New-York tribune., 1909-06-03
BARGAIN COUNTER RUSH
MOB At CUSTOM HOUSE.
Dealers Carry off Prizes an Go7cns,
TO Women'S Great Disgust.


i4alf-past O'Clock on the morning Of Uncle sam 5
great sale Of Struggled goods. June 2 1909 The
sale IS announced for 70 o'clock, but at $50 the
corridor outside the seizure room in the Custom
House cn Bowling Green. is choked. crammed
with eager women and sprInkling Of men. When
81 last the doors opened football rush fol-
lows The chairs around the auctioneeTs stand at
one end Of the filed in a tw1nklins- Inc
rest Ct the long room is ike mammoR subway
car al the worst minute Of the worst rush hour
polite man who takes his hat off finds 1t smashed
like z pancake against his breast Women stano
On tables. Women who would screen at lHe
thought Of scaling q two-ra fence wriggle up INTO
the high windows, and cling there, crannS 'ilei
necks az those fascinating lots up in front A
conservative estimate places the crowd al SIX nun
dred. but an Old Custom House officer, casting ms
eve oser the sea % faces. says there are thou
sand persons in that room. mixed crowd II IS
Women whose coachnen and footmen Walt out
side joste sharp-eyed dressnlakers from the East
Side There are chorus girls milliners. quiet moth
ers Of families. women with diamonds in their ears
and women in rusty black. The few men are most
Is alert agents for big department stores. Also
there are men who aren't wanted there The Saie
has barely begun when report goes up 10 Mar
shal HenkeI that causes him to give one OF his
Characteristic bellows
y u-a7- 10 say hight here" he tells the room.
that If ! can lay my hands any man that :
annoying the ladies I'll put him where he can
annoy mC~e- Just report anything OF l-'l'
kind TO ne and III tend 10 it Another thing; look
out your money. al Of YOU ! m informed '''6'
there are pickpOCkets IN the room
There won't be any there long if the inspectors
can help it. They worm through the crowd IKE
eels and If a person who looks ike a pickpocket
won't get out when he is tod he is helped out
But. law says fat inspector with his cap on
one ear and the sweat pouring down. them as is
pckpockets doesn't look like pckpockets. mostly
find"
lust after 10 o'clock Collector Loeb fights his way
in That bland expression with which he stood OH
ca5oeseekeTs from, President Roosevelt hardeIs aS
he surveys the arrangements the mass Of humanlly
in the room, the other masses still trying 10 pu''
in the doors ~
The auctioneer ought TO be in the middle Of the
room, he tells Marshal Henkel Those at the
other end Of the room won't get any chance
IN have it different for the next sale the Mar
sasl SAYS -'If I'd known there was gong 10 oe
: crowd like this I'd a hired Madison Square Gar
den Now then. Charley. let 'er go And !aales'
,-arfrr his arms inploringly at the swaying mass
ladies. be calm; I'm used TO handHn big audiences
and this thing is going through all right
Charles ShonEood the auctioneeT. taxes a ueeA
breath and lets 'er go" supported ny a cIlei uo
male person with a brunette mustache. VINO hoiuS
the gowns and things up against himself FOR thelr
better display. Lot !. an uninterestinS piece oI
white net. goes quietly. but then come gowns anu
quits and she grow excited A Wtll'e ol-
candle princess with Paris written all over H.
aucrioncer calls ..batees'- French pronunciation
you knor-go in rapid succession. most of them.
alas TO a man who looks like an undertaken ana
admits TO being agent for Chicas" #euse-
All give US a chance over here calls a hItle
zE,op,an from swirl Of feminnity the right
You ladies must be ready with your money,
then saws Charley" Wed sooner serve the
ladies' il they'll be quick"
Maybe Marshal Henkel isn't after the money
Every successful bidder has to turn over deposit
instantly and if it isn't forthcoming his eagle eye
notes the fact and his clarion voic2 rents the air
Mrs so-and-So. send UP your deposit Inspector
get that deposit Ladies kindly let the inspector
through
Princess gowns bring all the way from $40 10 Sl2o
Gee comments man. looking awed; swell
prices. all right
PAYS Uncle Sam to have goods snuGgled in. "
says another.
Mrs blanchard wife Of Judge Blanchard Of the
Supreme Court. gets blue chiffon princess for
sec Then the auctionear holds up a gown of white
dotted muslin and lace and pink rosebuds-
'I-m-rn-' he says Isn't this creation. now
regular midnight summers dream Look Al the
lace on this? Why. You can inherit this down
from one family 10 another. its fine"
The midnight summers dream goes 10 a dealer.
fact. a good many things go TO dealers.
When the women begin 10 note how many Of the
prizes carried Of by the undertaken person
from Chicago. the fat man from Omaha. the
astute Fifth avenue eUssary. etc. waves OF scorn-
ful remarks swell AID break.
Out n the corridors the crowds. maGdened by
the thought Of the bargains they can't even see.
are becoming unruy Fortunate women who have
escorts get the suffering escorts hoist them up
20 the high windows near The ceiling. One OF these
enterp-ising shUt-outs shouts in a bid a white
embroidered waist.
Where are you?' calls he auctioneer. Raise
your hand"
i cant. IN using them both tohod onto the
window" sae returns sticking her head through
The opening.
Nineteen dollars bid by the cookoo." says
Charlie" and the woman. who gives her name as
Mrs UlImau pays for her waist amid shouts OF
laughter
Al l2:3e only eS the 57s lots auctioned off.
but Marshal Henkel calls a hal-.
We're running this sames a convention he
saws y can keep right on, but If the majority
saws stop for luncheon we stop. How many say
2ye?'
About SIX feeble ayes sound here and there
No" rear a least six hundred voices.
Al the afternoon the bidding goes n. The waists
make lie women most enthusiastic. but many OF
them agree when they get cool that the prices are
pretty high From So 10 81 they run.
You could do as well Sixth avenue" says
che woman Though some % these things are
bargains"
Many pieces % lace arc sold some At much less
Than they are worth though more than one woman
who thinks her excitement that she bidding
or some q the real lace gets imitation instead.
Al $50 O'Clock the sale Is over. the crowd melts
away leaving Tncie sam $3.50 80 to the good