Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-10-09
Washington, D.. c., Oct. at

washington, D. c., Oct. e.-At-
tending dsad letter sales is popular
sport In this city. A local auction
house was crowded TO the doors q few
days aE6sswhep the governm y U
up at auction an Accommodations ofssev-
eraI months untlaimsds and. unmail-
able parcel post matter; sh y
Some people have an idea that =
de4d letter sale ls conducted along
totterysllnes. A-Elfmpse into. h auc-
ton room would bear out this Inn
prelsion. No goods are in sight. The
auctioneer, high above the crowd IL
rafting off as fast as he can:
\ Lot number twelve-at five dollars,
at five dollars, six dollars, at sever
dollars, yours for dollars. Mr..
Then, without = pause for breath.
the Auctioneer is Keeling Oft the next
number and calling for bids. phe
bidders In the. crowd are closely fol-
lowing the sale by their catalogues,
but these give only the most general
description Of each lot Of goods. Ap-
parently they are buying in the dark,
This 10 not the case, however. The
day before the sale the articles to b
packing boxes with aisles between
them ranged the length of the auction
room. Each box contained one lot OF
goods. : Scarcely any articles are dis
posed of singly at these sales when q
large amount OF goods IL TO be auc.
toned.
ono great wooden box labeled "Ci.
CARS, cigarettes, tobacco, and SNUFF
was filled to the brim with cigar box
o., packages of cigarettes, loose sill
yer wrapped cigars. tobacco bags. and
cans. in each OF three boxes there
wore 10 to ~ s%uitcases. The cases
with articles and had missed delivery
by wrong or insufficient address. Now
they were being sold empty. Most o,
them were old and travel worn
Ten mems suits damaged" filled
another box. Others contained such
collections as 1.-Two automobile robes
damaged" Golf outfit, clubs, case
balls. etc.: FIFTY pairs eyeglasses
damaged; and 1905 miscellaneous
handkerchiefs."
Comparatively few persons would
care to buy 900 handkerchiefs 70,
personal use. even at q BARGAIN price
Of say ten dollars. Such FORESIGHT.
aeness would be extreme. House.
wives were poking around among the
boxes. however. seeming out desira.
BILE collections Of kitchenware, blan.
ketsN ana ribbons.
Mcecl,ant1 Inspect Goods.
Many visitors wandered around the
show room merely through curiosity
The majority of persons inspecting
the stock with b~uslnezsliks thorough.
moss we're dealers. Here and there
a mar could be seen diving into a boz
and holding UP a pair OF trousers jbl
ratty looking fur piece to inspec,
u with an experienced y The en-.
tire contents Of the box would be sub.
the shrewd dealer would mark on hill
catalogue the limit that he would Bic
On. that particular lot.
Hundreds Of people passed throusk
the audtion room selecting bargains
TO- be bid for next day. When the
sale opened In the morning, there,
fore, It proceeded with ! snap. tn.
ass boxed lots o. more or less bulky
merchandise, - lots of tires, and Sc
lots of jewellery ana small articles sold
In three houEt. The; bidder who did
not signal his raise the instant the
Hast price was named found himself
This 10 Z description Of q more o,
less typical dad letter sale. It ID
given IN some detail because fasv nor
sons outside, OF the citias whore tn
sa1es are held have an opbortunity
TO attfnd these interesting govern.
mAnt functions,
There, ID no little misundsrstandina
Regarding theS so-called, dead letter
sales This name HAS become spopu.
larry attacb9a 20 THIN becaussaM I'M
deliverable nail IL handled w divi.
sion Of dsed lsttery, and this dlytston
Iinffns STA E4hG,.- 49,