The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-08-09
FORTUNES WHEEL
1t Begins to Turn at COeur
D'AIene for Homeseekers.
COeur D'AIene Lands Are First
to Be Drawn.
ONE CHANCE IN 333.
One in 400 for Spokane; One in
Is for FIathead.
The Distribution Will Extend
Into Next Week.

Coeur D'Alene, Idaho, Aug. g.
Swarming around a great net covered
| cage. hundreds of eager men and wo-
| men awaited this morning for pretty
! Helen Hamilton's eyes to be blindfoId =
ed that she might plunge her hands
| into a great heap of 900 yellow ell
velopes and draw out the name of the
lucky man who had won the right to
the first choice of all the 1,5O0 home
stead and timber cuames on the Coeur
D'Alene Indian reservation.
Inside the big transparent cage at
Occur D'Alene can after can filled with
the applications of hOmeseekers had
been carried, the seals broken, the
contents dumped on the white canvas
that covered the floor and all scattered
a ton of envelopes. all just alike, were
piled up in a big golden mould.
The simplest methods had Deen
chosen for the great drawing winch
starts the storv of a new region. Little
Helen Hamilton, II years old, was care
fully blindfoIded and placed in front of
the mass Of letters. Picking up an en-
velope at random she handed it to
Miss Bernice NJ. Griffe, of Des Moines,
a member of Superintendent Witten's
staff. She opened it and scanned the
application quickly to see if 1t conform
ed to the rules If no serious error was
discovered, the paper was handed to
Superintendent Witten. who promptly
announced the name of the lucky ap-
pIicant. ......
Fifteen hundred names were drawn
today 1,500 will be drawn tomorrow.
On Thursday the drawing of winners
among the $1,000 applicants for land In
Montana's great Flathead reserve will
start. Three days are allowed for this
drawing.
Next Monday mornin~ drawings for
the Spokane reservation will be held.
Here 500 names will be drawn, though
it is doubtful if more than 40 good
+s-,,e 1rff a f.
tiers Some rich prizes are to be dis
tributed among those whose names are
first to appear. In the northern part OF
the Coeur D'Alene lands are great
tracts OF magnificent evergreen timber
where single quarters are valued at
$4,000 to $4,000. as they stand. Cholce
meadows and wheat lands are also 10
be had.
Spoka1e. Wash, Aug. 9.-Although the
crowds Of ianGseekers. were nos 50
large as they had been daily during the
past three weeks when fling apPhca-
tions for registration on the Occur
n A1ene SDOkane and F1athead reSerNa- |
IONS. several thousands people eagerly
awaited the hour of 10 o'clock, when the
drawing for the Cocur d'Alene lands |
began.
-hei1 applications and others who went (
7r to visit the exposition at Seattle,
7ad returned in the hope that they
light hear their names announced
smong the fortunate few to draw
.rizes.
Each of the 10000 persons applying
or Coeur d'Alene lands. had one chance
n 1888: in the nearly 100000 applications
'0r Spokane land, one in 400 and OF the
4 600 for Fiathead lands. one in 10.
Fifty-th,ee cans Of apphcatlonSe: IS
, eighing according to the statement OF
Judge James Witten. 2.685 pounds, we're
reduced at the drawing. OF these cans,
% were for Coeur d'Alene lands, ~ for
s17olane lands ard IA for Flathead.
NJtwiths; andirg the large number or
rangers in Occur d 'Alene, Sunday, the
lay passed quietly. All saloons we're
,;osed and the knots of people on the
treets passed the time talking over the
Drawing Begins.
The proceedings today began At $3.50
rclock with the transfer of the 20 cans
If sppIications Tor Coeur d'Alene lands
rom Judge Witten's office on second
treet. where they had been guarded
law and night by a United States dep
,tv marshal to the large platform re-
emily constructed on the lake shore in
ront Of the Hotel Idaho, where they
rere strewn. scattered and then mixed