The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-07-29
MoDUs oPERANDi OF DRAWING
FOR HRULE LANDS.
IT HAS LOCAL INTEREST
Furnishes Information Regarding Man.
ner Crow Strip Will BE
Disposed Of.

Yesterday was the day fixed by
the commissioner of the general land
office for drawing lands in the ceded
portion of the Brule Sioux reserva.
tion in South Dakota, which took
place at Chamberlain, at which point
is located the land Office for the dis
trict that includes the surrendered
strip. Mr.. Richards arrived there last
Monday to personally supervise the
lottery.
Manner Of Drawing.
The drawing took place in an open
lot, large enough to accommodate the
thousands who expected to be present.
A box 10 feet long and two and one
half feet square was made into which
to put the envelopes containing the
names of those registered to partici-
pate in the drawing. AS the box was
made on an estimate of $4,000 regis
t1ations, a larger one had to be pro-
vided in order to hold the 10000
names representing those enrolled for
a chance.
The box had three openings to re-
ceive the envelopes containing the
names, which were placed in the re.
ceptacle in open view of everyone
from a 24-foot platform, raised three
feet above the ground, from which
the drawing was made There were
four openings from which names
were drawn. An iron bar extended
through the length of the box, with
crank at one end, by means of which
the box was frequently turned to keep
the envelopes in a thoroughly mixed
condition.
To insure fairness a committee OF
three was named to preside at the
drawing. Commissioners Richards was
named as chairman, and Judge Wake
field of Omaha and P. F. Sherman.
president of the Minnehaha National
bank of Sioux Falls were the other
members.
Thousand Day.
The intention is to draw 1000 names
day from the box during the first
three days, which will be sufficient
to draw out all the names that will
have chance at the lands. After this
names will be drawn as rapidly as
possible and it is estimated that no
fewer than 10000 will be drawn daily.
Every day during the first three the
government force present will prepare
notices to be mailed to the addresses
of the persons whose names have been
drawn. In addition to this an an.
nouncer will call the name and number
OF the person drawn, so that all may
know as the work progresses just
what is being done and who the for
tnnate ones are.
A Temporary Transfer.
August the Chamberlain land Of
fee will be temporarily transferred
to Bonesteel, where the filings will be
made on the land. The first 100 names
drawn will be called for filing on that
date, and each person will have to be
present to respond to his name when
called. In case there is failure to
respond the name will be passed and
again called in the evening, just be-
fore closing the Office for the day. A
second failure to respond will forfeit
all rights acquired by the drawing.
One hundred names will be drawn
daily until the land is all appropriated.
It will make no difference how many
may respond each day and make fl
ings, only 100 names will be called
daily. BY this arrangement each per-
son can tell exactly on what day his
name is to be called, by simply look
ing at his number, and know when to
be present to save his rights.
Are No Blanks.
Unlike in the ordinary lottery there
are no blanks in this. The drawing
that began yesterday was merely for
the purpose of placing in numerical or
der all the names registered, and the
list will be unlimited from which to
call for filings, but the first 5000
names will undoubtedly exhaust the
land open for aling.
As the manner OF craving for cede,: