The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-01-08
"PIANoS FOR NOTHING -

This In big letters was spattered over
ths Telegram blaDkness every day. IL
WAS followed bv this tempting line
"A christmas present of the best Piano
in the world at no cost to you. See
page Z.
Lots OF people wanted pianos for moth
ing, as duly appeared, and yearned for
"A Christmas present OF the best piano
In the world at no cost. "
Wonder they wouldn'tl
Well, on the cath of December as the
Telegram triump haEtly announced there
was IA grand finish OF grand contest
From early in tho evening until mid
night there was n steady flow of people
into the business Office of the Telegram,
and they all came loaded down with
coupons. ExpIessmen were called for
from nearly all the classes. and boxes
barrels. etc, without number were piled
into the oiiice before midnight" I"
And after due and proper delay, sup
possibly To give the counters time to
count the barrels Of votes the Telegram
announced that a grand total vote of
l,050 466 had been cast and 1t named the
winners.
Eight persons were entitled to pianos
anu presumably they have got them by
this time.
They hardly got them for nothing
though. nor uid they sec ure "a Christ
mas present OF the best piano in the
world, ''or any other kind of piano, lat
no cost. ~
Not much
The pianos came high. They cost as
much am IN some cases more than they
were worth To the parties that got them.
And they came especially high to the
parties that failed To get them.
Let's see about this statement. 1t
makes an interesting and profitable study
In figures to contemplate beside the
bunco game played on the too hopeful
newsdeaiers, the gold brick sold tJ the
advertisers and the fovsrish activity Of
the boy In the circulation department TO
boost the figures up 10 those made by the
circulation arithmetician.
Let US take the Telegram 8 own figures
Tor basis OF speculation, though that
these are reliable there Is nothing but the
Telegram word for TO-
Out OF ths total OF over n million votes
cast, according 10 the lelegram's staUe.
ment OF January :, 2iS g25 were cast in
tine most popular school pupils contest
Assuming tnat these votes cost one and
half cents each. these PAS, 925 votes cost
the voters S37S3 81.
In other words S3733 80 was what IL
cost To secure for Miss Mary Rodgers "a
plano said Co TO OF an average value of
not over $500.
MISS mary ltlenus, according To tho
figures cast 81, ll0 votes in her favor.
By the same figuring then. the piano
which Miss Mary was assumed % get
for nothing" piano ut no cost TO
her. actually did cost SS36.72. IL Is con
oei,able tnat the enterprising and fair
dealing firm that delivered the piano 10
Miss MARY on the relegram's order
would have hesitated 20 accept any such
sum as that for ~. and might have sold
two real go"d pianos for the price that
Miss Mary's loyal supporters paid the
Telegram. What that piano cost the
Telegram in cash or advertising space for
both Is something ~ Lord Dundreary
used To remark Of woman's y coinplexion
that mo feller oould find out " IL is not
too unkind To holieve that IN thus civ.
ing Co Miss Mary for nothing" this
"ChristnBs present, - they didn't lose
anyrnfHKrfndes'd,t the pgfcentage of profit
that can be- eAsly figured out nv persons
familiar with such transactions would b..
calculated 60 make the average merchant
gresn with envy.
10 SUM this up s3. Jj ~ wa paid ia 10
secure Tor uue 30 thn c0utrstant. a piauo
that cost not over sjNu. gn open mtrkrf.
and Tor which the reciI icnt herself or h,r
hiend- paid sS!ii2
By sIibTiHF estimate ar1 sTcpptfny
the telegram figures 40 correct, Miss Msrg