Big Railroad Wreck Stock

“YOU WILL SEE THE WHEELS OF COMMERCE TURNING AS YOU NEVER DID BEFORE”

This bombastic broadside was issued in the early 20th century by The Wreck Sale Company to advertise clearance clothing salvaged from a train wreck in eastern Kansas. The image in the upper center gives the audience a basic impression of the situation – amid twisted steel and mangled cars, several crates of inventory have been recovered and are being readied for sale to an inquisitive crowd.

Accompanying descriptions of the available stock highlight the dramatic reduction in prices, especially for those articles ‘slightly damaged.’ The bold exclamations at the top of the page would rival any 21st-century TV ad –

“$25,000 worth of men’s, youth’s, boys’ and children’s clothing of the best makes in the world; also a complete line of men’s furnishings, men’s and ladies’ shoes, and men’s hats were in this wreck, and as the railroad company wanted to sell all in a bunch we bought the entire $25,000 stock at our price, and now offer the entire stock at unheard of prices. We want to be brief and state what we have to say quickly and to the point. We ask you to wait, wait, wait for the biggest, most startling, unmerciful, bona fide sacrifice sale ever known in all past history. The entire $25,000 of up-to-date merchandise will be thrown on the market at the mercy of the public in the most astonishing, ridiculous, sacrifices of lower prices ever set into type and at such powerful reductions that ever met mortal eyes.”