Valley Girl Views: When The Miltonian Newspaper Gave Away A Buick

In November of 1925, The Miltonian newspaper "announced the most liberal campaign ever undertaken by a Pennsylvania weekly newspaper"

The headline read:

LIVE WIRES INVITED TO PARTICIPATE

The newspaper was determined to acquire a circulation as near as possible to 100% " in its field", and concocted what they called a "Salesmanship Club Plan". There was to be no voting, no "popularity or beauty contest" but rather pure salesmanship. The person to sell the most newspaper subscriptions would win. There were all sorts of additional "credits" you could earn, if you watched the paper each week. Such as this one:

"The campaign is of such short duration that immediate action is necessary. Don't wait to see waht the other fellow is going to do, but pitch in now and show the other fellow how to do it!"

The prize list was as astounding as all of their headlines implied.

First prize was a brand new buick car

A 1927 Buick Standard Six Sedan Two-Door 5 Pass. Model 20

Second prize was a trip to New Orleans

Third Prize was a trip to Washington DC

Fourth prize was a trip to Chicago - and I'm still trying to figure out why Chicago would be 4th prize, and Washington DC second... Somehow, it must have been cheaper to travel to Chicago than to DC, in 1925!

Fifth Prize was a 1,000 mile trip

"Just start out and go anywhere you please and let us pay for it."

Sixth Prize was the same as fifth, "except that you can go just half as far."

And finally, everyone would receive commissions.

The Advisory board overseeing the contest included W.W. Wilson, Rev J.M. Lantz, H.S. Shoemaker, Dale E. Ranck, and R.H. Spare.

Every week, huge full page ads ran in the paper

And the front page included an update on where all the contestants stood

Contestants were in all of the local towns - Milton, Watsontown, Montandon, McEwensville, Lewisburg...

Mr Arthur Chipe, Mr William Millward, Mrs Dora Miller, Mrs Chas L Beck, Mr Floyd Moser, Miss Elizabeth J Wilson, Miss Kathryn Hafer, Mrs Samuel Garthwaite, Miss Hazel Burns, Miss Barbara RIssel, Miss Dorothy Ellis, Miss Mildred Stuck, Miss "Dot" Woods,

Miss Anna Berger, Mrs Raymond Budd, Mrs Edna Moser, Mrs Nyce Patterson, Mrs Florence Fox, Mrs Guy Graham Miss Mary Grove, Miss Laura Hendricks, Miss Leah Hile, Mr Neil Kennedy, Miss Elizabeth Meckley, Mrs Edwin Mertz Mrs Annie Mummery, Miss Catherine Bower, Mrs Josephine Riffel, Mrs H. B. Sesinger, Miss Ethel Shaffer, Mrs Bertha L. Wilson, Miss Florence Yerg

The Winner of the Buick was Mrs Dora Miller

Mrs Samuel Garthwaite was second, winning the trip to New Orleans.

Mr Arthur Shipe won the trip to Washington

Mr Wm. Millard won the trip to Chicago

Miss Kathryn Hafer won the 1,000 mile trip

Mrs Charles Beck won the 500 mile trip

The circulation list grew by 1,400 new subscribers, making the Miltonian the largest circulation of any weekly newspaper in the area, an equaling some of the dailies.