, 1864-07-08
That Costly Bag of Flour.

The particulars attending the sale of {
certain bag Of -four, as given by the Reese
River ReUeitle of the 2lst are so interesting
and amusing that we transfer them to oul
columns, in the belief that the reader will de-
rive as much pleasure from their perusal as
edid
1.-TWO of our men, says that paper, "Mr
R. Gridley, of the firm of Gridley, Hobart
& Jacobs, as gallant Copperhead as ever
lived, and DR.. Herrick, one of our countyofi-
oi~ls, .-...l- .----.-;t, NO co.., tho farms
were that should D. E. Buell., Democrat, be
elected Mayor, DR.. Herrick should carry a
fifty pound sack of -four through Main street,
from the 1st Ward Clinton, to the 4th Ward,
upper Austin, distance Of over one mile
and a quarter, marching to the tune Of Dixie.
The reverse was Should Charles Holbrook,
Union, be elected, Mr.. Gridley would carry
the -four from his store in Austin down Main
street to the 1st Ward, marching to the tune
Of Old j ohm Brown"
A procession was fCrmed, escorted by a
band Of music, and proceeded to Clifton down
the Austin Canyon, where the scene des-
cribed below was enacted
"A stand was erected, upon which the
now distinguished sack of flour was placed
After few preliminary remarks, Mr. R. q.
Gridey offered for it $500, the money to be
given to the Sanitary Fund Mr. T. B.
Wade took the stand as auctioneer, and the
price of -four went up to such prices as it had
never before reached, even in starving times,
or that the most successful speculator ever
dreamed of getting Double eagles in solid
gold were the only currency that could buy
flour at that auction stand. From two hun
dred the price soon ran up to two hundred
and fifty, and declared sold. 1t was said a
Union man had bid the amount, but as he
was not very prompt in coming forward,
Mr. Gridley offered the money, and desired
the much coveted -four Mr.. j. NJ Noyes,
as prominent Union man and successful
candidate for Alderman, claimed the right to
pay the money, and handed out bag full of
twenties, amidst the deafening cheers of the
assemblage, the -four was delivered to him
and Immediately returned for sale, the pro-
ceeds to 90, as before, to the noblest pur-
poses, the Soldiers Sanitary Fund. The
auction still went on, and the precious -four
sold again and again, ultil it had sold many
times its weight in silver, Mr.. Buel, although
defeated as a candidate and heavy loser in
wagers, was determined not to be outdone,
but as his gold had run short, offered GER
ti6cate of Indebtedness of the United States
Indian Department, which would be paid in
greenbacks, calling for SLID. This was
the most liberal of all bids, but as gold was
the only article recognized as money, it was
not accepted. All bidders were cheered,
and the price fell as low as twenty dollars,
Gridley, for Gridley Jacobs & Co., again
bid $500, and was purchaser Greedy and
anxious now became the seekers after this
valuable -FOUR the auctioneer became elo-
quentin its praise, and although the suffer
ings of the soldiers life were most feeling
depicted, the cheers and unbouuded hilarity
of the audience evinced there was no feeling
of sadness amongst the listeners, When the
tweuties in the pockets Of individuals ran
short, combinations were made-the Demo
Gratis must buy, the Republicans must buy,
the Odd fellows bought, then the masons
must excel there was no thought of party,
of rival societies, or of individual enmities,
but to excel in their contributions to the
Sanitary Fund.
"Thus the sale went on, with the many
combinations to raise large amounts-the
merchants attempting to surpass the hotel
keepers, the mills, the saloons, mining com
panies, town proprietors, each determined
not to be outdonc; what with money, scrip,
stock, town lots, it appeared as if the whole
property of Austin was about to be swallow