The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1911-09-07
!. B. CLICK OF F0XH0L|1
wins CLAIM NUMBER ONE
s;DoO Names Have Already Beer
0raWn-Mirot Well Represented
CoNgressmon Hanna at Drawing
Little Son Drew Out First Number

CoN0resSmon Hanna at DRAWING
Little Son Drew Out First Number
The drawing for the Berthold lands
began at Dollcff's hall at ten O'Clock
Wednesday morning, 1000 names be
ing drawn the first day. A similar
number were drawn today and the 70.
manning two thousand names will bo
draws tomorrow. Six thousand names
in ~ will b drawn, as Judge Wittea
has learned from experience that on
the average. only one in three or
theroabOuts will flle on land drawn
In = government lottery. There sre
approximately 1000 claims to be fled
npon. but in case that Congressman
Hannl's bill is passed at the next
sssaBoa Of Congress, and there 10
every reason to believe that it viii.
there will be 1000 additional home.
stsads, to which the homesteaders
may secure surface patent.
q. b. Click, of Foxholm, N. D.,
secured chance No. l, and as Judge
Witten read his name, and the crowd
Of several hundred learned that
North Dakotan was successful, there
were Msty cheers, for the lucky Fox
holmite.
The drawings we're made in full
view Of the public on q raised plat
form about twelve feet square in the
front od the building. Here the blue
envelopes containing the 20,5W affl-
davits, were brought in, in huge tin
cans and scattered about the platform.
There was no chance for one of them
to become lost, as woven wire had
been placed al about the platform.
Before the drawing took place, gov
srnmsnt CLERKS stirred the envelopes
we'll scoop shovss. 50 that each pen
son Who registersd could consider
that -He had as fair : chance as the
next one. Robert, the little son u
Congressman Hanna, hsd the honor
OF selecting the first envelope. He
was not blindfolded. Judge Witten
said that 1t was entirely unnecessary
to bMndfold the lad because he had
seen to it that there wasn't a mark
Of any kind on any envelopes.
II there is anybody here who
thinks he can pick his own envelope
from the bunch, come up" the Judge
said. "1'll give you thirty minutes
to do it, and will guarantee to give
you No. 1, providing you forego all
your other chances. Nobody ap-
peared.
Congressman Hanna stood near his
son and said: walk around and then
thrust your hand down towards the
bottom and pick out an envelope" He
did so and as he stood holding up the
envelope, G. A. Fisher, the photogra-
pher, took a fash light picture OF
the lad. Later another flashlight
picture was taken of Congressman
Hanna, ex-Gov. Devine and Judge
Witten, with Masters Robert Hanna
and Douglas Devine, who assisted In
the drawing, in the foreground.
Adjoining the platform, was space
allotted to the landofice officials, city
officials, the stenographers and rep
resentatives Of the various newspa-
pers. The hall was packed with in
terested spectators, altho q heavy rain
was falling, continuing all day long.
AS the names were called, the at
fidavits were handed to the govern
ment stenographers, who made lists
Of them.
Judge Witten made very inter
esting address just before the draw
ing bsgan. He said that years ago.
when government land was opened
for settlement, the homesteaders
made grand rush for the claims, at
the firing Of gun. Sometimes two
men located on the same homestead
ana one was bound to lose. The man
who won usually spent In litiagtion
III ~ place was worth. The honest
man told the truth, and the dishonsst
man Usually got the claim. Land y
getting too scarce for such rushss any
moro, and besides the gcvernmsat
hit upon the lottery plan which has
been used successfully in several
drawings. Hs stated that the lot
ters received by him thru the postof-
fice we're placed at once In metallic
cans and guarded night and day.
He stated that great many people
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