The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-03-22

A Lottery or a Bible Society-A Slngu-
lar Bit OF Social History.
By one of those condolences which are called
strange in fiction, although they are all the
time occurring in real life it has happened
that while Monsieur Lesseps has been agitat-
ing the idea of lottery in France to carry
through his new Panama canal projectl the old
Union Canal, the very oldest canal in this
country, and which was originally and mate
rally aided IN its construction by lottery, has
outliYed its usefulness and has been abandoned.
The Union Canal Of Pennsylvania was the
first projected on the American continent. 1t
was suggested by William Penn in 1890 years
before q canal was in operation even in Eng
land. The route was surveyed by David Rit-
tenhousc, the astronomer, and DR.. William
Smith, Provost of the University of Pennsyl-
vania.
The drawings of the lottery in aid of the
Union Canal took place in the old Arcade in
Philadelphia on Chestnut street, near Seventh,
and were regarded as occasions of public in
terest. The work was interrupted by the Reyo-
lutionary war, but later on Robert Morris, Rob
ert Fulton and Jacob Francis became interested
in it.
The canal was eighty-nine miles long, and
necessitated in its construction some of the
greatest engineering work of the day The
first tunnel IN the United States was bored for
this canal, and colossal pumping apparatus
was used to raise the water to the necessary
height
The canal cost 100000 equivalent to ten
times that sum at the present tine), was worth
to the country every dollar 1t cost, and would
never have been completed had it not been for
the lottery
A rival to the Union Canal was afterwards
started by the Bostoncse to enable d" the Hub
to compete with New York but although this
canal was completed Through the agency also
of public lottery formed TO aid in its con-
/ trpp cd 70 oil TO
New York, though it did much good, neyerthe-
less.
Various public works besides canals resorted
to the lottery for aid When New England pa
triotism fell short of finishing the Bunker Hill
/ Monument, large lottery was suggested to
continue the good work, and a rattle was
gotten up at a ladies fair" to which Fanny
Eissler, the danseuse, contributed, and which
supplied the funds required.
Even the phloguIatiC Germans took kindly to
the lotteries, and drawings Of interesting mag
nitude took place in Vienna and Berlin. The
lottery then found its way, on the general
principles OF human nature, into Great Britain,
where it took root and fourishcd The first
English lottery was for the repairing of harbors
and Notifications along the coast. The first
/ public drawing in England took place at the
west door Of old ST. PauPs Cathedral, III the
/ presence Of vast crowd
/ Queen Elizabeth, the most sensible and sue
{
t lottery by royal edict, and placed it under the
/ control Of the Prime Minister and the Chancel-
/ Tor of the Lxchequer. So successful were its
/ results that it was continued as an accepted in
/ stltutlon for raising revenues down 10 the close
! of the eighteenth century. 1t was during this
/ brilliant period that the banking system, in
/ surance, exchange, and paper money were hrst
/ introduced, and all, if not born of, were IN
/ doubtedly Graded IN, the lottery system.
The greatest public institution in London, or
/ perhaps in the world, the British Museum, was
materially aided in its inception by a lottery.
/ Nearly $4,000 were thus contributed to this
magnificent object one hundred and thiTty-fYe
| years ago.
Meanwhile, the lottery had gained firm
Ioothold in France. The meycurial Parisians
/ took kindly to it. They dearly loved the OK
/ element of the drawings while at the same
time the Government took care to devote the
major portions Of the funds thus raised to pub
/ lie purposes.
At present lotteries in France are in full
favor for charitable and art purposes and are
/ regulated by Government, public official be-
I ing present at all drawings. Over forty lotte-
/ ries have obtained the sanction of the French
! Government during the last decade, The lot
/ terry known as The Central Union of DecOra-
/ tive Art" had capital of 1900 600 francs
/ (nearly S3GG0,000). One lottery disposed of
| six hundred thousand tickets in twenty days
! The Algerian National Lottery sold over
/ million OF tickets per month for five months
and the lottery for the Societie des Gems de
Lottoje5 sold over half that number at higher
price.
In this country, as has been previously stated,
/ lotteries have always been popular, and until
late years have been sanctioned while regulated
/ by law. Religion has, even in America awaited
/ itself largely Of human natures tendency to the
lottery.
Churches, from Maine 10 Louisiana, have
been aided by lotteries. The Philadelphia
Steeple Lottery was managed by no less man.
statesman and philanthropist than Benjamin
Franklin, and through its agency the steepIe
| of old Christ Church, Philadelphia, was raised
| and its peal Of bells secured
These Christ Church bells are almost as well
known and historical in the Quaker City as
are Bow bells" in London; the whoIe peal
weigh over nine thousand pounds, aud are very
harmonious-literaly music by the pound
They We're cast in London and brought over
/ with great care and large expense to Phiadel-
pha The'lottery the funds Of which procured
these bells was regarded by the good men and
women at the time as public benefit.
In New England a lottery was originated for
the purpose Of raising funds to supply sailors
and strangers with Bibles and succeeded
| largely IN accomplishing its object. Thus q
lottery became Bible society. Various Epis-
Copal and Congregational Churches at Newport
and elsewhere have been built by funds raised
Dy iOLtGrlcS.
Two of the most noted preachers in this coun-
try, Increase and Cotton Matter. lived and died
in houses built by lotteries, and the Rev DR..
Elphalet Mott, of Union College, has written
the best, because most truthful, defense Of the
lottery system. Rev. DR.. Mott was a historic
cal character, the grandfather of the present
Bishop Henry Goldman Potter, of New York,
aud the inventor of the celebrated Mott stove.
The defense Of the lottery system was before
the New York Legislatures
The first Episcopal church in Brooklyn st.
AIMS on the Heights, was erected largely by
means of lottery, under the personal direction
Of the Rev DR.. Page.
The famous charity hospital of New Orleans,
one Of the historic institutions of the country,
has for many years been partly supported by
over a quarter of million Of dollars received
for it during that period from the Louisiana
State Lottery.
Christ Church, in Louisiana, the first Protest
ant church III that State, was erected on a site
purchased by lottery funds, and various SINH
lar instances could be cited.
Colleges and schools in America almost with
out number, have from time to time been in
debted to lotteries for their erection and COM
pletion. Dartmouth College, Harvard College,
Leicester Academy, Rhode Island College, vii
Jamestown Free School, some dozen of educa-
tional institutions in New York State and POM
sylyania, and scoEes of institutions through the