The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1901-07-30
DRAWING FOR HOMESTEADS
FIRST DAY OF GOVERNMENTS
GREAT LAND LOTTERY.
Awarded at the Close of Business-The
First Ones-Grent Crowd Cheers ms
Each Name is Recommendations
of Applicants Have Repeated,

FIrst Ohes-Urcnt SrOWd Cnecrs ns
Each Name is sAnnounced-Hundr
of Applicants Have Repeated.
| Ell Reno, o. T., July 29.-Oklahoma' s
great land lottery was begun here in
earnest to-day and when the commits
sioners appointed by the federal gov
ernment adjourned the drawing for the
day one thousand of the choicest of the
| $4,000 160-acre claims in the Kiowa-Co-
manche country had been awarded.
The first name drawn from the
wheels was that of Stephen A. Hol
comb, of Pauls Valley, I. T., for home
stead in the Ell Reno district, and the
second, eLonard Lamb. of Augusta, O.
T. These two men select the two
choicest claims in this district. The
capital prize winners, however, proved
to be James r. Wood, of Weatherford,
o. r., whose name was the first to
come from the Lawton district wheel
and Miss Matte H. Beals, Of Wichita,
Kas. who drew the second number in
that district. They will have the privl-
lege of making the first filings in the
Lawton district and will undoubtedly
choose the two quarter sections ad-
joining that town. These are consid-
cred the most valuable in the territory
and are, 1t Is estimated worth from
$4,000 to $4,000 each.
The day was one Of keen excitement,
replete with interesting scenes. 1t is
estimated that fully 25,000 persons wit
messed the drawing. The immense
throng was wrought up to the highest
pitch. The drawing of the first names
was followed by mighty shout
Each succeeding winner for time
was met with shouts Of applause and
merriment. All was pleasantly. Ev-
cry man, though he did not draw
prize from the wheels to-day, had
steadfast faith that tomorrow or the
next day will surely see him the pos
SCISSOR of slip reading him q title
clear to 100 aces of Oklahoma's land.
The crowds fairly exhausted them
selves and when the close Of the draw
ing for the day was announced at 6
o'clock hundreds who had neither eaten
nor drunk during the day, sank to the
ground where they stood from sheer ia
tigue or dragged themselves to better
places for rest or to refreshment booths
up town. The day was remarkably
free from quarrels and general salts
faction with the governments method
of disposing of the land was felt.
1t has been found that many hundred
applicants have repeated and that
others have applications so illegible
that they will be thrown out. Over this
discovery much discord has arisen and
the outcome may be an appeal to the
courts.
The drawing had been set for nine
o'clock, but the transferring of the bun
dies of envelopes holding the applica-
tions from the general receptacle into
the wheels, which was by lot, was so
slow that 1t was 1880 before the first
name was drawn. Twenty-Five names
were first drawn from the Ell Reno dis.
trict and then an equal number from
the Lawton district. When all was !
ready Ben Heyler placed his hand in an
aperture in the El Reno wheel, and,
an envelope, handed it to
Colonel Dyer. 1t was passed to Chief |
Clerk Mackay, stamped and handed
DdCh W 1olulltl Iycl- ilc
er walked to the front of the platform,
raised his hand for order and in loud
tone exclaimed
stephen A. Holcomb, of Pauls Val
ley, l. T., draws the first number"
The crowd yelled for three minutes, i
apparently as much delighted as If |
every man had drawn a prize.
Envelope No. 2 was quickly drawn |
forth and Colonel Dyer again announc-
ed: Leonard Lamb, of Augusta, O. T.,
born in Illinois,
In quick succession other envelopes
we're drawn and as the names were an
nounced each one was greeted with
cheers.
The eighteenth winner in the Lawton
district was Minerva McClintock, aged
years, of Oklahoma City.
She was married yesterday and by this
tct forfeits her right to her claim She
night have chosen a clean near a
county seat worth several thousand
lolars. The drawing will be resumed
morning at o'clock, and it
S believed it will be completed by
night.