The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-04-08
CONFUSION AT SALES
LEADS TO A MOVEMENT TO HOLD
FUTURE REALTY AUCTIONS
IN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
PLAN INDORSED by REAL ESTATE
COMMITTEE OF THAT BODY.

Sacrificed Mt April Sales Before
Court House Because of Crowd
and COnfusiOn-Chairm of Real
Estate Committee Will Ask Pres
ident EstiII to Take the Matter
Up-PIan Is to Sever the Judicial
Sales from the Others.
A movement has been inaugurated
to hold all auction sales, of real es-
tate hereafter, except judicial sales,
at the Chamber of Commerce. The
matter will be brought before the
Chamber, probably at its next meet
ing, and there is little doubt but that
it will be pushed to a successful con-
clusion, since many of the members
of the real Estate Committee of that
body favor the plan.
The plan as outlined is to sever the
judicial sales from the others, holding
the former as usual at the Court House
on the first Tuesday in each month,
as fixed by law. and the latter in
the Chamber of Commerce building on
some other day.
The plan was first suggested by Mr..
c. H. Dorset at the sales yesterday.
Mr.. Dorset is Chairman of the Real
Estate Committee of the Chamber of
Commerce. Several other members of
the committee and a number of prom
inent real estate men were approach
ed by him on the subject, and they
all, with one accord, acquiesced in
the suggestion.
Confusion Mt Sales.
The movement was the outcome of
the confusion which existed at the
sales. The number of offerings was
unusually large and the bidders and
spectators proportiOnately numerous.
There were 200 persons crowded in the
President street entrance of the Court
House, and on the sidewalk in front.
Many of them came with ready money
looking for investments, but it was
difficult matter to ascertain what
property was being sold or who the
bidders We're, with four husky-voiced
auctiOneers crying their sales at the
same time and the prospective pur-
| chasers elbOwing their way to the
front to points of vantage.
As a result the property put up for
sale brought much lower figures than
it would otherwise have done. Some
who desired to invest missed the OPP
pOrtunity, while others got the offer
ings for a mere song, because of the
inability of the cryer to properly pre-
sent his offerings or the failure of the
bidder to drive more than one bargain
at a time.
Il cannot see any possible objection
to holding the sales in the Chamber
of COn&lerce, said MIR. Dorset, in
speaking of the matter; "and l believe
that the plan will be adopted without
a demur The reasons for the change
ara numerous. There is not enough
room at the Court House; in rainy
weather it is extremely uncomforta-
BILE for auctioneer and bidder; the
prospective purchasers tire of stand
ing up and either leave or perch
themselves on the steps in every
body way fully half of the crowd
that gathers is composed of persons
who have no idea of purchasing.
Advantages of Change.
"If we were allowed to sell at the
chamber, all who cared to bid on the
property offered could seat themselves
quietly and bid on the property while
it was being bid off in an orderly man
ner. In case of rain the sales would
not be interfered with. Each auction
eer could have a stand from which he
Cdlicu Ills plOpSIly, anu maps could
be displayed to much greater advan-
tage. While it isn't absolutely neces-
sary, I would prefer that the auc-
tiOneers rotate in making their Offer
ings.
No auctioneer will subserve the in
terests of his client who attempts to
sell at a sale such as the one yester-
day. l simply felt that l could not
properly present the inducements Of
in ha col nd 10
until the sales were about concluded
to offer my property. l know l bought
some property for a much lower fig
ure than it would have brought had
the auctioneer had the opportunity of
explaining the exact location, improve
ments, etc. There is no doubt but
that a great deal of property was sac
rificed as a result of the disorder.
I'VE will bring the matter before the
Chamber of Commerce right away.
shall ask the president to add to the
Real Estate Committee the names of
all the auctioneers of real estate in
the city, so that they may have full
voice in the move. Nearly every prom
inent real estate dealer is a member
of the chamber, anyway. l have found
no opposition to the move and / be-
lieve that the June sales will be held
in the Chamber of Commerce building.
1t is too late now to make the change
effective before the May sales are ad-
vertised."
Steps Taken mt Once.
Mr.. T. f. Youmans, who is also a
member of the Real Estate Committee,
said that there was no doubt but that
some steps should be taken in the mat
ter at once. He said that he had not
thought over the matter sufficiently to
say whether ii would be advisable to
sever the sales. but he said there are
numerous changes which should be
made.
Il do not think that the court Off
Gals should be allowed to interfere with
the sales as they do. The marshal
pays no license, and yet, after we
have succeeded in getting together a
crowd, he steps in and interferes with
some tax sales or something of the
kind. AS far as the foreclosure of a
! mortgage is concerned, that is al
right, but 1 do not think that the
other sales by the marshal should be
allowed at least, not while we are
selling our property.
II should think it would be good
plan to have the sales at the chamber,
but l can't say just whether it would
be we'll to sever the sales. AS it is
now it is simply a question of who
| has the loudest voice, and the merits
of the property are not put before the
| bidders. Unless we can get the Cham
| Der of Commerce I think we should be
! furnished a room at the Court House.
| where some system may be observed -
| Other prominent real estate men eX-
| pressed themselves as DESTROYS of a
! change. Mr.. w. ]. Miscally Jr.
Il.