The Washington herald., 1908-07-26

4y-tefF ana tne bishOp OF Panama snare
the same house. You have 10 pass tho
lottery to set 10 see the bishop. and may
hap a half dozen old women ticket sellers
viii try to sell you a ticket before YOU
reach this church dignitary. Il America
we would think such a proceeding scan
dalous. Here they take it as a matter OF
fact proposition Indeed. the Panamanian
priests are among the best patrons OF the
lottery Perhaps they think their luck
better than that OF ordinary individuals.
4 but, whatever their views, the day does
not pass that ons may not see cleric
putting down his piece OF money for &
ticket o. part Of a ticket
The lottery Is forbidden to operate OF
1 the Canal Zone, but theAnericans are not
immune from the lottery fever. and every
week hundreds OF them go TO Panama or
Colon and put up from 30 cents 10 so
IN the hope that they will pull down the
seductive II elusive. grand prize some
times they win big money, often they
break even. but IN the long run they get
about 60 per cent Of their money hack
When an American wins the big prize he
usually loses his head. throws I'd his lob
and goes back 20 the States. When the
West indian negroes hold the magic num-
De-s they generally salt Il away in Ia
nalca OF Barbados. and continue 10
WORK Recently a conductor on the Pan
ana railroad won the grand prize in the
Big sl5.ye9 drawing He Immediately re-
signed his position. caught the first
steamer FOR the States. and sailed awsv.
declaring that he was going 70 buy a lit
lie home and settle down for life As his
- & p -
% nguTe the nice little time ne could
nave On his lucky turn. IN another case
negro IN the disbursing Office won tbe
grand prize When the assistant dfsb-.-s-
inS oii1ceT asked him II ne had not won
i he replied that he had not. but that his
brother had HIS Nervousness BETRAYED
him. however He had won Il. and was
AFRAID OF losing his Job II be confessed Il.
The lottery Is undoubtedly conducted
fairly. The drawings are public. and are
held On Sundays IN the lottery headouar-
ters- A child is chosen from the crowd
% draw the balls containing the numbers.
There are forty OF these balls. each made
IN halves and then screwed together On
the inside Of each ball there IS a number
painted. from 90 9. inclusive. there
being four of each number among the
forty balls. Besides the child. the mayor
OF the city and two witnesses selected
from the crowd of7ciate at the drawings.
Al the order of the mayor. the globe con-
tanning the forty balls Is revolved. and
TIE little child takes out one Of the balls.
Lhls Is Urscrewed. and the number
thereon displayed 20 the crowd What
ever the number happens &c be. Il IS
written down IN The thousands column on
The bulletin board. Then the globe = re-
VOWED again, snd another number Is
lIaWn out This number IS written in the
hundreds column Then the next num-
DER Is drawn. and Is placed II the tens
Column The last number drawn goes
into the units column Thus. II the first
2 lumber drawn was . the second 3. the
1hiT1 Z. and the fourth 9. the winning
number would be 25ss. and the perScr
holding the ticket calling for that nun Z
Der would get the grand prize. S3.00o gold /
ILe nine tickets ending IN the last three /
figures Of the winning number win 500 :
iu gold each The ninety tickets ending :
n the last two figures Of the winning
number set = gold each. and the SO 4
tickets ending In the last figure Of the 4
winning number get 8 each. Besides I
these there are eighteen approximation I
prizes They are the nine tickets above T.
ana The nine below the winning ticket I
---71 --1-~ e. --tA -aeta-
On one Sunday OF each month the 4
prizes. and the price Of the tickets are 4
5l doubled. The grand prize FOR this .
drawing is $3.50 gold On ordinary draw
ng days ticket costs s. gold. or. II one /
loes not happen 20 have q dollar 10 spare I
-e may buy O1e-dfth Of a ticket FOR q u
cents. each ticket being divided into five
parts. Il is probable that more o. tSa
tickets are sold in ffths than in ire
whole. Thousands patronize the lottery
Tho have not the money 10 buy 4 whole
ickeC and thousands Of others prefer 70
buy one-Afth ot Eve different tickets
atAer tAan one whole ticket Many have
isTised systems 20 beat the lottery frrs-
IS many bettoTs IN the States have their
ystens TO win on horse races Il is
,oticed. however. that the system de-
'issTs al Panama wear no more p-os-
'erous looks than the man who has q
ystem OF betting on races at home.
The lottery caters 10 the American con
ingent on the isthUmus. Il has gotten
Ut a circular in English explaining -be
Of the enterprise. ard asking
hem 10 Try their luck They are l-vl.e7
o be present at the drawings in order
hat they might be convinced OF its. fair
ess- The lottery management SAYS that
. does not ask you to buy many tickets.
ut that Z urges you never TO let a week
ass without securing at least one ticket {
nd in this manner trying your luck
The lottery IS e veritable gold mine {
D those who own II. Each ordinary {
rswing brings in Sl0Oo0-N for each |
cket Issued The grand prize takes q 009 / {
{ this. the next nine prizes calling for
total Of S90o. the next ninety for =
n -
500. snd the eighteen approximations
inning a total OF S270- They thus nav
u $500 IN prizes out OF the total 81 :
e.010- Out Of the remainder they paw
le per cent which goes To the ticket
sllers and the ; per cent which the Pana- c
"a government charges for the conces-
on. leaving the net proceeds $3.50 per o
-awing, or SlS4.oo0 year. out OF this {
ley have 10 pay for the maintenance Of =
one-man Ofice n Colon and maintain
force of some five people at the home :
ice here. The net profits are consid-
ably above $4,000.
In spite OF the fact that only g. per ]
.nt Of the receipts from the sale Of tick
s is given out in prices. there is vet :
enty OF takers. and By Friday Of each
eek the tickets put on sale the Sunday
evious have about all been sold. and
metimes It IS very hard TO get ore =
his IS especially true since the Ameri- !
ms came on the isthmus. Before that y
ne the lottery business was pretty g
ack, everybody being perennially broke. ?
II since American occupation tickets 4,
I've been IN strong demand. There has :
ways been a provision that all in :
ID tickets should remain in the Dos =
ssiOn Of the company. and II they hap =