Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1906-10-26
INTERESTING CONTEST.
Heavy Cost of Unpaid Postage.

One of the most curious contests
ever before the public was conducted
by many thousand persons under the |
offer Of the Postum Cereal Co., Ltd, |
of Battle Creek, Mich, for prizes of |
81 boxes of gold and 800 greenbacks |
to those making the most words out
of the letters YI-O-Grape-Nuts.
The contest was started in Febru
airy, 1906, and 1t was arranged to have
, the prizes awarded on Apr. 80, 1906.
When the public announcement ap-
peared many persons began to form
the words from these letters. some.
| times the whole family being occupied
| evenings, a combination of amuse-
ment and education.
| After a while the lists began to
come in to the Postum Office and be-
| fore long the volume grew until 1t re-
! quired wagons to carry the mail.
| Many of the contestants were thought.
less enough to send their lists with
insufficient postage and for period
it cost the Company from twenty-five
to fifty-eight and sixty dollars day
to pay the unpaid postage.
Young ladies, generally those who
had graduated from the high school,
were employed to examine these lists
and count the correct words. Web
sters Dictionary was the standard
and each list was very carefully cor
rected except those which fell below
5000 for 1t soon became clear that
nothing below that could win. Some
of the lists required the work of a
young lady for a solid week on each
individual list The work was done
very carefully and accurately but the
Company had no idea, at the time the
offer was made, that the people would
respond so generally and they were
compelled to fill every available space
in the offices with these young lady
examiners, and Notwithstanding they
worked steadily, 1t was impossible
to complete the examination until
Sept. 30, over six months after the
prizes should have been awarded.
This delay caused a great many In
quiries and naturally created some
/ dissatisfaction. 1t has been thought
best to make this report in practically
all of the newspapers In the United
/ States and many of the magazines II
order to make clear to the people the
l conditions of the contest.
Many lists contained enormous
t numbers of words which, under thu
rules, had to be eliminated "Pegger
: would count. "Peggers" would not
: Some lists contained over $4,000
!. words, the great majority of whicl
| In lictc
d checked over two and in some case
i three times to insure accuracy.
The $4,000 gold prize was won b.
:. L. d. Reese, 1227-15th St, Denver
q Colo, with 9941 correct words. TIL
highest $1,000 gold prize went to
# X. Fraser, Lincoln, Pa, with 1921 co.
rect words.
A complete list of the 331 winner
r. with their home addresses will b
:, sent to any contestant enquiring on
4 postal card.
1 Be sure and give name and addres
10 clearly.
"a This contest has cost the Co. man
"a thousand dollars. and probably ne
not been a profitable advertisement
nevertheless perhaps some who ha
- never before tried Grape-Nuts foe
have been interested in the contes
y: and from trial of the food have bee
y. shown Its wonderful rebuilding POI
!, ers.
'u II teaches in a practicable mann
Ut that scientifically gathered food ell
II ments can be selected from the fie
81 grains, which nature will use for I
Vi building the nerve centres and bra
80 In a way that is unmistakable
III users of Grape-Nuts.
There's a reason"
Postum Cereal Co., Ltd. Battle Creek. Nj