Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1890-06-19

IN that neighborhooG. A minor riot
spread among the crowd outside and
reached into the hall, and Andrew R.
Gilmour, the auctioneer, had 70 wait
until quiet was restored. He got
up and looked steadily at his assist
ants. Then he let his eyeglasses fall
on his breast and said in as quiet q
voice as possible: Gentlemen, accord
ing to the plan Of the Federal Govern
ment, and thanks to the acquiescence
gwen it by the European powers, we
will sell great fixed mass, situated
around the North Pole, all that is with
in the limits of the s4th parallel. con-
tinents, waters, bays, islands, icebergs,
solid parts or liquid, whatever they may
be" Then, turning toward the wall.
he said: Look at this chart, which has
been outlined according to the latest
discoveries. You Will see that the sur
face of this lot contains 407. coo square
miles. Therefore, to make the sale
easier, it has been decided that the bids
should be made for each square mile.
Each cent bid. for instance, will be
equal to 407, 900 cents and each dollar
407, 600 dollars on the total purchase. A
little silence, please, gentlemen"
This request was not sQperfuous. be-
cause the impatie1ce Of the public had
reached such degree that the voice of
bidder would hardly be heard. After
partial silence had beenN established,
thanks to the industry Of the crier,
Flint, who roared like foghorn, Mr..
Gilmour resumed as follows: Before
beginning | will mention only one con-
dition Of the sale. No matter what
changes should happen, either from a
geographical or meteorological stand
point, this region after being sold to
the highest bidder is absolutely his own
beyond any dispute, and the other coun-
tries have no right of possession what
ever as long as the territory is not out
side of the limits Of the s4th de-
gree north latitude. Again was this
singular phrase mentioned al very i'm
portant moment Some laughed at it,
others considered it very seriously
The bids are open said the public
auctioneer in a loud voice, and while
his little ivory hammer was rolling in
his hand he added in an undertone:
I'VE have offers at 10 cents the square
mile. Ten cents or the tenth part of a
dollar-this would make an amount of
$40, 700 for the whole Of this immovable
property" Whether the auctioneer
had had such offers or not does not mat
ter, because the bid was covered by Eric
Baldenak, in the name of the Danish
Government. Twenty cents, said he
Thirty cents, said Ian Harald, for
Sweden-Norway
Forty CENTS" said Colonel Boris Kar-
kof, for Russia.
This represented already sum of
tive of England had not as yet opened
his mouth, not even moved his lips,
which were pressed tightly together
On the other side William S. Forster kept
an impenetrable dumbness. Even at
this moment he seemed absorbed in
reading a newspaper which contained
the shipping arrivals and the financial
reports of the markets each day.
Forty cents per square mile" re-
peated Flint, ina voice which resembled
steam whistle. Forty cents"
The four colleagues of Major Donellan
looked at each other. Had they already
exhausted the credit allowed them az
the beginning of the bidding2 Were
they already compelled to be silent?
go on, gentlemen" said Auctioneer
Gilmour, forty cents. Who goes high
er? Forty cents; why, the North Pole
is worth much more than that, for it is
guaranteed to be made of ice
The Danish delegate said fifty cents
and the Hollandish delegate promptly
outbid him by ten cents.
Sixty cents the square mile" cried
Flint. sixty cents"
Nobody said word. This sixty cents
represented the respectable amount OF
S244, 200. The lift given by Holland
TO the sale started a murmur OF
satisfaction. 1t seemed that the persons
who had nothing in their pockets and
nothing to their names were the most
interested of all IN this contest of dol
lars
At the moment Jacques Jansen made
his offer Major Donellan looked at his
secretary, Dean Toodrink, and, with an
almost imperceptible negative sign,
kept him silent Mr.. William 5. Fors-
ter, seeming much interested in his pa
per, made some pencil notes. Mr.. J. 7.
Aaston only replied to the smiles Of
Mrs. Eyangelina Scorbitt with nod Of
the head
Hurry up. gentlemen; little life.
Don't let US linger. This is very weak,
very slow" said the auctioneer. Let
me see. Nobody says more. Must ]
knock down the North Pole at such
price?'' and as be spoke his hammer
went up and down just like the cross IN
a priests hands when he wishes to bless
bis people.
seventy cents" said Jan Harald,
With voice With trnnhled q little.