The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1852-06-03

Tact large hill, and being in the vicinit
o'smal suburb cottages, il rose above ther
them like a great black mountain. This
tiles, groundsel, and rank grass grew i,
knots on small parts which had RENAME,
for long time undisturbed; crows ofiel
aighted on its top, and seemed 10 put Of
their spectacles and become very busy an,
iserious; flocks of sparrows often made pre-
datory descents upon il; an old goose an,
gander might sometimes be seen followin,
each other up ito side nearly midway; pig.
rooted round its base, and, now and then
one bolder than tho rest would venture som,
way up, attracted by the mixed odors O
some hidden marrow-bone envelopcd in .
decayed cabbage leaf--a rare event, boil
Of these articles being unusual oversight.
OF tho searchers below.
The principle ingredient Of all thes,
dust-heaps is fine cinders and ashes; but a,
they are accumulated from the contents o
all the dust holes and bins Of the vicinity
and as many more as possible, and fresh ar
rivals in their original state present very
heterogeneous materials. We cannot bel,
ter describe them, than by presenting a
brief sketch OF the different departments
of the searchers and soriers, who are as
sambled below to busy Themselves upo,
the mass Of original matters which are sho
olt from the carts Of the dustmen.
The bits Of coal, the pretty numerous re
suits ofaccident and servants carelessness
are picked out, to be sold forthwith; III,
largest and bes, of.ehe cinders are also Sc
lected, by another party, who sell them /,
llanndresses, or to braziers (for whose pur
pose coke would not do so woll;) aud ,h,
next sort Of cinders, called the breeze, be
cause it is left after the wind has blown tn,
finer cinders through an upright sieve, il
sold to the brick makers.
The other departments, called The "soft
ware' and the "hard ware" nre very i'm
portant. The former includes all vegetable
and animal mat,ers-evorything that will
decompose. These nre selected and bag
ged at once, and carried off as soon as pos
sible, TO be sold as manure for ploughet
land, wheat. barley, &c. Under this head
also, the dead cats are comprised. They
are, generally, the perquisi,es Of woman
searchers. Dealers come to the wharf, o.
dus, field, every evening; they give a six
pence for white cat, fourpence for col
ored cat, and for black one according I,
her quality. The sshard- ware" includes al
broken pottery, pans, crockery, earthen
ware, oyster-she.ls, &C., which are sold l.
make new ronds.
The "bones" are selected with care, an,
sold 10 the soapboiler. He boils out tn
fat and marrow first, for special use, am
the bones are then crushed and sold for ma
uurc.
OF "rngs," the woolen rags are bagge'
and sent off for hop-manure; the white lin
en- rags are washed, and sold to make pm
per. DC.
The "iin things" are collected and put
into an oven with a grating al the bottom
so that the solder which uni,es the part
mel,s, and runs through into a receiver
This is sold separately the detached piece
Of tin are then sold TO be melted up witt
old iron, &c.
Bits Of old brass, lead, &c, nre sold Il
be melted up separately, or in the mixture
of ores.
All broken glass vessels, as crueis. mus
tard pots, tumblers, wine.glnsses, bottles
&c, nre sold 10 the old glass shops.
As for any articles Of jewelry, silver
spoons, forks, ihimble., or other plate ane
valucbes, they are pocketed off.hnnd b,
the first finder. Coins Of gold and silver
are often found, and many "coppers."
Meantime, every body is hard at wcrl
near the base Of the great dust-heap. A
certain number of cart-oads having beer
raked and searched for all the differen
things just described, the whole Of it now
undergoes the process Of sitting The mer
throw up the stuff and the women sift IT,
"When | was young girl" said PEG
Dotting-
"Tha.'s long while ago, Peggy" in
terrupted one the sllers: but Peg did no
hear her.
"When | was quito young thing" con
,inucd she, addressing old John Doubleyeal
who threw up the dust into her seive, 81
was the fashion to wear pink roses in the
shoes, as bright MS that morsel Of ribbo,
Sail has just picked out ol the dust; yes
and sometimes in the hair, too, on one side
Of the head, 10 set off the white powder anc
salve.stuff | never wore one Of these
hend.dresses myself--don't throw up th.
dust so high, John--but lived only few
doors lower down from those MS did. Dom
throw up tho dus, too high, tell 'ee-th'
wind takes il into nv face"
"Ah! There! What's that?" suddenly
exclaimed little Jem, running as fast as hi
poor withered legs would allow him, to
wards fresh heap, which had just beer
shot down on the wharf from dustmsn'
cart He made dive and sesrch-ther
ano,her--then one deeper still. "l'm sur
saw it!' cried he, and again made dasl
with both hands into fresh place, and be
gan 10 distribute the ashes, and dust, ant
rubbish on every side, 10 the great merri
ment of all the rest.
"What did you see, Jemmy." asked oil
Doubley ear. in compassionate tone.
"Oh, don't know" said the boy, "onl.
il was like bit Of something made Of rea
goldm p r
A fresh burst Of laughter from the com
pany assembled followed this son,ewha
sage declaration, TO which the dustmen ad
ded one or two elegant epilhets, expressive
|oc their oontemnt or the potion that The,