The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-08-13
SALE OF UNCLAIMED EXPRESS PACEACEs

OF 70 perform the marriage ceremony.
SALE OF UNCLAIMED EXPRESS PACKACES.
Exciting sccnes-Gold Watches selling
for = n s"ng-HRag Gs,.r . Cheese s"' and Old
Ciothes-Eunny Incidents, &c.
From the Washington Chronicle, August NJ
FIRST DAY.
Yesterday the sale Of packages unclaimed from Adaml
Express Company took place al the auction rooms OF
G. Mcclure Co., corner Of d and Tenth streets ne
sale O'Clock but long before that hbNr
the room where the auction was announced 10 fake
place was filed TO overlooking, and there were large
crowds also upon the sidewalks. Before the sale com
menced il was announced that the boxes, packaget &c.
would be sold unopened and that purchasers mus there
fore take the chances Of getting their money worth
was TO be considered binding II, however, purchasers
secured articles Of great value they would be per.
mted % return them ana 'ne This M'ney sney naa
was received with boisterous laughter and the sale
was at once begun. Among the first things
sold was box purchased for So 75 The purchaser
started for the door, and he reached the
rnent the broken open in order to ascertain s
contents, which proved to be- the oones OF turkey,
wearing apparel The purchaser uttered some proane
words started or amid the laughter of the crowd
hIed and they were invariably kicked into the gut
tes The purchasers mortified and chagrned, but
the surrounding crowds were mrtnfa Booolacks were
added not little 10 the discontinue Of the purchasers
Still the sale continued, and bidders were earnest and
excited Many who brought out worthless purchases
mentally calculated the consequences of q renewed
effort, thrust their hands in their pockets and re-
turned to the contest apparently determined 70 re-
gain what they had lost to lose more. Others
moved away from the crowd and counted their
funds and in apparent feeling Of returned
and made other purchases frequently to find that money
had been thrown away, and that they subject to
the jees Of the crowd outside But made valuable
1a Soa
value An IS 50 trunk was found filled with valuable
Packages containing spoiled apple butter sold for 81 so
to 81 co. A box purchased for 50 so contained two
fa ne@ro damse The lucky purchaser Of this was
hailed with uproarious laughter and travelled OF with
his bargain In hurry box at 81 SO was filled with
dried apples and cherries. One at 81 SO held dozen
hats pair of boots new and pair Of shoes box,
apparently new and carefully fastened with irons was
urited and the box was knocked down for Sal The
box heavy II could scarcely be carried or The
purchaser took to the sidewalk and Of good
luck and of having made strike, proceeded to display
his treasure, when o and behold, shell appeared in
vew and the crowd scattered, fearful OF explosion
The purchaser laughed while the crowd was by, but
when with bis most Intimate friends cursed An odd
looking package which purchased at So SO proved to
be mosquito bar and frame. 50 box scosed last
years blood pudding roll OF what appeared TO be Bo
logna sausage Eve pounds Of water crackers and three
quarts Of cockroaches lady, who had crowded IN At
much outlay Of crnohne bid on boz at 10 % contain
ing two empty knspsacks
There was opened in succession box (42) OF rotten
soap box ($6l containing FIVE hundred straw hats tbar
gain); box ($1) containing cheap candles; box OF
surveying instruments Isl 80, worth $500; 81 box
containing square bottles tempy) So box contain
s ~ sss q,
In the meantime purchasers continue TO open the boxes
on the pavement, and the stencil from the decaysd
meats, corrupt preserves, rotten cheese &C. he, be
came 90 offensive be almost uncomfortable An order
therefore read from the Superintendent Of Police
lion rooms under penalty or the OF the parties
offending s the sale continued, and purchasers were
eager as and 10 the anxiety TO discover tho value OF
their purchases their boxes were carried to dis
lance from the auction rooms and there opened. De-
cayed meats, canned fruits boots. clothing, papers,
officers uniforms articles evidently intended for
soldiers Christmas dinner, blankets, &c, &c. &c,
were displayed in profusion, one after the other
Four boxes containing bombshells were sold. One Of
them had suspicious look that the purchaser feared
to open at FIRST Subsequently he took courage and
determined to investigate the contents crowd OF be-.
Specializing upon Its contents and the
Ratchet in hand made his appearance to open the boz
general stampede among the lockers on took place The
contents OF the box were however, harmless, II
tanning only five six small shells neither OF which was
loaded.
An oblong box was put up II was supposed to con-
tain fishing tackle but up and at last knocked
down to q gentleman for Sill The box contained valua-
BILE rife and over $40 worth OF ammunition One box,
purchased for S. contained nearly 500 worth OF cheap
watches, jewelry, he
One box put up which appeared to have been in
the express ONCE but a short time coored man. who
Specializing considerably, suggested to a stand
ing by him that that box valuable and he induced
his friend to contribute 10 the purchase TO the amount
Of s. promise being made that the contributor should
have half the value OF the box The box sold
for ST. and was Immediately opened and found TO con
tain q spoiled Christmas dinner Contributor No 2 was
an xious about his mep and was quietly told Ia
take one half the contents Of the box.
The sale continued until after four O'Clock with vary
ing 10 the purchasers and was announced that
II would be continued to-day But 449 packages were
sold yesterday and there three thousand
be sold the sales will probably continue for days
As soon as the sale concluded the refuse mattel
was cleaned up and carted away. and the remains o
boxee picked up for nrewood by needy persons
The sale exciting throughout and II s expected will
be more when the smaller packages are offered. A
stated above, the crowd throughout the day very
great and perfect stream OF people kept pouring
and out q the auction rooms
SECOND DAY.
From the Washington Chronicle August IL
The sale OF packages unclaimed from Adams Express
which commenced on Thursday, was continued yester
day at the auction of Messrs James C. MCGUIRE
Co. The excitement abatcd not little from the 0rs
day. and the room was densely packed while many in
dviduals who appeared extremely DESTROYS OF making
an investment compelled TO content themselves
with positions outside the door. If any one imagines
there rs q dearh OF money among the people Of Wash.
neton he need only visit McGures auction rooms while
these sales in progress and his doubts viii at
vanish Greenbacks are lavishly expended, and are
tossed about from customer 70 salesman or cashier and
versd though they could be picked up upon the
streets without labor Yesterday bidders appeared To be
nush, and no III luck could deter them from investing
Of and found TO contain spoiled Christmas dinners,
bones Of turkeys spoiled canned fruits or vegetables
10 the taste when boxed mp and directed large
Der OF purchasers WERE however successful and this
fact not only determined them 10 make renewed at
tempts but induced others 10 engage in the speculation
But the packages done up In paper were particularly
coveted and when they were exposed TO view the bid
ding became spirited than ever and when two or
three voices responded people actually quarrced when
the auctioncer designated one the bidder who had
first caught his eye. Small packages, neatly put up,
appeared TO be especially desirable for visions OF
backs danced in the eyes Of the bidders One lucky ndi
vidual invested 80 Is and obtained q package Of gas
burners valued at $25 81 rs bought two pairs OF boots
one bottle of care box OF cigars pair Of gloves and
the photograph Of actress - rs bought box Of
gical instruments and two shirts; 81 co. three bottles Of
Rhine wine 81 z6 bottle OF molasses half peck poa-
toes peck hickory nuts three Christmas mince pies,
pairs Of drawers and twenty I'VE copies OF Sunday
school paper called Cord Nous; $40, mirror worth
s2b; 81 rs bought i've hundred copies OF 'The
Traitors Warning" beng a sermon preached
in Sharon College Hall on September &c, 1864,
the day appointed by the President as day
Of fasting and prayer, BY Rev. Randall Ross. A.
NJ, President Of Sharon College," 81 60 quart shoe
pegs awl wax and pair Of old socks filled with chest
nuts; IS cents, bottle OF lemon syrup qpire Of note
snd III of ofker'e nv