The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-10-21
RAILWAY ADVERTISING.
Involves IN Immense Expenditur,
How 1t Is Managed.
Especial Correspondence

ingly displayed OH tho counter of some
railway ticket office, of tho time, trouble
and expense involved in its preparation:
The chances are dollars to cents that
you have never given tho matter n
thought. If YOU have, tho probability
is equally great that you have never
looked into it deeper than to wonder
vaguely if these many hued, startling
posters, these dainty guidebooks, these
cumbersome (and mystifying) timo TIA
bles are of any real service; if, after all.
tho railway companies recoup them
selves for tho money they spend in got
ting them up.
If some one who knew were to tell
you the exact sum that tho railways of
this country annually invest in adyer-
Using, you would doubtless look upon
your informant as n past grand master
in the art of romancing. What the
amount really is cannot be stated with
any degree of certainty, but it assuredly
exceeds S25 100000.
Yes, indeed, 25 900, 900 shining dollars
are expended every year by the railways
of the United States for the sole purpose
of keeping themselves before the public.
has its own advertising department
Sometimes the head of this department
is given u title; he is then known as gem
eral advertising agent. More often,
however, he is simply a superior clerk.
who, possessed of originality and lit
erary tendencies, is intrusted under the
supervision of the general passenger
agent with the duty of reaching the
eye and ear of the outside world, and OF
making known to it the advantages OF
his particular line. Very frequently
the advertising man" has had n jour
nalistic experience of greater or less
Notwithstanding which, it can cas-
lily be seen, is of almost incalculable
value to him.
The devices by means Of which rail
road endeavors to secure public atten-
ton are almost past reckoning. Besides
the everyday medium of newspaper ad-
vertising undoubtedly the best method
of reaching the people) they take an
immense variety of forms. At the mo-
ment the writer recalls without trouble
the fact that memorandum books, fans
watchsafes, buttonhooks, pincushions
paperweights, thermometers, chromos.
calendars, playing cards, checkers and
checker boards, photographs and paper
cutters have all within the last few
years been issued for free distribution
by one OF another railway company.
AS to the cost of railway advertising:
When one considers the item of time
tables alone the results of investigation
are astounding. Take, for example.
road of, say, 5000 miles. 1t will issue
every month from IL. 900 to &c, 600 local
folders" the number depending, of
course, very largely upon tho volume of
travel patronizing it. The cost of local
folders will be roughly about $3.50
month or $4,000 year. The Through
folder being intended to favorably inn
press travellers living at points distant
from the line issuing it, is more elab-
crate and expensive affair; moro are
needed and the cost runs all the way
from $1,000 to $12, 900 or SIS, 200 year.
Then there's the question of maps.
Maps are expensive. A fairly respecta-
bic one can be had, if purchased in lots
of 5000 or 10000, for about twenty
cents apiece. An energetic company
easily disposes of 10000 in year, and
thus go another $4,000.
Guidebooks are another item involv-
ing heavy expenditure. If they are to
be effective they require in their prepa-
ration the finest kind of paper and the
most original designing, all of which
costs money. 4 thousand dollars is n
mere ba2atelle in the first cost of II
'Book of Summer Tours" AS instanc-
ing this, it may be said that a certain
western road, less than 500 miles in
length. recently issued publication
that cost over $40, 600. And SO it goes.
AS most people know. the greater part
of railway advertising in country and
city newspapers is paid for in trans
portation. The results. from the rail
ways standpoint, are good. No money is
paid out, and ''ye country editor" is dis
posed to look kindly upon the road over
whose tracks he rides on mileage book.
The approach of the Worlds fair has
already called into being a very large
amount of advertising matter, and will
yet be responsible for much more, u very
large percentage of which will in ali
likelihood never be seen in this country,
for the reason that it is being prepared
for the benefit of the people of other
lands than ours. Europe and South
America are already being besieged by
great quantities of folders, while even
Australia, China, Japan and the South
Sea islands have not escaped
Practically the railways of the coun-
try have taken upon their shoulders the
duty of noising abroad the attractions
of the great fair, and SO heartily are they
entering upon the performance of their
task that it may well be doubted if they
are not attending to it in better manner