The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1859-12-24
Scene at the Dead-Letter Office.

Tie Washington Star, of the 7th inst,
says:-A stranger in the city would have
been puzzled to account for the furious eager
ness displayed last night by the crowd strug.
Cling to get INTO McGuire's auc;ion-room. =
The fair sex was just as crazy as the men,
and not few ladies braved the mud and rain,
and jostled at the door for admission in right
good earnest. The attraction was the great
Deed Letter Office Sale" advertised for
some weeks to take place on this night
1t was announced that the catalogue con.
sisted of articles accumulated in the Dead
Letter office since 1857, 1.-THE Department
having used every effort to find the proper
owners and being unaLle 10 do so,) and they
would now be sold for the postage the PRO-
ceedS, If any, after paying charges, to be
deposited in the United States Treasury, sub.
iicct to order should the proper owners here
after be found. The articles came from the
Post-otiicc in sealed packages and no oppor-
tunlty having thus been obtained of getting a
peep of examination, the bidding was some
what in the dark but generally spirited
The buyers naturally supposed that the
articles thus sent by mail as pledges of allec-
ton must be about the correct thing in point
of value.
The auctioneer said he would warrant
nothing, as they wanted to close the thing
up finally, but II he knew anything to he
worthless he would intimate the fact when it
was put up.
very large proportion-perhap three
quarters Of The articles were pieces of iewclry.
VI these again large proportion were finger
rings, there being no less than five hundred,
many Of them heavy plain gold wedding
rings linen there were car Iinss in any
quantity, gold pencils, bracelets. chains, gold
and silver watches, lockcts, fruit knives,
breast-pins, studs, fob-chains, medals, etc.
one OF the lockets put up for sale, on being
opened, was found to contain miniature,
and was immediately Withdrawn. as the
Department reserves all portraits, not being
allowed by law to sell them.
There was quite sprinklng of books -
inc Way to Heaven, Life and Speeches OF
iiienry Clay, = volumes, Keeping the Heart,
iataIlst, ll2 Catechislns, Forts Medical
PTac'lce, Missouri Harmony, Stocktoa's Ser
mons, African Preacher, Paradise Lost,
Allyn'S Ritual, Laws Of Georgia, Fred Dou-
slas, Sumner Family, Life of Fremont,
Danger in the Dark, Green Book. Hymn Book
Flowers of Plety, Catholic MiSsal, Livings-
tones Travels, five German books, Cotton is
King, Bay State Glce Book, and several
others.
Among the odd things in the miscellany
was an extraordinary pair Of embro idercd
sISpend'rs, German style,) which sold for
81 one regala, 9Th degree, |. 0. 0. F.,
brought 81 10 patent inhaling tube, to cure
consumption one box of dissccling instru.
ments: scaliicator, halfa dozen chcmises,
gals for game fowl, one colncld hoe directed
to :" Queen Victoria" (the postage on which
amounted to So J German pipes, gold foil,
wristbands, Kid gloves, spcctacles, dagucrro-
type plates, viotin strings, lot Of mourning
goods, two shaw'sand sacks, comfort. linen,
oraids, TOR colored pcrsons,) black summer
coat, bed quilt, ear trumpet, three pairs Of
boots, brogans, lot Of hardware sign on cotton
cloth. " Ready-made Clothing :" lot of avis,
live dozen watch crystals. and SO on to the
number Of six or seven hundred articles.