The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-26
BUYERS In kIOT AT
ARMY BARGAIN SALE
Women Faint in Mob That
Storms Quartermaster's
Store on 10th Street.
FIRST DAY SALES 100000
More Carloads of Food Arrive
and School House Depots
Are Newly Stocked.

Probably the greatest and most I'M
usual bargain sale In the history Of the
city opened at 20 West Nineteenth street
yesterday. New and reclaimed articles
originally intended for Unclo Sans
lighting forces in France were placed
on sale to the general public by the
QuartermasteTs Corps. Prices are N
every instance considerably less than
are charged in retail establishments for
the same goods. AS a result $4,000 per-
sons damned and fought their way
through the narrow doorway opening on
the ground floor in an endeavor to make
early purchases. 1t was literally riot
and clothing was ripped from men and
women in the rush.
Capt. Janfray Peterson. who is direct
ing the enterprise under the command
Of Col j. N Carson. the zone supply
officer, estimated last night that the
sales for the day totalled 10000 and
that the receipts would amount to $780,
600.
tenth street, between Fifth and Sixth
avenues. as early as o'clock yesterday
morning Five hundred eager bargain
hunters had collected there by that time.
When the doors were opened at
O'clock there was a wild scramble.
Police Sergeant Walter Shea and q de-
tail of twelve policemen did their best
10 keep order. but 1t was a hopeless
undertaking at first
One woman tainted In the centre of
the struggling mob and was taken out
with difficulty. Soon afterward an
other woman dropped and then another
and another. Waists were torn from
women's shoulders and in one instance
a womans skirt was ripped or. The
situation wac entirely beyond the con-
troll OF the police and the army author
tiles when Capt. Peterson appeared at
window on the second floor and called
out TO the crowd:
Sale Will Last Three Months.
There is no need to Jam forward, be-
cause this sale is going to last for three
months and there will be enough goods
Tor everybody" he shouted. Most OF
you had better go home and come back
later
But no one stopped pushing, and II
was decided to close the doors. Women
and men were pinned against the wall
of the building by those behind them.
Humorists from the windows above
threw water and wads of wet paper
upon the crowd. Some semblance OF
order was finally restored. however. and
the prospective customers were allowed
IN AMT IN haN -
In addition to the police outside there
was a special detail of Army Intslli-
gence men on the first three floors, where
the goods were displayed, to proven,
shoplifting. AS an additional precaution
all satchels were required to be checked
at the door and all bundles were in
spected as the purchasers filed out OF
the rear of the building onto Eighteenth
street. Despite the mob that streamed
through yesterday not a single instance
of theft was reported. so Capt Peterson
said.
The sales force numbers 500, and ss
per cent. of the clerks are former SER
vice men. The arrangements have all
been worked out in the last nine days
Cash Is required for every purchase. and
no articles are delivered. Persons liv-
Ing outside Of New York city may make
purchases by mail. however. and a mail
order department is in full operation or
the NTH floor. Because of the presen,
day difficulties In freight transportation
not all OF the articles which are to be
offered for sale were available yester.
day. But they will continue to be re-
ceived in continuous stream almost
daily.
There are many real bargains. Arctic
overshoes. for instance. are to be haC
for SIS pair. Wooden blankets. reno
waited or reclaimed. sell for IS each
New ones bring Sc. Socks. ash cans
rubber boots, brushes, gloves, overall,
and candles are among the other articles
offered at cut rate figures.
Army Food Sales Continue.
Sales of army foodstuffs also continued
yesterday, and DR.. Jonathan c.. Day
Commissioner of Markets. said that
enough shipments had been provided for
to insure the cont nuance OF the sales
for another fortnight. Thirty-six car
loads OF foodstuffs were received here
Wednesday and distributed to various
school houses. Two hundred carloads
more are on their way. or will be in a
day or two.
DR.. Day took up the cudgels yesterday
in behalf OF the travelling markets" oI
trolling stores" which are being op.
Grated here. In response to letter re.
ceived from John H. Meyer, editor of the
Retail GrockrS Advocate, which pro.
tested against them and which was
written after a meeting OF the Associated
Retail Grocers OF Greater New York, helc
In Brooklyn Tuesday, DR.. Day said thai
tho enterprise was a private one which
Yves receiving the support Of his depart.
ment, and that he was willing to coop.
crate with any movement which m gh,
cut the cost of food TO consumers. Mr.
Meyer said in his letter that cent?
profit a dozen on eggs was allowed tC
the dealers. according to the fixed scale
In answer to this DR.. Day wrote thai
he believed the rolling stores were selling
eggs at profit of 2 cents a dozen.
Arthur Williams, Federal Food Ad
ministrator. agreed yesterday with A
Mitchell Palmer. Attorney-Genera that
the reduction in the prices of foodstuffi
IN recent months amounted to Is pei
cent. Had II not been for the Fedora
campaign against prohteering, price,
might have gone up rs per cent II
the same period. Mr.. williams assorted
He predicted a 81 ght advance In the
price OF eggs. owing to natural condl
tons In the market at this season.
ADvERTIsEMENT.