Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1882-09-07
Selection Selling.


young man on Pier s, North river, New
York. He held in his right hand q
bundle of sealed envelopes, which he
shufiled over and spread ont rs if they
were pack of cards.
"Sure thing" he continued ''giYes
you the name of the winning horse in
each race. Who'll have selection
Best on the track. Gives you all horses
to win for both first and second places. "
Walking up and down the pier he
accosted each group of men as they
came up to the gangplank of the Jesse
| Hoyt.
"How much for 'em ?" asked o coun-
tryman, who seemed to have come ont
of New Jersey.
twenty-five cents"
Selves names of winning horses ?"
"Yes-every one-never fails. Have
one?"
"Wa-aI, yes, ! guess III take one."
The selection seller pocketed the
quarter and as he turned away the
countryman said -
"Say, there. If this amt right, do 1
get my money back?"
"Yes-to-night in Central Park.
Don't fail to meet me.
The countryman presently discovered
that in order to win any money by the
selections" he would have toput money
on the horses. This he had not bar
gained for. and he was last seen trying
to get his quarter back.
Several men bought envelopes, and
all did SO in laughing, half-ashamed
way, as if they were willing for the sake
of the fun of the thing to try itjust once.
"Do you sell many selectons?"
asked O reporter of the man.
"No-not many poor business"
The selection man evidently regarded
his interrogation as q possible rival in
the business.
The reporter bought an envelope.
Within was a long, narrow strip of
paper. On it were printed the numbers
of the races, with space for the first
and second horses. For Wednesdays
races at Monmouth Park it gave the
winners as Parole, Pizarro, Amazon,
Fair Count, Itaska and Frank Short.
The first two we're the only hits, so that
one who had impartially followed the
selections would have lost money.
Sometimes the selections have excel
lent luck. One day last week the old
est man in the business named the six
winning horses, and the next day named
five out of six. It is said that he was
once rich, and lost his money ON the
English turf. He sold tips while IN
England and is now to be found busy
at every important meeting in this
country. He advertises his business,
and furnishes distant subscribers with
dps at fifty cents day or five dollars
week. He has an Office in New York,
where his wife sells the envelopes. He
is always around the track and stables,
and is said to have tout who times the
horses at exercise. His success has
stimulated imitation.
"Are you generally correct in your
selections ?" asked the reporter of this
dealer out of fortunes at twenty-five
cents each.
eff wasn't" he replied, "I would
soon lose all my custom. OF course L
make mistakes. A horse may suddenly
get out of condition. and there are
thousand mishaps on race course. |
only claim to name the horses that
ought to win if they have fair chance"
At the entrance of the Monmouth Park
race course a shabbily- dressed man of
fered selections for sale. The first
thought on seeing him was that if he
was able to pick out winning horses he
was able to buy better clothes. Appar-
emily he had some business at the gate,
for he was afterward seen on the grand
stand wearing badge. The man from
the pier also reappeared and continued
his sales. When the first two races had
run the selection sellers went about
calling:
Selections, gentlemen; names all
the winning horses. Named the first
and second winners already"
This was true, and business became
brisk. The next race upset the selec-
tion men, and their voices were stllled.
Suddenly they reappeared with pocket
books loaded down with bank bills and
announced that they would cash running
tickets on Turco at slight reduction.
This is called scalping. It was not
confined to the selection men, but q
dozen others were in the field. They
scalped from 10 cents to 81 from the
winning tickets, but the great compe-
tltion kept the margin down pretty low.
The scalpers had hovered around the
French pool booths until the value OF
the winning ticket was posted and then
rushed into the crowd shouting ''Cash
Turco, $3.50; worth $12.75." AS
cashing tickets at the booths often In
wolves tedious delay many men were
willing to pay 25 cents to get their
money withot trouble.
"How much do you make day 2"
4 &c