Bridgeton pioneer. (Bridgeton, N.J.) 1884-1919, 1891-04-16
THE GROUNDS NOT SOLD.
THE HIGHEST Bid WAS BUT
$4,000.
Auctfoneer Matiack Knocks the
Property Down TO the Ex-
eCU!iye G0mmf1fee.

cCE.tFc S0EnfhtI6ee.
Quite a number of prominent gentle.
men were present at the public sale of
the Agricultural Society's grounds
yesterday. The sale ended unsatis-
factorily to all concerned.
Friday morning the Committee
held meeting and decided the lowest
price that the property should be sold
for. Every member pledged himself
to secrecy regarding this price, and
President Robbins himself was unable
to learn what this price was before the
the sale, as he was not present at the
meeting in the morning. The price,
it is said, was $4,000
| Shortly after two o'clock the sale
was anno unced. Attorney Thomas
w. Trenchard announced the condi-
tions. They were first that the prop
erty should be sold TO the highest
bidder, and that ten per cent. of the
purchase money should be paid at
close of sale, and the balance on the
10th day of June, when the deeds were
to be delivered.
Auctioneer Matlack then started the
property at $l2 800, iona. Elmer being
the bidder. Daniel Sharp bid $13, 600.
Then there was considerable pause.
Walter f. Bacon raised the bid to
$l3, 100, and this was followed by an
other $780, Mr.. Bacon bid again, this
time $4,000. It was raised hundred.
Mr.. Bacon bid $13, 500 apd Mr. Mat
lack quickly announced that he had
bid of $13,6OO
Then the bidding ceased. The auc.
tioneer looked to Mr. Bacon and he
shook his head no, and turned away
MIR. Matlack pressed him for another
bid. Tie young lawyer said no more
The auctiopeer again personally solci-
ted bid from Mr.. Bacon, and pressed
him closely. Then it was, that Mr.
Bacon astonished many by remarking
Il am not here to bid against the So
ciety.
Mr.. MatIack replied. i did not say
you was"
The bid of s13, 900 held fire a long
time, and it Was finally knocked eff to
John Tyler, Jr., d meu Ger OF tae Execu-
tive Committee for the Society.
1t was then apparent tue sale
had amounted to nothing. afr. Tyler
told g. PIONEER reporter that he
wanted to be set right about the mat
ter. He had not offered single bid.
1t was his part of the program 10 keep
his right hand on his breast. If the
price the committee wanted was
reached, then the hand was to be re.
moved. The hand remained in posi-.
ton and the auctioneer knocked off
the property to Mr.. Tyler.
The ouly trouble about the entire
matter was, that the arrangements
made by the committee conficted with
the conditions Ii Mr.. Tyler did not
bid, it is evident the price was raised
by the auction eer. If the property
had been sold to the highest bidder,
then Mr.. Bacon would have been the
purchaser.
Many believe that it. would have
been much better had the Soeiety's
Committee made the conditions with a
provision that if certain price was
not reached then the committee re-
served the privilege of making one
open bid. Then everybody had free
and equal understanding.
Directly after the sale the Executive
Committee met and considered the
matter. Nothing is made public re-
garding the matter. A committee of
two. Messrs. Young and Hires waited
upon Mr.. Bacon and wanted him to
purchase the property. He declined.
The President afterwards waited upon
Mr.. Bacon, but he says positively he
does not care for the property. A fur
ther meeting will be held Tuesday af-
ternoon, when, it is said, there is a
probability that something will be
done. An official of the Society this
morning limited at a probability of a
sale, and suggested couple of gentle
men as purchasers.
Norton l.. Woodruff Dead.
Norton l.. Woodruff, died ct his
home in Dutch Neck Friday altar