Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1889-03-08
THE LOUISIANA LOTTERY SCHEMI


THE LOUISIANA LOTTERY SCHEME.
My DEAR SIR: Inoticed in a re-
cent issue of your valuable paper
that some 40 or so tickets in the
Louisiana lottery are bought month
ly in your village. Such statement
coming from a mining town in the
far west would not create any sur
prise, but coming from SO reliable a
source, from a New England COM
munity, should suggest to your
worthy citizens the necessity of or
ganizing a five cent savings bank,
and a school of economy and reform
at once. A New England commun-
ity cannot be fairly accused of lack
Of that intelligent economy, which
her sons and daughters have taken
with them as their principle stock in
trade, to all States and countries;
and such q statement of facts cannot
be intelligently accounted for. Last
winter, while stopping in New Or
leans, I attended one of the great
monthly drawings. a hasty descrip-
ton OF its workings may assist some
Of your moral readers to discover
the cause of their continuous disap-
pointment.
The scheme is set up 49, 900 net in
its own favor, which means if the tick.
cts are all sold, and the prizes all
drawn, the lottery company saves this
sum monthly. All the tickets not sold
are put in the drawing for the benefit
of the company. The tickets are
rolled tightly and fastened by II pin,
and when put in the large wheel make
as much as five bushels. This wheel is
about five feet in diameter, and six.
teen inches across the face; the sides
are glass, thus the tickets and drawing
can readily be seen by the audience.
The wheel containing the prizes, stand
ing as high in its frame, is similar, but
smaller. Every ticket in this wheel is
prize. These wheels are turned for
some time to thoroughly mix the tick
cts. Holes are opened in the faces of
each wheel, where hoodwinked boys
are stationed for the drawing. tick
ct is drawn by boy and passed
to the man in charge, who opens it
and reads its number. The boy at
the prize wheel then draws a prize,
and the man in charge of that wheel
reads the amount. These are pinned
together and thrown in box, clerks
keeping the account. This goes on
till the last prize is drawn, when the
drawing is declared closed. There
then remains in the big wheel nearly
five bushels of tickets which are left
there, and the numbers drawn out as
prizes are replaced by Others and the
wheel locked up for the next months
drawing. There is no prize drawn less
than 800, while the ticket drawing
the prize is sold in fractions, often il
several different States. OF the severa
hundred ladies and gentlemen | saw
watching intently each number a.
drawn, and holding a handful of tick
cts for comparison, did not see on
countenance radiant with success, an(
they left disguised looking commun
lty at the close of the drawing.
Prizes are drawn; small investment
sometimes draw quite large amounts
but they are so few compared wit
those getting nothing that ma
might as well expect lightning from
clear sky. 1t is decentralization an
that continually, and a prize sent to
town means the ruin of many VIII
ought to know and do better.
Yours Very Truly,
j. NJ. BARTLETT.
Minneapolis, Mimi, Feb'y %, 1889
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