Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1910-01-05
LEXINGTON LOTTERY
BUILT WATER WORKS
The Fathers Resorted to Chance
to Raise Money
ALSO PAVED STREETS OF TOWN
Drawing Took Place in Lexington
Nearly Century Ago

Nearly Century Ago
Many readers of THE GAZETTE will
be surprised to learn that the good
old town Of Lexington, in the early
days of the last century, resorted
to the raising of money by chance
for the purpose of paving the
streets and supplying the town
with water. Such, however, was
the case. Among the old files Of THE
GAZETTE reports OF these lotteries
are found. Not only did Lexington
have recourse to this method Of
raising money for public pur-
poses, but Rock bridge county also
conducted lotteries for raising
funds for public improvements. no.
tably the building Of free bridge
over North River.
The raising Of money by lotteries
was not confined to Lexington and
Rockbridge in those early days. In
fact we read that many State enter
prises were financed by securing
money in this way, and even the
good and great Father of his Coun
try, George Washington, was at the
head of some Of these enterprises of
chance.
AS early as the summer OF 1882
we find an advertisement in the
files of THE GAZETTE announcing
that the drawing of the Lexington
Lottery for paving the streets and
supplying the town with waterwould
take place in Lexington, Rockbridge
, county, Virginia, on the 25th day
Of September, 1882. The prizes
were placed at $4,000. OF these
prizes, the capital prize was put at
: $4,000, one prize at 81, 900, two OF
, $500 each, two of $500, two of 5000,
ten of 500, twenty of $50, twenty of
$50, thirty of $50, fifty of $40, two
hundred OF IS, and FIVE thousand OF
81 each. There were 5,30S prizes
! and 4,602 blanks.
! The method of drawing is explain
ed as follows:
4 ITO be drawn on the high and
A low system. The 5000 prizes Of -
: to be awarded to the high or low
! division, to be determined by that
t which may draw the capital prize OF
$4,000, so that the holder of two
= tickets, one in each division, is Ger.
: tain to draw one prize and may draw
r three. The numbers from l to 5000
, inclusive, are low-and those from
= 5,OO1 to 10000 are high. All the
prizes above the denomination OF s.
| are put in one wheel, and all the
: numbers in another; the whole to be
drawn in few hours. Prizes pay
, able in cash forty days after the
drawing, except those under the
, denomination of IS, which are to be
t paid in tickets in the next scheme
{ subject to the usual deductio of ID
I per cent
A No report of this drawing was
! found in any subsequent issue OF
5 the paper, but the following account
of another drawing of the Lexing-
] ton Lottery, which took place No
: vember 8, 1892, was published in
= the issue of November Oath:
, The drawing of the End Class
, took place according to appointment
} on Monday, the 9th day of Novem-
+ Der, when the prizes were distri-
buted as follows: The splendid cap
, ital prize of 5000 is owned in this
t county, but we are not yet permit
, ted to name the fortunate holtnr.
A One of the p:izes of 81 900 is owned
r by Mr.. lockwood of this town. The
r prize of $4,000 sold in Shenan6oah.
r The minor prizes were distributed
5 throughout the State"
Messrs. Fisher & Jordan were
the managers of the lottery.
!. More than once some man has