The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1901-08-03
TIE DRAWING HAS BEGUN.
Twenty Thousand Excited, Expsc-
tant People Around the Plat
form at Ell Reno.
DEMONSTRATION WHEN DRAWING BEGAN.
James II. Wood. OF Weathsrford' ok's~
and Matte II. Heals, OF Wichita' hss'
. Missouri Girl, the Capital Prize VIM
pers-A Couple of Rioh Prizes In the
LawtOn District.

and Matte II. beals, or Wlchits' hss~
Missouri Girl, the Capital Prize VIM
pers-A Couple of Rioh Prizes In the
Lawton District.
Ell Reno, Okla, July 3o.-Okla-
homa's great lend lottery was begun
here Is earnest yesterday, and when
the commissioners appointed by the
federal government adjourned the
drawing for the day, 1000 OF tho
choicest of the thirteen thousand
16O-acre claims in the Kiowa-Co-
manche country had been awarded.
The first name from the drawing
wheels was that of Stephen A. Hol-
comb, of Pauls Valley, Indian terri
tory, for a homestead in the FL Reno
district, and the second, Leonard
Lamb, of Augusta, Okla. The two
may select the two choicest claims In
the district.
The capital prize winners, however,
nrcyed to be James r. Wood, OF
Weatherford, Okla, whose name was
the first to come Gut of the Lawton
district wheel, and Miss Matte H.
Beals, Of Wichita, Kas., who drew the
second number in that district. They
will have the privilege of making the
first filings in the Lawton district and
will undoub tcdly choose the two quar-
ter sections adjoining that town.
These are considered the most valu-
able in the territory, and are, 1t 10
estimated, worth from $4,000 to $4o,'
900 each.
Twenty-Five names were first drawn
from the FL Reno district and then an
equal number from the Lawton dis
trict. When all was ready, Ben Hey.
Ter placed his hand in an aperture in
the El Reno wheel and withdrawing
an envelope handed 1t to Col. Dyer
II was passed to Chief Clerk Macy,
stamped and handed back to Col
Dyer. The commissioner walked to
the front of the platform, raised his
hand for order, and, in q loud tone,
exclaimed:
"stephen A. Holcomb, OF Paul's
Valley, l. T., draws the first number"
The crowd yelled for three minutes,
apparently as much delighted as Il
every man had drawn prize.
Envelope No. 2 was quickly drawn
forth, and Col. Dyer against an.
nounced: Leonard Lamb, of Angus
to, Okla; born in Illinois,"
In quick succession other envelopes
were drawn, and as the names were
announced each one was received
with volley OF cheers. The first 9TH
or successful winner in the El Reno
district follow:
3-Frank Brown, OF Ponca City;
Okla. born IN Kansas.
4-Calvin Churchill, Chickasaw, I.
5-Charles y. Williams, Norman,
Okla.
collie M. Rogers, Cordell, Okla.
edward Z. Prince, Watomga,
Okla.
s-Andrcw J. Philbowcr, Sheldon.
Mo.
0-John Brown, Caldwell, Kas.
10-John Shelder, Weatherford,
Okla.
When rs names had been taken
from the Cl Reno district wheel, at
tentlon was turned to that represent
ing the Lawton district. The first
name brought out for this district
was that OF James II. Woods, OF
Wentferford, Okla, and the crowd
again went Wild This meant that
Woods would be able to claim the
quarter section adjoining Lawton
town, one Of the choicest In the entire
country.
The second ticket was drawn, and
Col. Dyer cried out:
81 have the pleasure TO announce
the name Of the first woman TO draw
prize, Matte II. Bcals, Of WichitA
Kas" Then Col, Dyer gave her de-
scription rs 20 years old and five feet
three inches IN height, just the height
Of Woods. Instantly the crowd
caught the humor Of the situation,
and thousands of throats sent up the
shout "They must get married."
The other frst names drawn from
the Lnwton district follow;
a-Winfeld s. Laws, Langston,
okla.
4-l'alcon Woodhouse, Eldon, In.
b-Mnryin Hawkins, Wayland, Tex.
civilian {. Laid Fort Worth,
Tex.
Harry r. Foster agent for Har.
ny Il. Harrison, II Reno, Okla.
s-Lee A. StubbleAeld, Dunbar,
Okla.
o-Riohard II. Wyatt, Henrietta,
Tex.
1O.-Charles {. Doss, Shawnee, okla.
The eighteenth winner In the Law
ton district was Minerva McCllntock,
aged rs years. OF Oklahoma City. She
was married Sunday. and by this act
forfelts her right 10 Ale for claim.
She might have chosen claim near .
county srat town worth several thou
sand dollars. The drawing was rc-
sumcd this morning at nine o'clock.