The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1908-10-22
.FARGOANS Dig UP
FOR old JUNK"
UNCLAIMED EXPRESS PACKAGE
SALE HELD IN FARGO TODAY
GATHERS IN MUCH or THE
LOOSE CHANGE -- SEATTLE
NEWSPAPER CLAIMS SALES
ARE A FRAUD.

TIL sale OF unclaimed express pack
ages by the u. 8. Express Co.,
which opened this morning in the sam
pie rooms OF the Metropole hotel, at
tracted as much attention and created
as much amusement as some shows
Some of the patrons OF the auction
went away with good articles on
which they can make good profit
by sale while others departed dead
broke with only a bundle of trash to
show for IL.
1t is all a piece Of luck, as the pur-
chaser Is not allowed to open the
package until 1t is purchased, and IL
he gets sold 1t Is nobody's fault but
his own. From the way things were
going this morning 1t seems that q
persons chances of getting something
valuable, or of drawing a box Of saw
dust or a suit of old worn out cloth
ing, are just about even. Every one
was in good nature and If luck was
against him he would grin and go
back into the game or look for some
other sucker to jolly when he was
sold. Some men make business OF
following the sales up and selling their
purchases at profit and IL the man
happens to be a good gambler he
makes good livin:' at the business.
Wigs For BaId-hsaded Men.
1t is a good place to study the
"irony Of fate" One man with an
eye gone. drew a collection of vari-
eolored glass eyes which were evil
IDENTIFY intended for occulists. A bald
headed man purchased a green stage
wig, while another found a picture of
the Iron Chancellor" Bismarck of Ger
many. with his traditional three hairs
erect on his bald pate.
A prominent young man of Fargo,
who is still enjoying single blessed
ness, was awarded a beautiful pair of
drop stitch stockings while a man re-
Gently married got a rubber doll with
a whistle in the back of it's head which
squeaked every tina 1t was given a
squeeze. In this package was also a
teething ring.
or course with these there was a
good sprinkling of good articles, one
man drawing q gold watch, another a
Colts revolver, while articles OF wear
ing apparel and table linen were nu-
merous.
While there has been no kick on
these sales in Fargo, much fault has
been found with them in some parts of
the country. In Seattle the matter was
seriously considered of passing an or
dinance prohibiting these sales, which
Is probably due to the fact that the
people of that town are not game"
Claim saIss Are a Fake.
In speaking of the matter a Seattle
paper said:
The. charge is made that the sales
are a fake; that all packages are tam
pered with and the really valuable
stuff is held out, while a large box
or package. containing small articles
Is brokn up and the separate articles
placed in separate packages. The pub
lie Is not allowed to examine the pack
ages at the sale, but are given tickets,
which they canpresent next day,
A police spotter kept tab on ninety
| seven packages. The average prices
paid was $1.75, and 1t was found that
the total value of the ninety seven
packages was about So. In the lot
were seven letter files of pasteboard,
each package wrapped in clean paper,
without any Of the marks that dis
tinguish a real package. Nine Of the
packages contained patent medicine
| advertising of one kind, the whole
evidently taken from one box and
wrapped in seperate bundles.
There has been much complaint
from innocent purchasers Of these
packages and the police made their
investigation. The result is a move
ment to stop the sales which are
declared to be pure fakes"
.Hs MisGS 5SANdIsh