The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1911-05-24
WIN ER|E'S PRIZE
Two Contestants Award
ed Sl0O Each
"BERGEN ARCHWAYS" TO BE
SUBSTITUTED FOR THE
"OPEN CUT"

is 10 say, Jne cut through Bergen
Hill on the Erie Railroad will here
after be known as Bergen Arch
ways" instead of by the old name.
The Committee of Award, appoint
ed to select a suitable title from the
thousands sent in from all parts of
the world, decided that Bergen Arch
ways was the best one submitted
One prize was offered, but two were
given, for the Erie Railroads policy
is never to do things by halves. So
much for the Introduction Now for
the story.
AS many thousands of people
know, the Erie Railroad company
announced last winter that a prize
of one hundred dollars in gold
would be given to the person who
submitted the best name for the
open CUT through Bergen Hill,
April 1st being the date on which
the contest would close. The Off
GERS of the Company expected that
there would be considerable rivalry
among the patrons of the road, but
they had not the slightest idea that
the interest in the unique contest
would be so widespread. They were
most pleasantly surprised, therefore.
when letters came in from all parts
of the world-even from South
Africa and European cities-and peo-
pie also sent messages by telegraph.
by telephone, and by special car
riers.
After much deliberation, the COM
m1ttee selected Bergen Archways as
the name that would most fittingly
apply to the great structure There
were many points to be taken into
consideration, among which were
geographical and Typographical rea-
sons, brevity, euphony, practically
and simplicity. This name seemed
to meet all the requirements; hence
its selection after due deliberarion.
After the decision was made, it was
found that two contestants had sent
IN the same name. Here was a
dilemma, for nothing was said in
the prize offer concerning priority
1t would not be fair to divide the
prize, for that is not the method
pursued by the Erie Railroad. The
problem was quickly solved by al
lowing two prizes of 500 each in
stead of only one. The names of
the two lucky winners are r. Will
son OF 12O Main street, East Orange
N. j., and Frank F. Gray, Supervisor
OF Public Schools, Montclair, n. j.
~. Nisoh 3 lelIer is uated FEBRUARY
IT, 1911, and that of Mr.. Grav.
March 29, 1911. Each of the for
tunate contestants received 500 in
gold May II, a special messenger
having been sent to their homes to
deliver the prizes. fiji
Many contestants sent in names
including "archway," "arches," "the
archway," etc, but only two sub
mltted the plural form of the name
decided upon. Bergen Cut was
suggested by sixty-one people.
There can not be any just cause
for complaint of any kind, for the
utmost fairness was used and even
those who are disappointed because
their suggestions were not accepted
Will agree that no favoritism was
shown any one. There is not on
record where prize of this kind has
ever been doubled. The usual meth
cd is to divide prizes.
Some idea of the stupendous work
of the Committee of Award may be
gained when it is stated that over
1000 names were submitted by A.
6lO different competitors up to
April l, the day of closing. Some
or the suggestions are very clever,
and the entire list includes every
kind of name that can be conceived:
IN fact, it is one of the most re-
markable collections of word and
pharse building that was ever put
together, AS an illustration of YER
satility it will rank with the most
famous products to be found any
where, and as composite work.
embodying the grave, the gay, the
sublime, the ridiculous, the practical
and foolish-it will easily outrank
anything that was ever written or
published from the days of the
Egyptian Pyramids to the year 1911,
when the Bergen Archways structure
was completed.
The officers of the Erie Railroad
Company are pleased that a prize
was offered, for they feel that they
not only have a fitting name for
one of their greatest achievements,
but they have learned that the ma
Jorlty OF the patrons of the Erie
railroad are wide-awake, practical
and full of originality. The list of
names was studied carefully for the
Committee wanted every contestant
to have square deal, and notwith-
standing the labor involved was
somewhat irksome and trying at
times, there was a certain element
OF pleasure throughout the eXamina-
llon' VI course there Will be many
disappointments, but every fair
minded person will admit that out
of the vast number of suggestions
received only one can be utilized.
1t would take good-sized volume
to enumerate all the names sent in,
for many correspondents submitted
more than two suggestions. The
longest list coming from . single
individual footed up 173 names,
which was submitted by Master Ros-
well Barber, Newton, N. j. This
boy deserves special mention for his
painstaking work and patience. H.
Walters, Pittsburg, Pa, is entitled
to praise for sending in this ingeni-
Gus and witty title: "Preoxide," for
open cuts. The members of the
committee appreciate the fact that
many of the peculiar cognomens
were written for the fun of the
thing. These names are not out of
place in the great collection he