New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-05-21
TONS Of MAIL AT CLOSE
OF PROVERB CONTEST
More Sacks OF Matter Mailed Up
to Last Midnight Are on
the Way.
JUDGING COMMITTEES WORK
It's Appointment Will Be An
nounced Soon and the Result
May Be Known in
Month.

The New-York Tribune Proverb Contest.
which began on February q last. with the
arproval and good wishes OF thousands OF
its readers. ended last night in an ever
whelming deluge OF mail and with the busi-
ness Office a No. l54 Nassau street packed
by men, women and children. eagerly hand
ing in their last sets OF answers.
Up on the seventeenth floor OF the Trib-
une Building in a suite Of Offices occupied
by the Contest Manager, lay pile upon pie
Of two-bushel sacks containing answers re-
ceved up to midnight. And the outlying
districts had not been heard from. From
ell parts Of the country mail will come into
this office for the next few DAYS bearing
sets Of answers mailed before midnight on
May 90
This Office will be the scene Of another
contest curing the next few weeks. for
! here is where the real tug of war'-that
of sorting examining. tabulatins and fling
the thousands of answers and the final Sc
lection of the winners Of the 81. 800 in prizes
will take place
/ All this work will be done directly under
the supervision Of the business manage
ment Of The Tribune and the judging COM
mttee, 10 be announced shortly. While the
stupendous task is going on the public VIII
not he permitted to visit the Office OF the
| Contest Manager. When the announcement
OF prizes has been made. then every con-
testant will be allowed to call al the office
and see the result OF his or her answers,
] duly examined and on Tile.
From time to time brief bulletins will
appear in The Tribune TO give its readers
and all contestants an idea OF the progress
of this bit of interesting and enthusiastic
work. in which the clerical force Of The
Tribune and the committee on awards are
engaging These bulletins will lie interest
! ing as they Will contain certain announce
ments that ought not to be overlooked.
Unexpected Response 70 Contest.
I'm this remarkable contest its managers
were destined 10 be taken back by many
surprises The first surprise was the re-
Spouse which the contest furnished. \
rairie fire could hardly nave swept New
York city and dozens Of surrounding cities
and states with greater avidity than did
the contagion Of interest and enthusiasm
which The Tribunes Proverb Contest in
cited. 1t almost took the circulation man
They recovered quickly, however. and up 10
the last minute back numbers and coupons
we're available at the main Office, Nassau
and Spruce streets and by mail.
The other surprise was the fact that
! thousands OF contestants early in the game
contracted an enthusiasm and wholesome
interest Of heart and mind in the work Of
solving proverbs There were prizes at
stake. 70 be sure. such as two modern
touring cars. several costly player pianos
and host Of secondary prizes. but az
time went on it became more and more
evident that the hope OF material reward
was being crowded into the back seats by
the healthy lust for pre-emnence in a
contest of wits and learning.
All through the good time II was a source
of much satisfaction to The Tribune 10
know. by means Of thousands OF letters
which it received. that its decision 10 insti-
tute a contest Of the kind selected was re-
ceiving the cordial support OF its Oldest
readers as well a. the support Of all classes
Of readers won by the contest itself. The
personal interest and satisfaction in a mat
ter OF that sort outweished many other
considerations
Thronq in the Business Office.
For weeks the business Office. AZ Nassau
and Spruce streets. has been the rendez-
vous OF all classes Old men with Gray
hair and heavy specialized. dspper youne
men with canes thoughtful business men.
women Of society. pretty typewriter girls.
the school boys and girls. hundreds Of them
all passed In line daily before the window
sale They had patience, too. for many
times they were obliged to stand IN line
and wait beyond the limit that generally
taxes the patience OF a hurrying New
Yorker Complaints were rare.
The Tribune Proverb Contest aroused and
stimulated knowledge. II also did more
\ glance at some Of the sets of answer
selected at random indicated how II has
catered to the artistic. For instance. one
contestant a woman with more than ordi-
nary good taste and artistic sense, sent
/ in every one Of the siXty-three proverb pct
ures embellished by water colors. Each
picture was pasted carefully on neat card
board. about six inches square. the entire
collection bound in white and gold ribbons
iirto what looked like a much treasured
collection Of pen sketches with Tribune
Proverb Contest. 1911" in gold letters on
the outside cardboard cover The album
was carefully packed in tissue paper and
mailed in a box that seemed 20 have been
made for the purpose. There are many
other interesting samples OF this sort.
II is impossible 10 say IN advance just
how long the clerical force will be en-
gagged in the work now on their hands
The final bulk of mail was so much greater
than was expected that the date for an
rouncing the prize winners must be with
held indefinitely. still II may be announced
I'm less than four weeks. Meanwhile. con
testants will follow the bi-daily announce
n'ents in The Tribune.