Arizona republican., 1906-10-19
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 51 boxes of gold and 300 greenbacks to those making the most words out of the letters Y-I-O-Grape-Nu
 'Ehe contest was started in February, 1906. and it was arranged to have the prize awarded on Apr. 30, 1906.
 When the public announcement ap- peared many persons began to form the words from these letters. sometimes the whole family being occupied even ings. a combination of amusement and education
 After a while the lists began to come in to the Postum Office and before long the volume grew until it required wag- Ons to carry the mail. Many of the contestants were thOughtless enough to send their lists with insufficient postage and for a 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 land count the correct words. Webs ! ter's Dictionary was the standard and each list was very carefully corrected | except those which fell below 5000 for ] it soon became clear that nothing be- | low 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 1 idea, at the time the offer was made, that the people would respond so gen lerally and they were compelled to fill every available space in the offices with these young lady examiners, and not ] withstanding they worked steadily, it 1 vas impossible to complete the eXamI- nation until Sept. 29, over six months after the prizes should have been awarded This delay caused a great many inquiries and naturally created some dissatisfaction. It has been i thought best to make this report in practically all of the newspapers in the United States and many of the maga- zines in order to make clear to the people the conditions of the contest Many lists contained enormous num- bers of words which, under the rules. had to be eliminated. ''Pegger' would | count "PeggeTs' would not. Some lists contained over 5O,0OO words. the great majority of which were cut out The | largest lists were checked over two,
 and in some cases, three times to in sure accuracy.
 The $100.0O gold prize was won by l.. ! D. Reese. 1927 18th St, Denver Colo.
 with 9941 correct words. The highest 5000 gold prize went to s. K. Fraser,
 Lincoln, Pa, with 9921 correct words.
 A complete list of the 331 winners
 with their home addresses will be sent
 to any contestant enquiring on a pos
 tai card.
 Be sure and give name and address clearly.
 This contest has cost the Co. many
 thousand dollars. and probably has not
 been a profitable advertisement, never
 theless perhaps some who had never before tried Grape Nuts food have been
 interested in the contest, and from trial
 of the food have been shown it's won
 derful rebuilding powers
 It teaches in a practical manner that scientifically gathered food elements i can be selected from the field grains,
 which nature will use for rebuilding
 the nerve centres and brain in way
 that is unmistakabIc to users Of Grape Nuts.
 There's a reason"
 Postum Cereal Co., Ltd. Battle ] Creek, Mich.