§ 285. Sale of unclaimed articles by express companies; notice
thereof; disposition of proceeds of sale. Every express company, or
person engaged in the express business, who shall have had any unclaimed
article, goods or things, not perishable, in its or his possession, for
a period of one year at least, may proceed to sell the same at public
auction, and out of the proceeds may retain the charges of
transportation and storage of such article, goods or thing, and the
expenses of advertising and sale thereof; but no such sale shall be
made, until the expiration of four weeks from the first publication of
notice of such sale, in a newspaper published at or nearest the place at
which such article, goods or thing was directed to be left, and also at
the place where such sale is to take place; and said notice shall
contain a description of such article, goods or thing, the place at
which the same was to be left, as near as may be, together with the name
of the person to whom directed, if known, and the expenses incurred for
advertising shall be a lien upon such article, goods or thing, in a
ratable proportion, according to the value of each article, package or
parcel, if more than one.

In case such unclaimed article, goods or thing shall in its nature be
perishable, the same may be sold as soon as it can be, on giving the
notice required in this section, after its receipt at the city, town or
village to which it was directed.