New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-03-05
THE PRUSSIAN LOTTERY.
A GOVERNMENT GAMBLING INSTITUTION
AND IT'S MANAGEMENT
,,-,,,,,-s TREASURED AS HEIRrOoMs-DEViCEs
, ,,,ccr,srxc THE CHANCE OF WIN
NING-RULEs FOR AGENTS.
Berlin, February z

,oo,, 20 tho beginning OF the eighteenth century
was torn down in old Berlin and curiou'''
carved door was discovered, REPRESENTING
man carving a door on his BACK IL wa"
nj the time that the house had Deen pu'i. "
shoemaker. who had won the money "h'" ~
used in this way in the State hottery' ~ 49,.
he had carelessy dropped ms ''che'' a''O
children. finding It, had amused themselves W
pasting it on the sitting-room door ""e"
learned that his lot had won the prize he "'u ~
carry the whole door to the agent 10 prove lib
claim. IT,. ,Ao
This incident verihes the assertion thar the
lottery was introduced into Prussia cary :"
1000 It is supposed to have wandereo III iio
Holland Now It Is as much OF ota'e i'.s''
tion in Prussia as the postofhce OF inc ia'".
MT, ,o, o,rovs comes as n shock TO the Afneri-
oor :, RerI;n hut he cannst long be in ignorance
~ - for all the chief tobacconists windows In
the principal streets display tickets ior o'a'e
and nrivate lotteries whose prizes consist OF
ANYTHING from a silver cake-dsh or a trottng
horse to $780, 600. What is even more Of sur
prise is the great Dom Lottery, organized to
swell the building fund of the new Protestant
Cathedral in Berlin. for games Of chance are
popular means OF raising money for churches
and charitable Institutions Hundreds OF or
phans owe the care and protection the asylum
affords them TO a great lottery on their behalf.
while another was Instituted for the erection of
a real gymnasium. or high school, which has
furnished education to as many hundreds OF
boys.
Philanthropy supported in this way is not con-
fined to home charities Many years ago con-
siderable sum Of money, the proceeds Of a large
lottery in Germany. sent to Africa to aid
in the campaign against the slave trade there
To suggest In the face Of such beneyolorce that
a lottery is in any way reprehonsible Is to meet
with blank astonishmcnt on the part Of the
average German. and this is not surprising when
one sees how early he becomes acquainted with
the i'd one Of the commoncst and most popu
lar features Of a childrcn's party is the lottery
OF toys and goodies. where every one wins some
thing, to be sure but where the little folk can
gain considerable knowledge Of such technical
things as lots and drawings and prizes. which
stands them in good stead later on 1t is hardly
probable that this Is their first introduction to
the system, for very likely a state Lottery ticket
was one Of the most valued Christmas gifts
which their fathers and mothers received as,
indeed, they are among the most welcome gifts. |
for a State Lottery ticket is not easy thing
to get When one has finally been secured it
IS kept in the family. sometimes for thirty or
forty years and is renewed reiigioualy every six
months. There Is one instance whcrr woman
received a lot a gift from an uncle; she has
won several small sums on the number in the
five years it has been hers. and now has passed
It on to a brother special sign Of favor. |
but with the understanding that she shall re-
celve certain part of all he wins on It,
Very often one ticket is held by three OF four
persons and there are frequently as many more
waiting for one of the stockholders to fail out. !
In the hope that they may be able to buy a
fractional interest. When the ticket itself is /
only tenth lot. and owned by several people |
the gain seems almost too small to tempt any
one; but it still possesses attractions for the
laborer and for the servant-gir to whom sud |
den windfalls of fortune are the staple Of their
dreams.
While there are several private lotteries per |
mitted In Prussia for charitable purposes the |
Government has the monopoly of the concern.
and private enterprises can only operate with
the permission of the State. The Royal Prus-
sian Lottery is Of the most ingcniousy or
ganized institutions imaginable, and Is well worth |
investigating. The way in which the Govern
ment has provided for its own welfare and has /
at the same time held out such apparent GER
tainty Of success to The buying public amounts
to nothing short of genius.
THE PRIZES IN THE STATE LOTTERY.
Two lotteries take place every year. and four
drawings are arranged for the distribution Of
the prizes. These four drawings repr, gent four
different classes, which vary according to the
number and value Of their prizes. although the
price OF a lot or ticket is the same for all In
the first class 5000 prizes given in the see
ond class 10000, in the third 1900 ard in the
IlA n
awarded at each lottery The value OF these