THE GRAND LOTTERY.
THE MONTPELIER FEM ALE HUMANE
ASSOCIATION. :


The first mention of lotteries in history is of
one organized 10 the year 1880. aud their estab.
hshmeDt as an institution dates back as far as
1893. Since then they have gradually grown
III public favor 10 proportion as the objects they
were Intended to promote have received the
public appreciation and the individuals who
controlled their destines have possessed the
public confidence. The object Of the Montpe.
her Association ID organizing lOttery-to pro.
vide home Tor the aged and INDECENT ladies of
Virginia at Montpelier, beautiful estate 10
Orange county, once the residence of President
James Madison-so commendable 10 itself, ap.
peals to the best and noblest instincts of human
nature, and superadded to this the high char
aoter and standing Of those in charge of the
enterprise is calculated to inspire the utmost
confidence in the fairness and impartiality of
its management Compared with other lotte-
ries the Montpelier las been thus far most
decided success, and the announcement OF its
President, the Hon. James Barbour, that forty
thousand tickets had been sold, which were
sufficient to cover at least one half of the
amount of prlzes'inteD led to be awarded, viz:
$500 OOO-Was received with every evidence of
satisfaction by those who had courted dame
fortunes tavors to the extent ofvarious invest.
ments ranging from an eighth ticket upwards.
In this city especially the interest In the lot
terry, which has lain dormant Tor some time.
although many had Invested sub rosa 10 ''lucky
numbers, has for The past few days been
greatly increased, and tickets were sold at the
offices OF the association up to late hour last
night, and today we're eagerly demanded long
after their sale had been Inhibited to close up
the estimates and arrange the affairs of the as
ISOLATION. After three postponemeuts the grand
drawing began at Sarepta Hall to. day at II
o'clock IN the presence OF. a large crowd of iu-
terested spectators, attracted by the music of
the Marine Band by the novelty of such biz
Bonanza as 4 live lottery and the prospects Of
receiving the 900 capital prize. 10 many
1t was rosy expectations fiery hour, when hopes
beat high and couuteuanccs beamed with all
| the pleasure OF pursuit that anticipates posses
son but alas shadows we are and shadows we
pursue, and up to the time Of this writing, al
though prizes ranging from $50 to $40, OGO had
been posted up to the credit Of those holding
the right plumbers, the $50. 900 was yet coquet-
ting with the anXletles OF those who Worship
ped at it's shrine. To the comprchensious of
those who were on the anxious bench within
the magic wheel was new Ell Dorado that
would tempt the temerlty Of Raleigh and the
perseverance OF Pizarro to brave the dangers Of
perilous seas Before the hour of drawing ar
rived the hall was filled with an anxious gather.
ing more or less interested in the result. Tot
tering age, buoyant youth, the charms OF beauty,
judges and statesmen, scauped with eager eyes
the transparent wheels as their revolutions por-
tended possible future, 10 tune and ease. Some
possessed whole tickets, others halves, quarters,
and eighths, and not few had engaged in
kind of partnership within the lottery, and
formed clubs by means of which they acquired
interests 10 the fate Of many different tickets,
and participated 10 their profits and losses.
The Association throughout has been under
the dictatorship Of the Board of Trustees, com.
posed of the following gentlemen: Judge VIM.
&. Williams, Alexander Daily and j. D. Brown
lug, Of Orange county &C. f. Smith, of Nelson
county; Thomas q. Popham, VIM. s. Wood
and Franklin Miller, Of Rappabanuock county,
and E. ?. Aestrop, of Washington, d. C.
The arrangements for the drawing were per-
fected by placing Que immense glass, wheel con.
tanning forty thousand tickets, each rolled up
and incased in small brass tube, 22,l7S of
whchEepresened prizes on one side of the
stage, aud a smaller glass wheel contaioing the
prizes similarly arranged 90 he other. The draw
ing OF the prizes was conducted under the su-
perVision of Com nissloners Lieutenant Cover.
nor Henry W. Thomas, and Judge James
Saugser, Of Fairfax, COL NJ. D Ball and R.
w. Falls, esq. OF this city, and Lew. Washing
ton, esq, OF Washington, D. G. The Marine
Band, OF Washington, supplied the music for
the occasion, and after several Of its most in.
spring rendtions the Hon. James Barbour,
President of the Association, Oh behalf of him.
self and the Board of Trustees, delivered the
following address, which was received with
applause ....< ...........
/ am instructed by the Board of Directors of
the Montpelier Female Humane Association to
make to you brief statement before the draw
ing commences. l am sure you will indulge me
in 8 few remarks Of my own. 49,
Such enterprises IS this arc to be applsuded or
censured just as we approve or condemn the
purpose proposed, and recognize integrity or
infdeity in The manner in which it is pursued /;
From Mr.. Jefferson down to the men of this
hour some among the rnost highly respected of
our men of character and distinction have given
active support sndi co operation to enterprises
like this. Of those which have recently at
tracted public attention and had the counte
nance and control OF some of the most dlstin
gushed men In the Union, none h.ve had
purpose SO praiseworthy as this nor body of
managers Excluding myself more respectable
or more respected. ..... r.. ., -
J. The Mercantile Library Association of San
Francisco, in the State Of California, was ap-
proved, when, by this means, it appropriated
some hundreds OF thousands of dollars to the es;
Establishment of q magnificent library SO it was
with the Louisville enterprise-the chief execu.
tive control of which was Entrusted to Governor
Brsnlette A magnificent library was the
praiseworthy object of that enterprise The as
ISOLATION at Norfolk, in our own State, had the
cooperation of many of our best citiz ms, and
was controlled by gentlemen very generally and
very highly esteemed; mig ht weary you with
similar references. The O. jet sought to be-
promoted by these associations mot tie public,
approval, and their management was honest
and faithful. ..sL 80
The enterprise has higher and .nobler pur-
pose than any that has been proposed by those
to whom SO much of the popular oofdence and
support has been given. A great war devastated
this noble Commonwealth. Such general dis
tress has rarely afflicted people as has been
brought upon Virg nia within the last fifteen.
years. The VIrginisn women, in the long, slow
agonies that followed in the path of the great
strife, have endured more even than the tVlr-
ginisn men, For the men there are still left
open some of the ways for useful industry and
successful enterprise But where can many Of
nur distressed la1ias find field for nsnfnl lShor