Money chain letter. Printed Send-a-Dime with five tips. "...worked out ... by a mathematician ..."  #1 of Iowa hoard. US, 1935.
                  PROSPERITY CLUB

           Name                             Address                  City            State

H. Quakenbush                 628 Mullen Ave.           Waterloo       Iowa
W. E. Pike                        628 Mullen Ave.           Waterloo       Iowa
Ethel Hond                                                           Elkader         Iowa
Francis McLaggast                                                Elkader         Iowa
Freda Wells                                                          Elkader         Iowa
Donald McLaggast                                                Elkader         Iowa


                    FAITH                 HOPE                CHARITY

    This chain was started in the hope of bringing prosperity to you.
    Within TWO DAYS make five copies of this letter, leaving off the top name and address
and adding your name and address at the bottom of the list and give them to five of your
friends to whom you wish prosperity to come.

    In omitting the top name, send that person 10 cents, wrapped in paper; in turn as your
name leaves the top, you will receive (if every one continues this prosperity letter) 15,625
letters with donations amounting to $1,562.50.
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    Have the faith in your friends that they had in you and this chain will not be broken.

                                         NOW IS THIS WORTH A DIME?

   This idea has been worked out successfully by a mathematician in hopes that it will bring
us out of the depression, this plan has worked in other cities and can work here if followed out
properly. Follow these rules and prosperity will be yours.
   1. Get your letters started within TWO DAYS. Your money will arrive sooner.
   2. Choose only people in whom you have confidence, because they will carry out the plan.
   3. Check up on the five persons with whom you place these letters and be sure they send
them on. If this is not done only a portion of the amount will be received.
   4. Impress upon your five friends that they must carry out the specified plan.
   5. Explain details fully to your friends and they will be greatly enthused.

   HAVE THE FAITH YOUR FRIENDS HAD AND THIS CHARM CANNOT FAIL
Printed form letter with dotted underlines for names. Large centered title. Names and addresses in black ink - handwritten. 8 1/2 by 11 inch plain paper. Came with envelope canceled in Elkader, Iowa on May 9, 1935. Addressed to Miss Ina Weymouth, Elkader, Iowa and "R.F.D" in lower left corner. No return address but presumably sent to Miss Weymouth by Donald McLaggast of Elkader, Iowa.  Purchased on eBay, Aug. 2014. Entered by DWV on Aug. 11, 2014.

me1935-05-09IA_sd_prtd_5Tips

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The "Iowa" hoard consists of this chain letter and two handwritten Send-a-Dime letters in the same eBay lot, plus the above described envelope. All the 18 addresses on the three letters are located in the state of Iowa. Many of the towns repeat (Waterloo, Elkader, Monona, Mc Gregor, St. Olaf). Some of the last names also repeat. Two unidentified newspaper clippings on Send-a-Dime were also part of the lot.