The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-10-17
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 Bat
lie Creek, Mich, for prizes of 81 boxes
of gold and 800 greenbacks to those ma
king the most words out Of the letters
YJ-O Grape pe-Nuts.
The contest was started in February,
1905, and it was arranged to have the
prizes awarded on April 80, 1906.
When the public announcement ap-
peared many persons began to form the
words from these letters, sometimes the
whole family being occupied evenings,
combination Of amusement and educa-
tiou.
After a while the lists began to come
IN 10 the Postum Office and before long
the volume grew until 1t required wag
ons to carry the mail. Many of the
contestants were thoughtless enough TO
send their lists with insufficient postage
and for period il cost the Company
from twenty-five to ffty-e 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. Webster 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 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
WIS done very carefully and accurately
but the Company had no idea, at the
time the offer was made, that the peo.
pie would respond so generally and they
were compelled TO FL every available
space In the Offices with these young
.ady examiners, and Notwithstanding
they worked steadily, it was impossible
10 10 complete the examination until Sept.
20, over six months after the prizes
SHOULD have been awarded.
This delay caused a great many in
quirles and naturally created some dis
satisfaction, 1t has been thought best
10 10 make this report in practically all Of
lhe newspapers in the United States
ehd many of the magazines in order to
make clear to the people the conditions
Of the contest.
Many lists contained enormous num-
tpeEs Of words which. under the rules,
had to be eliminated, "Pegger' would
count; 'Peggcrs' would not. Some
SoHtdlneu over 0D,UUO words, tne
Erent majority of which were cut out.
me largest lists were checked over two,
ana In some Cases. three times to insure
accuracy
The 800 gold prize was won by
- - ~ Reese. 1927 18th St. Denver, Colo,
sId "iah 994l correct words. The highest
I!.o gold prize went to S. K. Fraser
Lincoln, Pa. with 1921 correct words.
"A complete LIST Of the 331 winners
WIN their home addresses will be sent
card. -
clearly ''N
u ms contest has cost the Co many
Snousand dollars, and probably has moi
,Iei Ieu profitable advertisement, never
iiess perhaps some who had never
iSsiofe tired Grape-Nuts food have beer
nf f'stested nted IN the contest. and from tria
Ge.thee d. me food have been shown its won
1'Itul rebuilding powers
~ teaches in a practical manner that
e.s n.lhcally gathered food element!
W. De selected from the field grains
ssrpc SNh nature will use for rebuilding th'
nn,sf ns ccnters ans brain in a way that j:
.s1Ts''akablc ms to users Of Grape Nuts.
o. here s n reason
Mil Cereal Co., Ltd, Battle Creek