Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1861-06-13

that it might be made the most Of It's my
warehouse, that building is, where my rag.
sOrers, and rag-washers, and rag-driers work,
and where | store everything that is found out
here that may be turned into money. Come
and look at it,"
He led the way through the great yard, and
close to the edge of the canal | found the
building with the tall shaft he had pointed out
in the distance and ascending some steps
and pushing open door, we entered. With
a creak the door banged to, and suddenly ]
found myself III the most curious of all the
curious places it was ever my fortune-good
or bad-to set foot. There was no need for
tedious exploration in discovering the won.
ders. AS soon as your foot crossed the lhresh-
old of the building there you were in the
midst Of them.
Mind the holeP' sharply calculated my
guide, and not without reason for there, dim
ly revealed in the twilight that filled the place,
and within pace of the door, was black
gulf, broad, wide, and of unknown depth,
filed within few feet OF the floors surface
with old shoes and boots thousands, tens of
thousands of them; all sorts, all sizes baby s
first little strapped shoe, hustled into ard peep
ing out at the gaping toe of the dilapidated
wellington" the huge "anklejack," the
tramp's boot with the iron plated heel all
aslant, the heavy uppers botched with twine-
sown patches, ia wayside' job, evidently,) and
mutllaled tongues" now lolling at rest above
the leather thongs, but plainly revealing the
derivation of the patch-pieces the dainty sat
in dancing shoe suddled into the russell, lime
burned tDot-casing of the burly brickmaker
the still substantial equity shoe, longer lived
than its master; the narrow-waisted, fashion
able abomination cursed through its life, and
at last joyfully kicked off because of its corn
inducing propensities: here they were, some
blue with mildew, some still bearing traces of
polish, and some half eaten by rats here
they were, as many shoes and boots at the
very least, as there are legs at gallows show.
"Of what use are they % inquired | of Mr.
Scorch, who evidently regarded me as curl
olsy as l regarded his old boots.
Jews, responded Mr.. Scorch with mys-
ferrous wink, "they knows what to 90 with
'em better than we do, mister What do you
think of this lot 2"
The "lot" in question consisted OF crumpled
up paper of every texture and color, about
tun in weight and all of it tolerabIy clean. l
thought it rather valuable heap, and told him
So
"You are right" said he, 81 get half crown
hundred for it," Mr.. Scorch again winked,
and in very artful way, as he named the ire
mendous sum, but when | reflected that the
shillings tun, and that of the article re-made
ranged from forty to seventy pounds for the
same quantity, it seemed to me that by look
ing about him he might possibly find better
market.
The next article be introduced to my notice
bore so unsightly and valueless an appearance
that the aifectionate way in which he patted
and poked it considerably surprised me. 1t
was contained in huge basket, and more
than anything resembed odd corners and
chunks of muddy wood, or broken, halfburnt
bricks.
owe find a tidy lot of that, and l wish we
found lot more, said lie. "It's first rate
stuff, that IS
"For barning7" was my natural observa.
ton.
"Oh, no." replied he; ''for eating. It's
bread--pigs' wittles."
Come down here" said Mr. Scorch, leap.
ing down into the shoe gulf, "and I'll show
YOU my wasIsilonse-,
Not without Il twinge of nervousness | too
leaped and strobe after him towards a dark
passage. Just, however, as | was about to
tun into it caught sight, through dungeon
like doorway, the iron door of which stood
agar, of great chamber dark as night, the
floor Of it ribbed with iron bars, like a mon
strous grdiron, cruelty suggestive OF the In
and the mild Barods.
"AI," said my guide, politely retracing his
way to where ! stood CHATS queer place,
isn't it Get inside p
| cannot lay claim TO bravery through en-
terlng the horrid place, because, coming up
behind and being eager 10 show it, he pressed
me forward and sheer on the gridiron. The
chamber which still retained the scent of
burning was partly filed with crates and bas
kets
"This," said my guide, sis our furnace; the
shaft you noticed when you were outside be.
longs to it. Everything we collect we are
bound to get rid Of and of course, among the
rest you can't help taking lot of rubbish,
such as worn out oil cloth, old bonnet boxes,
cocoanut mating, and that sort of thing that
can't possibly be worked in for any purpose.
Unless we can find Shoot for it there is
nothing left but to destroy it by fire. This is
how we do it. If you look through the graf.
ing you will see hole beneath well, in that
hole we make roaring coke fire. Now, if
you look up you will see daylight coming
through loophole 10 the left F.; we have TO go
up stairs TO get to that hole which is fitted
with a sliding door of iron. There is shot the
light stuff as we call it, which falls on the
grating here and is at once consumed without
putting the fire out or even deadening it,"
Glad to escape from the furnace, | begged
TO be taken 10 the "wash house" | cannot
say it was handsome place, or a place where
tastldious person wonld care to sojourn for
long period but this am bound to say =
Considering the quality of the goods to be OPP
Grated on, and the limited space available for
the operation, the rag washing apparatus was
as commodious as possible; the proprietor
having no further interest therein than laud-
able desire to prevent waste. Along one side
OF the chamber, and facing window, were
two enormous watts capable OF holding several
gallons of water, and before one of the watts,
and with its nose resting on the edge of it, was
a powerful pump. Connecting this vat with
the second was spout, and the washing"
was managed by simply trundling a heap of
the filthy rags into the first vat and keeping
them stirred, "A man pumping the while, and
the connecting spout in full action, till from
inky backness the water in the rag.tub grad
ually became clean, and then the rage were
raked ont, and wrung as dry as possible
Not dry enough, however, to be sorted or
staked away, drying room is required, and
one is provided; an iron and brick chamber
this was, with a floor of oven tiles, and entire
ly fire proof. Round the wall were fixed close
rows OF wire "lines," on which to hang
the wet rags, and overhead suspended from
the ceiling, was screen of iron wire on which
to lay rags too small to hang on the lines
WINE here and there about the gloomy apart
ment were several immense brasiers, such as
are used by the layers of gas mains in public
thoroughfaIes. 1t was all very curious but
the AR OF the place seemed SO heavy, every
thlng was SO terribly ashy-ashy rags, ashy
boots and bones-that l was ANYTHING bu
sorry when Mr.. Scorch announced he had
nothing more to show me-