The Press: The Trib at the Bar

“Scotch and soda,” said the thirsty traveler after boarding his usual New Haven commuter train from New York to Rowayton, Conn., one night last week. He handed the bar-car attendant the usual $1 bill. To the commuter’s surprise, the bar tender refused it, gave him his drink along with a card that read: “The drinks are on us. The Herald Tribune announces its highest daily city and suburban circulation in 25 years. Who says a good newspaper has to be dull?” Not at all shy, the commuter let the New York Herald Tribune stand him two more drinks.

The Trib, in fact, stood treat all over the tracks. In bar cars on 25 New Haven, New York Central and Long Island commuter trains, the paper quenched the thirst of the suburbia-bound. It was the Trib’s way of celebrating a daily circulation increase of 10,000 (to 376,000) over the last three months. As for the parched commuters, they responded nobly on all lines, ran up a healthy tab of nearly $5,000. Who, indeed, says a newspaper has to be dry?