New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-10-13

Meanwhile the sixteen ELEPHANTS lldu luolCu
the building into 44th-st and were headed Tor flith
ave. a Scant hafblock away The men VINO handled
them knew that at this time in the afternoon Gotan
smarteSt thoroughfare was packed with carriages ana
motOrcarS containing the women ana chlldreh 0l inc
Weather classes that there would be not the beasts
ever passed Sherrys the corner and that the result
would be ruin to the colossal amusement place that
had been opened scarcely SIX months before
So they tore mady after their charges: ana one Oh
then-Bill Powers for years treasurer of the Walter
Main Occasionally overlook the foremost epnant
in front of the Harvard Club. Swinging his hook into
her mouth he brought the huge animal screaming to
her knees. The fifteen behind stopped long enough "
receive similar treatment and the whole quiverng herd
was led back to the stables in the basement OF the snow"
house
As soon as they had started the carpenters and prop
erty men rebuilding the demolished scenery, thompson
and his partner their offices and sent for the press
agent .o;d
Dundy
"If we don't, we might as well quit, said Thompson.
"And we've dropped sixtyve thousand dollars IN TINS
show before it opened"
"Theres only way to do it., said the press agent
sand it's not a way.
"If there's only way, try 1t, thompson yeHed,
sand for Gods sake try it quick"
The publicity man, William c. Thompson, had been
for wears one Of lanes Gordon Benefits most efficient
editors. He knew news and newspapers. KShng 10
telephone he called up every city editor IN New 1orH
and Brooklyn He asked them TO wait for crackaJack
story Messenger boys would have 1t IN three minutes
1t could be run as written. Every word OF 1t was true
Nothing better could be imagined for spread on the
front page of a sporting extra.
In the next room three good looking Steno8raPielS
sat dreaming of lovers and dinner.
"Ouck now! Six copies each I'll dictate to the
flock Of you!'
blends and the lovely brunette work OF art Bar
rett Wendell might have called 1t a masterpiece IN ny
perboe and wild-cycd cXaggcration but at the very
thought of it Baron Nunchhuscn Schcherazade, Dan
II Ne,
hoppcd in their graves \ wOndcrwork IN word en-
brodcrv atcrativc, prepostcrous, fabulous and eH-
trlvagant the yarn read like description OF Desperate
Dcsrond's dizzicst decd What the elephants hadn't
done Thompson said they had What they might have
done and more he described in all its lurid detail Police
reserves had fought with clubs TO preserve order among
the "maddcncd throng' \ detachment from the list
REGIMENT had been called IN TO help the village con
stabularv Shop windows for blocks had been smashed
bv people horses, taxicabs, and elephants. One man
had taken chance a live wire rather than tace the
nfuratcd beasts "fresh from the valleys OF the hong0
and the GangcS" This unfortunate individual wound
nm his life with the remark "Thcrc amt no such ami
MALI and the press agent brought his dream TO close
with a glowing euogy Of Bill Powers heroSm
Fifteen minutes later seventeen copies OF the story
were on the desks of the city editors of the metropolis
The eighteenth went to the manager OF the Associated
Press Seven Of the recipients after reading the trSt
page chuCked the manuscript on the moor EighI KEEP
their copies CuroS. Two editors mailed theirs PACK
with singing notes the effect that they were running
newspapers not comic supplements. One paper pub
shcd the article as written with an introduction stating
that it registered the highest known altitude IN TWEEN
ticth century Imagination.
The scheme worked. When police court reporters,
who had learned Of the stampede, attempted to tee.
phonc the story to their papers they told TO attend
to business and keep away from the Hippodrome. The
most spectacular event Of New York's day crept into
only one newspaper, and then in such aughabe form
that no reader believed a word OF It. Bill Powers on
the strength Of his success received raise OF twenty
five dollars a week. He deserved it.
FEW press agents, however, get chance to build
publicity round an elephant The unfortunate
majority wear ont their imagination saying nice and
L--H.LI- -Lngs about twoLcggcL cntcr-aners. actors