Tibbetts Holds Winning Ticket

7.23.2023 [archived ~ originally published 6.16.2016]

In the first quarter of the twentieth century, it was rare to see weekly ads for groceries or consumable goods in the newspapers. There might be a national advertisement for a specific product or a placard for the local merchants.  The placards were small and generally had the name, location and items offered. Some even had a logo or slogan, but the information didn’t vary from week to week.  The exceptions seem to be the holidays, the beginning of school, and when a business was closing.  Then sale prices were listed. 

Most people still used a team and wagon to go to town, and went to the closest one for whatever they couldn’t get from their land.  But by the mid-1920s when more than a few folks had automobiles, competition between merchants in nearby towns began.  Bigger places, such as Grand Rapids, had more stores, more selection and attracted more people. 

Perhaps the Deer River merchants felt a pinch over the Christmas holidays in 1924, or maybe at a state convention of some sort one of them learned what other smaller communities were doing to keep up with the competition.  At any rate, in March 1925, the merchants of Deer River developed a plan they hoped would “…extend trade confidence in local business firms.  Their proposal met with favor, business and professional men with two exceptions becoming parties to the plan.  United effort on the part of forty-one firms brings results. The chief motive was to enlarge the trade territory and convince the public of the reasonableness of prices maintained here.” [Deer River News 6-18-1925]

It was decided the event would be called a Trade Expansion Sale and the dates of May 15^th to June 13^th were set.  Some items would be on sale during the entire time and others, for instance as part of Dollar Days would be for a select time only.  But the biggest savings would be to the person who won the Ford Touring Car to be given away on June 13^th, the final day of the sale.

All participating merchants gave customers one ticket for every 50 cent cash purchase on payment or account.  There was no limit to the number of tickets an individual could get, hence the incentive to shop often and stock up.

The Deer River News began writing articles about the Trade Expansion Sale in early May, and full-page advertising soon followed.  One of the big events halfway through was the Dollar Day sale on June 1^st.  

Trade Sale will Feature $1 Days ~ Deer River News 5-28-1925

Dollar Days will furnish the special feature of Trade Expansion Sale during the coming week.  This issue contains an entire page of Dollar Bargains, special attractions to be put on beginning next Monday.

As a feature of the opening Dollar Day, the Deer River band will give a concert at 2 p.m.  Director Casson will supplement the band here with some of his Bemidji players.  Come for the band concert Monday and get first choice at the Dollar Day Bargains.

Read the Dollar Day ads.  They contain some of the greatest buying opportunities ever offered in Itasca County.  Some of them are good on next Monday only.  Others will be on sale throughout the entire week.  If you want to save money, these Dollar Bargains give you a fine opportunity to do so.

Here is a selection of the items that could be purchased for one dollar during the sale:

Herreid Bros. ~ Ladies house dress, 13 lbs. of sugar, or 10 pairs of men’s work sox

Alva Baker & Co. ~ 1 brass washboard, good clothes line and 2 dozen clothes pins

Itasca Clothing Co. ~ 1 pair men’s tennis shoes, brown

Thorson’s Grocery ~ 25 bars of Light House soap, or 10 lbs. of macaroni

Kivisaari, Wuotila & Co. ~ 1 lb. coffee, 1 lb. tea and cup and saucer free

M.J. Baker ~ 22 ½ lb. sack of rolled oats

Miller Garage ~ 30” x 3½” Goodyear Tire

City Drug ~ any toilet water up to $1.50 in value

At the beginning of the Trade Expansion Sale, the expectation was that the person whose ticket was drawn for the car had to be present at the time of the drawing to win.  In order to appease disappointed folks from out of town, the rules were changed. 

“One hundred numbers will be drawn.  Every tenth number will be eligible to the prizes as follows: the tenth number drawn will be the winning ticket.  The holder of this number will be given until Tuesday noon, June 16, to claim the car.  If not presented by that time, this ticket loses all claim to the prize and the twentieth number drawn takes its place.  No. 20 has until Wednesday noon, June 17, to claim the car, or forfeit its claim and give way to No. 30, which is good until Thursday noon, June 18.  In this same manner, each succeeding multiple of ten will be eligible in turn, each limit expiring 24 hours later than its predecessor.

Should none of the numbers drawn next Saturday eligible to win be presented in proper time, there will be a second special drawing on Saturday, June 27. However, it is considered highly probable that someone is going to be on the ground and drive the prize home next Saturday night.” [Deer River News 6-11-1925]

There was a huge crowd in Deer River on Saturday, June 13^th and at the time of the drawing an estimated two thousand people.   The tenth ticket was drawn, number 124095 but no one seems to have it, so more tickets were pulled, the twentieth belonging to Peter Vickjord.  If the winning ticket holder didn’t claim his prize by Tuesday noon, Mr. Vickjord would drive the car home.

Shortly after the crowd dispersed, sixty-six-year-old Willian Tibbetts, Sr. of Ball Club showed that he had number 124095, the winning ticket. “Scores of friends extended congratulations on his good fortune.  A great-grandson, less than a year old was here on Saturday to help celebrate.  No boy was ever more tickled over a new pair of boots.  ‘Well, the old car was just about worn out,’ said Mr. Tibbetts. ‘This one will come in handy,’ and he climbed in and drove away in great glee.” [Deer River News 6-18-1925]

Incidentally, the Tibbett family has won a number of prizes over the years, some through skill and others, like William Sr. through luck.  I would love to write a story on all of the winning Tibbetts someday, so if you have any information or pictures, please send get in touch with me ~ chrismarcottewrites@gmail.com.