The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-02-16
Trying Their Luck Mt an Auction Of
Unclaimed Express Packages.

There was sn auction sale OF Unusual III
terest Yesterday at the rooms OF Mcssrs.
Matthews a. Kirkland, auctfoneers, south
Charles street. II was the annual sale OF
unclaimed packages by the Adams Express
ComDany. Some time before the hour ap-
pointed for the sale 10 o'clock-a lively
crowd was in attendance, ready to snap up
the prizes when they made their appear
ance, The crowd was a good-natured
one, and the people showed by their
appearance that they were willing to bite
and to be bitten without much fuss about
IL. Some OF those present, who came
early. eyed the mysterious packages rs they
were brought in from the express office.
trying to locate the particular "bonanza
which should fall TO their lot when they
bid for it. The first laugh came as the
packages were being toted in, and was
caused by the sight of about twenty mice
jumping out of large package OF farlna.
The mice went scampering away for dear
life. At precisely 10 o'clock Mr.. Kirk
land began the sale. The purchasers
were little shy at first in the matter
of exposing what they bought; but
this feeling soon wore off, and it was
the exception for the package to leave
the salesrooms unopened. Almost the first
package opened was knocked down TO
"the gallery" rs Mr.. Kirkland called a
number OF ladies who were on the stairs
leading TO the next floor above. The bid
was seventy-tiye cents, and the prize was q
bundle OF iagots. The laugh had scarcely
died away when loud guffaw announced
another catch of the same sort. This time
twas an insurance digest. all for fifty cents.
Then another man drew box containing
Ia - a. -
for this luxury. and can nurse his sweet
tooth for some time TO come. The next
customer took an elcgantly-put-up package
for sixty cents. The prize in his case was
Il roll Of about one hundred OF Professor
Pharzyer's play-bills for an appearance at
Warrenton Courthouse, Va. The buyer
has all he wants of that performance. The
next bid Of fifty cents, from "the gallery
drew lot Of drawings and specifications
for courthouse ut GAINESVILLE, Tenn. The
lady SAYS she will sell them cheap. 4 bot
tie OF French bair-oil and a yeast-cake
brought thirty-fiye cents, while package
OF John Owens's mares medicine was
knocked down to a fakir at seyenty-fiye
cents. lie also got chOpping-kniie for
quarter. Fifty cents then secured IN iron
toy-fence, which was worth the money;
while comb and brush, with a toothbrush
and package of tooth-powder, brought
seventy-fiye cents. The only trouble about
these were that they looked as if they had
been in use about ten years, more OF less.
A good bargain for the fakir was a
package Of about twenty combination
pencil and pen-holdcrs, which he secured
for a half-doilar. a well-known notion
dealer secured two pairs OF ladies' shoes
and bib for fifty cents. The same party
drew package OF circulars advertising the
publications of the American Bible Society.
lie paid seyenty-fye cents for the lot, and
rs he then felt very religiously inclined, he
distributed the circulars on the spot. An
other fifty-cent bid secured Il dolls wicker
chair, while domestically-inclined inGi-
yidual invested ten cents in an ASH
pan. Another bid from the fakir brought
u can of mackerel. He paid thirty cents for
the lot, and says anybody can have them
for ten. And so il went on. Once in
while the purchaser would get more than
his moneys worth; as, for instance, one
man secured good felt hat, worth So, for
q quarter, aud others in the lottery drew
samples OF dress goods, suits OF clothing,
canes, umbrellas, parasols, ETC., worth much
more than the prices bid. Seven hundred
and fifty packages We're sold, and the bids
ranged from twenty-five cents to $40. The
majority OF the packages sold for about fifty
cents each, the buyers paying little at
tention TO the size Of the packages. The
larger packages, including number Of
trunks, brought from So TO $40 each. One
OF the Posner firm. of Lexington street.
drew the grand prize-a gold watch and
cinin-for fifty cents. Among the princi-
pal buyers were Charley Schwerer, Mr..
Whitney, Charles Roby, and John i. Bait
ger. Mir. Baltzer, who is now well-to-do:
was very lucky at one Of these sales Of ex-
press packages years ago. He bought a
lot containing feather-bcd and an old
box, and the box when opened was found
to contain over 81, 200 worth Of silver plate.
II gave him the means OF good start in
business, and success iollowing.-Boiti-
mora Americaa.