The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1907-04-02
INTERESTING CONTEST.
Heavy Cost of Unpaid Postage.

One OF the most curious contests
ever before the public was conducted
by many thonsand 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 Y-I-O-Grape-Nuts.
The contest was started in Febru-
airy, 1906. and 1t was arranged to
have the prizes awarded on Apr. 80,
1905.
When the public announcement
appeared many persons began to
form the words from these letters,
sometimes the whole family being
occupied evenings, a combination OF
amusement and education
After a while the lists began to
come in to the Postum ORce, and be-
fore long the volume grew until It
required wagons to carry the mail.
Many OF the contestants were
thoughtless enough to send their lists
with insufficient postage and for a
period 1t cost the Company from
twenty-five to ffty-eight and sixty
dollars day to pay the unpaid post
age.
Young ladies, generally those who
had graduated from the high school,
were employed to examine these lists
and count the correct words. Web
ster's Dictionary was the standard,
and each list was very carefully cor
rected, 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 q 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, It was impossi-
BILE to complete the examination until
/ Sept. 20, over six months after the
/ prizes should have been awarded.
This delay caused a great many
I inquiries and naturally created some
[ dissatisfaction. II has been thought
best to make this report in practi-
cally all OF the newspapers in the
United States and many OF the maya
zines in order TO make clear to the
people the conditions of the contest
Many lists contained enormous
numbers Of words which under the
rules. had TO be eliminated peg
ger" would count, "Peggers" would
not. Some lists contained over 5O.-
600 words, the great majority OF
which we're cut out The largest
lists were checked over two and In
some cases three times TO insure ac-
euracy
The 10000 gold prize was won By
4. ID. Reese, 1227-15th St, Denver,
Colo. with 9941 correct words. The
highest $1,000 gold prize went to S.
K. Fraser. Lincoln. Pa, with 1921
correct words
A complete list OF the 331 winners
with their home addresses will be
sent 20 any contestant enqulring on
postal card
BE sure and give namo and address
clearly
This contest has cost tho CO. many
thousand dollars. and probably has
not been a profitable advertisement,
nevertheless, perhaps some who had
never before tried Grape-Nuts food
have been Interested in the contest,
and from trial Of tine food have been
shown IT'S wonderful rebuilding pow-
ers.
10 teaches fin a practical manner
that scientifically gathered food eIs-
ments can be- selected from the neId
grains watch nature viii use for re-
building the nerve centres and brain
I'm a way that SIS unmistakable 90
users Of Grape-Nuts
There's o. reason"