The Olden Time Series, Vol. 1: Curiosities of the Old Lottery | Page 4

three thousand families, fifty cents for every head of a family would have raised a larger sum than could possibly have been raised by the expensive and questionable process resorted to. At first sight it may seem strange to us that this was not thought of at the time; but when we reflect that even in our enlightened times people are quite as thoughtless about the processes of raising money for charitable or public purposes,--witness the numerous fairs and raffles which are constantly taking place,--we are not so much amazed at these old financial operations, nor do we think we can boast much of our superior morality when we look around and see how some things are managed nowadays.
BOSTON, November 1, 1762.
SCHEME
OF A LOTTERY,
FOR Raising a Sum of Money for Re-building FANEUIL Hall; agreeable to an Act of the General Court, wherein Messieurs _Thomas Cushing, Samuel Hewes, John Scollay, Benjamin Austin, Samuel Sewall, Samuel Phillips Savage, and Ezekiel Lewis,_ or any Three of them, are appointed Managers, who are Sworn to the faithful Discharge of their Trust.
FANEUIL-HALL Lottery, No. One, Consists of 6000 Tickets, at Two Dollars each, 1486 of which are Benefit Tickets of the following Value, viz.
Dollars. 1 Prize of 1000 Dollars, is 1000 1 of 500 is 500 2 of 200 are 400 12 of 100 are 1200 20 of 50 are 1000 20 of 20 are 400 30 of 10 are 300 200 of 6 are 1200 1200 of 4 are 4800 ---- ---- 1486 Prizes, 10800 Dollars. 4514 Blanks. ---- 6000 Tickets at 2 Dollars each, is 12,000 Dollars. To be paid in Prizes, 10,800 ------ Remains 1200 Dollars,
to be applied to the Purpose aforesaid.
The Necessity of a large and convenient Hall in such a Town as this, upon all Public Occasions, can't be disputed. The Rebuilding Faneuil-Hall has therefore been generally approved of; and the Encouragement it will meet with from the Public, will, we doubt not, be in some Measure proportionable to its Importance: We promise ourselves therefore a speedy Sale of the Tickets; and hope we shall soon be able to draw.
Public Notice will be given of the Time and Place of Drawing; and as soon as the Drawing is finished, a List of the Prizes will be published in Edes and Gill's Boston Gazette, &c. and the Money paid to the Possessors of the Benefit Tickets, in Twenty Days. Gold as well as Silver will be received for the Tickets, and the Prizes paid off in like Manner.
Prizes not demanded within Twelve Months after Drawing, will be deem'd as generously given for the Purpose aforesaid, and will be applied accordingly.
--> Tickets may be had of the Managers, or of _Green & Russell,_ in Queen-street, who will receive Prize Tickets in LAND-BANK LOTTERY.
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In 1782 the State of Massachusetts granted a lottery for the benefit of the paper-mill at Milton.
The Clergy were often asked to use their influence to promote special schemes. For instance, the Leicester Academy at Lancaster, Mass., wishing to raise about $800, advertised on June 28, 1790, a lottery, the scheme comprising three thousand tickets at $2.00; and the managers, Edmund Heard and Ephraim Carter, say, "_As the design of this Lottery is for promoting Piety, Virtue, and such of the liberal Arts and Sciences as may qualify the Youth to become useful Members of Society, the Managers wish for and expect the aid of the Gentlemen Trustees of the Academy, the REVEREND CLERGY, and all persons who have a taste for encouraging said Seminary of Learning_." Comment on this is unnecessary. As unscrupulous persons often sold drawn tickets,--for it seems there were irregularities even in those days,--the following advertisement warrants the tickets undrawn,--
Wheels very rich!
A FEW undrawn Tickets in Amoskeag Lottery for sale by John Russell.
--> The highest prize being so fixed as to come out whenever Chance shall direct it, it stands purchasers in hand to be seasonable in their applications. July 24, 1807.
Lottery Price Current.--In Boston, Amoskeag Tickets, warranted undrawn, 6 dolls. In Salem, at Russell's 5.50--at Cushing and Appleton's, not warranted, 5.
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Further Information.--The Amoskeag highest prize, of Eight Thousand Dollars, is still undrawn, and the wheels are extraordinarily rich, having gained, since the drawing began, upwards of Six Thousand Dollars. There is therefore every probability that the scrip will soon rise. Those who intend to purchase for the sake of a chance for the highest prize, are advised to do it before it is drawn out of the wheel, which may be to-morrow. Those who purchase for the sake of a cheap ticket, would do well to wait till afterwards. July 24, 1807.
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*** If any body wants TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS, they are requested to call on JOHN RUSSELL, who will, for a trifling consideration,