Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1909-06-11
Tremendous Crowd Pres
ent on the Morning
of June 9Th
About Two Hundred People Made
Filings the First Day. and
Many More Filed Later

1t has heretofore been customary fol
Mother Nature to hold Carey Act open
ings in derision in Southern Idaho, anc
to show her utter contempt for the
feeble efforts of punitive man to over
come her refusal to supply this section
with normal amount of rainfall by
irrigation works, and thus make the
soil productive despite the refusal OF
Nature to CO operate in the effort, she
has been in the habit of pouring out
her displeasure in the form of rain and
the most disagreeable weather possible
for the occasion.
When Mother Nature went against
Lucky Shoshone" on a dawing she
could do absolutely nothing against the
spell of good fortune which is cast by
this city on all ventures within her
boundaries, so the weather turned out
for the occasion was the very best that
could be asked for. Cool and pleasant,
with nice breeze blowing and the sun
shining brightly, dawned the morning of
June s, when the land opening that was
so extensively advertised for weeks was
to take place.
Everything was in readiness for the
drawing early in the morning as adver-
tised. The Shoshone band discoursed
sweet music and the big crowd waited
in quiet expectancy. The registration
was heavy as predicted, 2,34l people in
person or by powers of attorney had
deposited their money and had number
in the barrel for a chance. The regis
sration was closed Monday night and
the numbers placed in the barrel and
sealed under the supervision of the
State Land Board
A number of men of prominence were
here from abroad to take part IN the
drawing. NJ l. Church. register OF
the State Land Board, and Robt. Lans-
don. Secy of State, were in attendance
to represent the State Land Board,
while C. B. Hurtu, A. l.. Tucker and
L. N. Roose. were some of the big
men from the Idaho Irrigation COM
pany. But little time was taken up
with preliminaries. The people there
we're there for business and did not
care for foolishness. M. |. Church ex-
planned briefly the rules of the draw
ing, then Secretary of State Lansdon
shook the barrel until everyone pres
ent was satisfied that the numbers
were properly mixed. At the invita-
ton of Mr.. McColium, Mrs. c. E. Wise,
formerly of Cold Water Mich. but at
present of Wendell Idaho, stepped for
ward and after the seal was broken
reached into the barrel and drew forth
a small wooden cube. This cube was
numbered 333 and meant that the first
,boice of land on the Dietrich tract
could be made by the person whose
registry receipt corresponded to this
number.
A person in the crowd could feel the
strain of those around him as the early |
numbers were being called off. Many
IF those present had spent hundreds OF |
dollars in order to be there and take a
nance and it is no wonder they were
utterly disappointed as number after
humber was called off and still the |
particular number they were so vitally |
- ~or,asnaI II, tha harra1 l
phile the choice locations were being /
.apidly gobbled up. On the other band,
me could see the thrill that ran over
he lucky. ones when the number they
we're waiting for was called off.
AS stated in last issue, the drawing
vas in charge of r. M. McCollum, and
,e has had so much experience in this
inc of work that everything was in
eadiness and moved off like clock work
The whole system of drawing. filing,
eturning checks to all who did not care
0 draw, was so perfect that the busi-
ess was handled with almost incred-
bic rapidity. Within less than an
our after the drawing started all who
ad decided to take certain selections or
one were ready to file or were getting
eady to go home The filing papers
,ere made out so rapidly that the bulk |
f choice land was filed on the first day.
here is still good land left that is for
ale but all of the best located pieces :.