The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-08-25

WHAT IS SHoDDY?-The excitement over the
shoddy uniforms furnished to the soldiers has
started numerous inquiries as to what "shoddy"
really is, and how it happens that clothing is
made out of materials in reality worthless A
morning contemporary has thrown some light
upon the subject, which shows that it is nothing
more nor less than rotten rags worked up by
machinery and mixed with just enough wool to
deceive the public, and thus manufactured into
cloth; the cloth when made into garments lasts
about as long as the wearer is purchasing it.,
provided, however, he .abstains from all exer-
else and sits as though his life depended upon
his remaining perfectly quiet. 1t is one Of the
mysteries of cheap clothing and big profits of
dealers. 1t originated in the competition with
manufacturers of cloth, who resorted to this
mode to compete with their neighbors, sell their
products at lower price, and at the same time
continue their high profits. At present the
'shoddy'' trade is quite extensive, originating,
we believe, in John Bulls dominions, but now
extensively carried on in this country, there
being several mills engaged in its preparation
in this State.
The invention of machinery to prepare the
rags and mould them into "shoddy" has result
cd in the refuse woolen rags, which were for
merly rejected by paper makers as worthless,
or fit only for manure, becoming suddenly in
demand at from seven to ten dollars per ton.
The black cloth ''shoddy" is The most valuable.
and is used in the manufacture of clothing such
as was furnished to portion Of the volunteers.
about which so much has been said. Our con-
temporary states that these refuse and worth
less rags are assorted "into whites carpets,
shewls, stutis, shirtings, lnseys and black
CLOTH When thus assorted and baled, they are
sold to the "shoddy" manufacturer, who takes al
the woollens, carefully asserts them and passes
them through the rag machine, which is cylin-
der set with teeth; this, revolving at a great
speed, tears or pulls the rags to wool. When
thoroughly pulled apart and reduced to soft
wool it is saturated with oil or milk, and has the
appearance of balls about the size of a pea. The
common "shoddy" requires securing in heaters
filed with chemical matter; when thus completed
it is mixed with new wool. in as large pro
portions as possible to escape detection
The simon pure "shoddy'' is made Of soft
woollens but the hard OF black cloths, when
prepared in the same way, will produce what is
called ''mungo''-an article used extensively in
superfne cloths, which is usually finished in a
way that will deceive the best judges. Many
persons have no doubt been surprised at the
accumulations between the cloth and lining Of
their garments, which is in reality the "shoddy'
,bo1 nf fbp nj nft will hn fba
sequel for the sudden falling to pieces of their
garments.
The recent disgraceful Developments in
''shoddy'' cloth made into soldiers uniforms
we presume will injurc the "shoddy' trade; but
in the meantime it has extended into other mat
ters, especially into the political world. The
political managers of this State are at present
extensively engaged in this line, and are press
ing parties out of the rotten rags and debris Of
the late political parties, which they imagine
they can palm OF upon the public as genuine
Thus we shall soon have ''shoddyS republican
party and "shoddy' democratic party in the
field, both claiming to he composed of pure
material, but in reality the fag-ends, rotten
rags and debris of the old parties. Their organi-
cations will, in fact, be "shoddy' from one end
to the other, and if the public accept them
they will be hundredfold worse cheated than
were the poor soldiers with their ''shoddy" uni
FORMS We advise every one to beware Of, and
not put their faith in, any of the "shoddy"
political parties or political sshoddy" manufac-
facturers.
BOSTON CAVALRY VOLUNTEERING FOR THE
WAR.
The Boston Light Dragons have unanimously voted
that in the Of their services being called for by the
Governor they would volunteer for three years or the