Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-10-09
THE DEAD LETTER SALE
BY Frederic J. Hasdn

t'---------.-----.
washington, Oct s.--AttendIng deod
letter sales is popular short In this
city. A local auction house was
crowded TO tho doors few days ago
when the government put up Mt auc-
ton an accumulation OF several
months unclaimed and unavailable
parcel post matter.
Some people have an idea that
dead letter sale Ia conducted along
lottery lines. A glimpse into the aue-
ton room would bear out this impress
sion. No goods are In sight. me
auctionecr, high above the crowd Is
rafting on as fast as ne can:
Tot number twelve--at five dollars,
at Ave dollars. six dollars, at seven
dollars. yours for seven dollars, Mr.
Brown"
Then. without pause for breath,
the auctioneer IL Keeling of the next
number and calling for bids. The
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. APP
parentiy they are buying in the dark.
This IN not the case, however. The
day before the sale the articles 70 be
sold were on display. Long rows Of
packing boxes with aisles between
them ranged the length Of the auction
room. Each box contained one lot
OF goods. Scarcely any articles are
disposed Of slngly at these sales when
a large amount OF goods IL to be auc-
toned.
Ono great wooden box labeled
cigars, cigarettes, tobacco, and SNUFF
was filled to the brlm with cigar boxes,
packages Of cigarettes, loose. silver
wrapped cigars. tobacco bags. and
cans. In each of three boxes there
were 10 20 ~ suitcases. The cases
had probably been mailed packed with
articles and had missed delivery by
wrong or insufficient address Now
they were being sold empty. Most Of
, them were old and travel worn.
, Ten mems suits damaged" filled
: another box. Others contained such
T collections as two automobile robes
, damaged" golf outft. clubs. case
balls. ETC.: nifty pairs eyeglasses
o. damaged" and 400 misceilaneou'
a handkerchicfs"
c Comparatively few persons woult
q care to buy 400 handkerchiefs for per
= sonal use. even at bargain price 0
T. say ten dollars. Such foresightednes
would be extreme Housewives wer
u poltine around among the boxes. how
= ever. acenting out desirable collection
OF kitchenware. blankets, and rib
bons.
Merchants Inspect Goods.
70 Many visitors wandered around tn
show room merely through curiosity
d The majority OF persons inspectin
the stock with businessllke thorough
n ness were dealers. Here and there
n man could be seen diving into a 10
d holding up a pair OF trousers or
e ratty looking fur piece 20 inspect
= with an experienced eye. The con
tents OF the box would bs subiecte
u to closs scrutiny. after which IN
shrewd dealer would mark on hi
y catalogue the limit tina. he would bi
Is on that particular lot.
Hundreds OF people passed throug
the auction room selecting bargain
"A TO be bid for next day. When n
sale opened in the morning, therefor
It proceeded with snap. The .:
= boxed lots OF more or less bulky me
r. chandise. % lots OF tires. and IS 10
in OF Jewelry and small articles sold
lie three hours The bidder who d
nj not signal his raise the instant Il
last price was named found himse
o. out OF the competition.
This Is avdescription OF a more
I'd less typical dead letter sale. Il
ed given in some detail because few pc
lie sons outside OF the cities where q
sales are held have an opportuni
to attend these interesting COVER
o ment functions.
There Is no little misunderstanding
regarding the so-called dead lett
sales. This name has become pop
ne larry attached 70 them because
o. unbelievable mail is handled by
IN Division of Dead Letters, and this
a vision conducts the sales. The ter
fe dead letter sale is misleading thong
~ because it suggests that undeliver
n letters are put up for the public
by buy. and this is far from the trut
p Every year the postoffices OF q
&c country handle millions of letters tn
an cannot be delivered but the COVER
ment does not sell any of them.
he Every effort is made to deliver ea.
80 letter entrusted TO the postal servi'
II n letter cannot reach the pers
addressed, and the sender's name q
address are not in the upper left ha
., corner. the letter is finally opened.
- II money or enclosures Of value a
- found and any address is given in
letter the Post Office Department f
wards the letter and IT'S contents. Nc
ey that cannot be delivered goes
on swell the Governments revenues. IA
- tiers containing no valuables or mon
1a are burned without further atten
: -. ~, at locating the persons concerned.
!, there is never dead letter sale lit'
'u' ally speaking. The Government o
IN cially puts on the market articles {
cumulated in the Division Of DE
Letters" and most Of these are par
Vs. post matter.
FER
his Why Mafl Goes Wrong.
hie Mail finds it's way into the dead !
ted ter Office largely by the carelessn
m of the public. Wrong or incompl
ain addresses are given. The ADDRESSED
moved without leaving information
10 his new location Or again. the
lad dress on a package is rubbed Off,
! L oil col