| Show OTHER MOTHER VIES RAILROAD FOR PO PORTRAITS jf j Sentimental Auctioneer Arranges Arranges Arranges Ar Ar- ranges Compromise Meeting THOMAS IN NEW ROLE G Get et the Money John Joh Is Advice of Customs Collector S j athos and humor were interspersed interspersed interspersed inter inter- in the auction sale of goods held for custom duty this morning in the office of T. T F. F Thomas collector of customs for forthe forthe forthe the port of or Salt Lake A mother competing with an agent for Cor the the Denver Denver Rio Grande Grands rai railroad road for portraits of ot her Ler own children In InJected Injected injected In- In the pathos Into what otherwise would have proven a wholly light di dU along vaudeville lines Auctioneer Thomas with his hits bidders bid ders with keen wits created humor aplenty Likewise the sale salo of Application Application Application cation to Insane asylums Alaskan hosiery and other Imported goods contributed to the amusement nt oC of everyone present and the office was taxed to capacity for standing room Six years ago J. J F. F Pratt of 1115 Indiana avenue brought his Ills family to the United States from Scotland They entered this country by way of Quebec Canada In crossing the line linea a case containing three portraits t toot two t o of ot Mr Pratts Pratt's children and one of or Robert Burns were over the I Denver enver Rio Grande to Salt Lake when they should have como come over the Oregon Short Line Today Mrs Pratt and her daughter daugh daugh- ter sat in the customs office and saw the pictures of her children placed at auction to pay the custom charges which Mrs Pratt says are unjustly charged to her through a mistake of or railroad Mrs Pratt started the bidding this morn morn- Ing A railroad agent ent raised her bid She bid again and a again ain the bid was wasI I raised Her last bid was 2 and this was raised 25 cents At this point Auctioneer Thomas Interceded and nd In Inasmuch n 0 as no one else was interested in the portraits their sale was postponed post post- until tomorrow when a meetIng meeting meeting meet meet- ing will be held between Mrs Pratt and the railroad agent Among the put up for tor auction auction auction tion was a ladys lady's woolen coat photographs photographs photographs photo photo- graphs of some European vaudeville performers various pieces s of wearing apparel a a. kit of typewriter tools and dozen of imported postal cards card The sale brought a total of about 60 In this way the government collects customs duty when the consignees re refuse refuse refuse re- re fuse to meet the charge In some cases the bidding was keen I and there was close competition Some articles sold as low as 50 cents principally prin prin- hosiery It goes to the gentleman in the corner cornor cor cor- ner nor for 1 warned Auctioneer Thomas when a a. ladies ladies' coat was put up upA A dollar and a a. quarter I am sin bid by bythe bythe the gentleman in front A dollar and a half halt from rom the audi audi- ence Two dollars came another voice Going to the 2 bid Going its Going its go goIng going going go- go ing for 2 gentlemen shouted the auctioneer Am AmI I bid Going for tor 2 goIng go go- Ing gone going going gone to the man on the 2 3 bid Get the money John The postal cards which were im imported imported imported im- im ported from Germany called for fox some high h and fast bidding They sold for 43 These cards which had been held for 36 duty were consigned to a a. local house but never taken up They are of a type which cannot be found in I great quantities now because of ot the tha war var |
