Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-06-25

see that the public who risk their
money in them are dealt with in q fair
and honest manner.
The French state lotteries are worked
on 4 system which, while putting for
tunes into the packets of lucky individ-
uals, enables the country to raise loans
when required. Each stock or bond,
besides earning small rate of interest,
entities the holder to participate in a
series of drawings for prizes, ranging
in value from sovereign to several
thousand pounds. The bonds range
from 16 s. to $50, and, being made pay
able to bearer, can be turned into ready
money very easily.
The drawings for prizes must, ac-
ccrding to law, take place in public,
and no one, whether a bondhulder or
not, can be refused admittance to the
Credit Foncier, where the drawing
takes place. At every drawing the
governor of the bank and other high
officials are present, whose duty it is
to srlperintend the whole proceedings
At the commencement one of them
reads out list of big prizes to be
drawn for. and also states the number
Of bonds which are to be redeemed at
par.
Each number is drawn by a boy from
revolving wheel or drum, varying in
height from 4 #. to s ft.-according to
the number of persons participating in
the lottery. This boy is usually OBJ
tanned from a neighboring orphanage
or similar institution, and the sum of
ten francs is placed to his credit in his
savings bank book as payment for his
services. Before inserting his hand in
the aperture the boy faces the audience
with his hand in the air, fingers out
spread, and his arm bare to the elbow,
to show that he is concealing nothing
before making the draw.
AS he draws each little scroll from
the wheel of fortune, the presiding
official takes off the copper covering
and reads out the lucky number, after
ward passing it round to members of
the press for vcrifiCation. And SO the
drawing goes on. until the whole of the
prize winning numbers have been
drawn. After this the drawing Of those
bonds which are to be repaid at par
takes place, the boy drawing them
from the wheel in handfuiS and empty
ing them into q crystal bowl. From the
latter they are taken, sorted out.
counted and entered by Il staff OF
Jerks. After the drawing the wheel
is sealed and placed carefully away, to
be brought out again for the next lot
terry.
The Italian state lottery, or Lotto, as
it is called, IS conducted on somewhat
different lines. Each week, at eight
Of the principal cities in Italy, five
numbers are publicly drawn from
the numbers one to ninety. Poo
pie have in the meantime been busy
taking tickets for the Lotto, on
which are specified the numbers on
which they are playing. II any two
selected by a player appear
among the five drawn he receives fifty
40 and a hnlf times his stake; if three
numbers appear. 4,250 times his stake; |
md il four numbers, $1,000 times his
stake The lowest Stake is twelve CEN
esimi, equal to about one penny of our
coinage.
Seeing, however. that there are 4,OO5 |
of two in ninety num-
bcrs, III .4So combinations of three. and
10 fewer than 2,555, 1870 combinations of |
'our, it is obvious that the odds are
very heavy against winning. In spite /
IF this, however, the lottery is very
,opular, as may he Judged from the fact |
hat on an average the Italian govern
ncnt draws c2,50O,O0O every year from l
This source.
In their selection of numbers the |
Italian gamblers are guided to q very
great extent by dreams and events, for |
no people are more supersutlouS
Dream books are largely published and
bought, while any untoward event Is
nokcd upon as furnishing cleW to
lucky numbers.
Some time ago, for instance, serious
accident occurred at Genoa. Two
horses boltcd, fell headlong from an
elevated piazza into n street below ana
were KILLED, Il lamppost being upset In
their fall. Immediately those WHO VII i
messed the tragedy decided to play the
following. numbers: Two number Oh
the horses, five equivalent OF horSe)'
ninety mcanirg acCidcnD, and sixteen
md forty (the numbers painted on the
am2poSt which was upSeO. By
.urioug fukc every one of the numbers
,amc ont, and over 6,0OO.oO0 Ira
: 80 .O00- was won.
In Austria and Germany, too, gov
nrnncnt lotteries arc fiourIshinE ihSu-
tutions. What is known as the R"ya'
prussian Lottery has monthly draw
ing3 and the number of tickets DIS
noscd of for each event is close on 2'o'-
100. Owing to their high price, now
ever. these are seldom held in their IN
+cgritv, and tickets for smah tr'"ti"r;'
IF each are issued. Never durin"
whole century has the holder Of an I'M
divided ticket won the great ;'"h''
hourh thousands have won fortune ~
,cing posscssors of shares of WANING
numbers.
The Letter of Recommendation.
,.1,,. ~ o,.c,. o,,t Of work and look