Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1909-07-20
BANNER DAY
IN DRAWING
Flood OF Humanity Reaches City to
Take a Chance for Land

AeSteiu ay was the fourth day OF
the registration for lands in the
Occur d'Alene Indian reservation
and 1t was the banner day Of them
all. AT the close of the day Judge
Witten had received at his Office
6,653 applications for land in the
Occur d'Alene Indian reservation,
making a total received since the
registration commenced Of 2O,O33.
The total received for the Flathead
was 12,9O7 and for the Spokane
POOH, making a total for all Of the
reservations of 52,951. The incom-
ing trains of the Occur d'Alene &
Spokane Railway company was, as
has been the case ever since the reg
istration opened, crowded with land
seekers, and special carrying land
seekers from Tacoma over the
Northern Pacific arrived today,
and it begins to look now as though
the prediction of Judge Witten that
fully 100000 people will register for
lands in the Occur d'Alene Indian
reservation was no idle prediction,
but that 1t will become a reality. 1t
Is apparent that the homeseekers
throughout the nation have awak-
ened to the fact that their last OPP
portunity to secure home lies in
chance In the three reservations and
that all who are able are going to
avail themselves of the opportunity.
Crowd of Molly Character.
The crowd that throngs the streets
daily is OF a molly character, repre-
senting as it does every part of the
American continent and all classes of
people. Mingling with the landseek-
ers are the bunco men with a lottery
game of their own; the sneak
thieves, seeking to fitch some article
of value, and the light-ingered gen
try searching for an opportunity to
pick the pockets of some individual
in the crowd and make his escape.
Mingling with the landseekers are
the runners for all manner of en-
terprises, newspaper solicitors and
''spielers" for all manner of wares
and, above the din of the street, they
can be heard singing song in praise
of their wares. The scene in the no
tary offices is one of activity. Scores
of clerks are busy preparing the APP
plication blanks for the notary, and
those not engaged in this are fran
tically waving blanks at the crowd
as it passes with the view of attract
ing attention and earning silver
quarter for their employers The
landseekers themselves represent all
the states of the Union and all the
classes that enter into the compost
ZION of the American nation. Side
nv side in the registration booths.
registering for chance for Indian
lands. can be seen the rich man
daughter in her silken gown and her
Jewels and the poor mans daughter
in her faded calico dress; side by
side can be seen the poor mans son
and the son of the rich man In his
gaudy attire; the men of toll with
their bronzed faces. their rough
hands. coarse garments. and the men
Of wealth and their rich gar
mepts and their diamonds glistening
in the summer sunlight; side BY side
taking a chance for a home can be
seen the crippled and broken IN
health and strength; youth and age
the men and women just entering
upon the race of life, and those
whose race is almost run; side oy
side they can be seen hurrying mp the
street to Uncle Sans depositary
witb their yellow envelopes In their
hands some of them full OF lie.
hone and ambition and others bowed
down in frame through disapp0int-
ment. reverses and age-ail Of them
70 take a chance in the great land
,ottery game OF Uncle Sam. and
probably for all of them their last
Three Little Girls Decide Destinies.
The destinies of them all lie In the
hands Of three little girls who VII
draw the names from the large Pile
Of envelopes during the drawing.
The drawing will commence on the
morning of August 3 and conclude
whenever 1900 names shall have
been drawn. as Il is expected that
about half Of those who are success
fuI win never make their appear
ance to Ole on the lands, From the