'Slush Pile': Where Did The Phrase Come From?

The Awl:

According to the OED, the first occurrence of "slush pile" was not in reference to what we commonly now know as unsolicited manuscripts from unheard-of (and often insane) aspiring authors. It appeared in January 1907, when the Washington Post published an article accusing J.H. Seward & Co. "of fraudulently obtaining refunds of customs on fruits imported into this country."

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