The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1908-01-29
its Dead Letter Mail at
Public Auction.
FEW BARGAINS TO Be HAD
Needles and Fountain Pens
Are Among the Articles
That Become Lost,

fafTn and sent him sample of it in
pillboX A red brick sent through
the mails, which finally landed in the
dead letter office, may be sample
of hoGse somebody else has bought.
The brick is but one of hundreds of
unexpected things that fail of deliv-
cry and are offered for sale at auc-
lion by the Post-office Department.
There has recently been a daily sale
at a Ninth street auction house from
collection of some $500 packages of
undelivered mail matter, and from the
grumbling of the regular buyers there
have been few real bargains. Merely
private persons, curious for the most
part or set on the purchase of par
ticular parcels, have crowded out and
oyertrodden the spectators, the junk
dealers and the petty storekeepers.
Perhaps a fourth of the people are
Tomen.
" There are no bargains siad a
junk dealer.
This he charged to the impartial
accuracy of the catalogue. The arti-
cles are so exactly described that
there is hardly an element of chance
in the sales.
The crowd has seemed disposed to
pay about the real value of the things.
This is due mainly to the spirit Of
Ac
vi marked this number and made up
my mind not to pay more than 20
cents for it; but that little man over
there was so exasperating, raising
my bid almost before could speak
it, that determined to get it anyhow
Now I've paid just twice as much as
meant to-"
The sale lacks the excitement of an
express company's sale of unclaimed
packages, in which there is much UNI
certainty, and the mania for gambling
inspires the bidders. The catalogue of
dead letter matter is explicit and
being distributed days in advance,
there is small chance for spectators.
Whatever is not new is marked as
damaged Thus. Damaged cheap
razor, unfinished bingham apron, dam
aged carriers, fifty damaged cigars"
is one parcel.
A curious thing is the number of
papers Of needles inclosed in all sorts
4 of packages OF the first 500 parcels
sold, nearly fifty contained each from
twenty-four to fifty-eight papers of
needles. For example, in one with
'two pairs girls carriers, five stock
collarsQ damaged) four yards cheap
ribbon, hack comb, cushion top, there
were 1900 papers needles"
Package 15S contained razor strop,
boys shirt 80, necktie, woman's
mittens, two pairs mems cheap hose
.QO), laundry bags, 100 Egyptian ciga-
%ettes, twenty-four papers needles"
Why so large a proportion of unde-
livered mail parcels should include pa
pers of needles is not clear. That
most of the guests at country
preachers donation party brought flat
irons was explained by a bargain
counter sale of flatirons at the viii
lage store,b but these parcels with need
les come from all parts of the coun-
try.
There is hardly anything under the
heavens weighing not more than four
POUNDS that is not found in the unde
livered mail matter. There is even
babys coffin, an alligator four feet
long, a fruit cake, ham and human
3 jawbone.
Doubtless many of the misdirected
or unclaimed articles were sent as
presents
This would account for the large
number of handkerchiefs, neckties, ar
ticles of ;ewelry and the like. Others
suggest that absent and wandering
Husbands and sons have been care
{ to wives ana mothers, who sent them
underwear, chest protectors and bot
ties of spring tonic.
Then il Is highly probable that per-
sons who have visited relatives or
+, friends have left behind them va
ried assortment of personal belongings
notably tooth brushes, woman's hair
switch, a woman's hustle, a scrap
basket, ticket punch, nursing bottle
( and aeolian harp.
: Another surprising thing is the
. number OF fountain pens gone astray.
These are not sent out by manufacture
ers or dealers, but, like. the papers of
needles are included among miscellan-
eods articles, often three or four in
one parcel
There are besides scores of cheap
watches, many gold case watches, rings
and other pieces of jewelry. Parcel 81
contained "cut glass pepper and salt
shakers. two silver-handied tooth