Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1904-08-04
BIG LOTTERY FOR
ROSEBUD LANDS ON
William Mccormack Of Lancas.
ter County, Neb., Gets the
First Farm.
THE LARGE
Commissioner Richards Prompt With
the Work-Iowans. Nebraskans
ID Dakotans Predominate in
the List.

Chamberlain. S. d., July S0.-The
eagerly awaited drawing in distribution
OF the lands in the Rosebud reservation
opened bright and sultry.
The great wheel from which the
numbers were drawn was placed In a
position about s O'Clock and the grand
stand was comfortably filed with Of
fcials. newspaper men and distinguish
ed guests. Among the latter were
Congressman Burke. National Commit
teeman Greene. and Internal Revenue
Collector Ellerman, all of South Da-
kota.
Land Commissioner Richards with
his ASSISTANTS. Judge Wakeley. Of
Omaha. and p. +. Sherman, of Sioux
Falls. We're early on the grounds.
Shortly after . o'clock the envelopes
containing the names of the registered
aspirants were placed In the wheel and
everything vas in readiness.
Method Of Drawing Explained.
Geo. C.. Hunt. of Washington. In
spector Of special agents. nae charge
OF the platform. while the police pre-
served order In the crowd. 1t was 9:05
4. m. when Commissioner RichaI is.
removing his broad brimmed Panama
hat, stepped to the rail and, resting
his hand on the big churn, faced the
crowd. Instantly hats were removed
and a 6eep silence ensued. The first
words of the commissioner were dis
tinctly heard.
"Atte.ition. please" he cried. and
drawing a typewriter copy of the in
structtOns from his pocket he read It,
and explained. as he proceeded. the
plan to be carried out In the drawing.
The boxes from Ronesteel, Chamber
lain, Fairfax and Yankton. containing
the envelopes. were numbered with
out reference to locations. The clerks
drew The corresponding numbers,
placed in a hat. and the boxes We're
then dumped in the churn.
Eight boys, Arthur Rogers. James
Stevens, Edgar Clute, Lional Grandpre,
Clinton Laughlin. Lucky Somers. Luz
clan Baker and David Ganaway, all Of
Chamberlain, We're chosen to draw the
numbers from the churn. -Four will
work n day and the other four the
next until the entire loo, 900 envelopes
are drawn.
Big Day for Chamberlain.
In the valley e of and skirtlng the
bank of the Missouri n surrounding
The big platform erected by the govern
ment. about 1000 people stood this
morning, awaiting the opening of the
drawing. More than 1000 of them came
from points outside n radius of fifty
miles from Chamberlain. They were
early on the ground. many appearing
at daybreak.
Governor w. A. Richards. commits
sioner of the general land office. n his
force of twenty-five clerks, headed by
John McPhaul. were astir early. The
big blue painted box in which the en-
velopes were dumped was brought to
the platform and until the hour for the
opening arrived was guarded carefully.
This box, after the drawing. will be
taken to n st. Louis fair, and exhib-
tied at the government building.
The day dawned cool and bright. A
brisk breeze swept over the platform.
The business men and their clerks,
many of whom had registered, closed
the platform. Before 3 o'clock the plat
form was occupied by Commissioner
Richards, Judge Wakeley of Omaha
and p. e. Sherman Of Sioux Falls. the
committee in charge; Congressman
Burke, author of the Rosebud bill; the
press. and a number of prominent citi-
zens.
"They'rs Off"
At exactly 10 o'clock the clerks IN,
ished filing the churn and two men.
one at each end OF 1t, gave the box a
mighty whirl. and simultaneously a
great cheer arose.
They're on" shrieked the throng:
sioner Richards. and the eight It' lads
came OF to draw for positions at the
apertures, which were numbered /,
2. 3 and 4. Arthur Rogers, Lucian Bak-
er, Lucky" Somers and Edgar Clute
were the four chosen by lot for the
flrst days drawing.
to be chosen to make h first draw.
at hole No. 8. He was held up in the
arms OF q clerk In view of the crowd,
and a great cheer greeted him.
Lucky Somers. whose name is sig
n~ificant. will draw the first number
Lucky reached, amid a great silence,
into the churn, and a moment later
handed to Judge Wakely h envelope.
AS the Judge, with trembling hands.
opened 1t he slip was seen to bear the
stamp Of the Chamberlain Office. Slow
ly the slip was unfOlded and handed to
Commissioner Richards. who examined
1t deliberately while the crowd waited
in silence.
Crowd Chssrs First Winner.
Hurry up" spoke a pale faced man
In h front row Of the crowd. The
commissioners glanced at him. and then.
turning, shouted:
"The first number IL william Nc
Cormick. whose last p%ostoface address
born In Philadelphia. IL a soldier. and
was registered by an agent. William
Powell, Of Chamberlain. 8. b."
A confused murmur arose. Evident
~ there was much disappointment.
Then a cheer. "Hurrah for Billy Nc
C0rmick!" and "Hurrah for Chamber
lain!"
AZ the names were drawn the inter.
est grew. There were cheers for Ole
N. Olson. No. 20. and a round Of hand
clapping and waving Of 'kerchiefs by
the women when the name Of Anna
NJ. Adams. No. ~. OF Bentonville, Kan,
was announced
The first prize. drawn by Mccormick
Of Pennsylvania, IN estimated worth
$4,000. as 1t is assumed he will take q
quarter section adjoining one Of the
townsites.
Talus Ruege of Tea. s.. d., is ex-
pected to take something stronger
when he receives the telegram an.
noundng that he vas No. 2. He 10 a
farmer.
A ~ ,,opocL 49, 49, ,nn 100000,