The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1861-07-05

and in q very artful way, as he named the
tremendous sum, but when reflected thai
the price he received Tor his waste paper wa
fifty shillings ton, and that Of tho article
remade ranged from forty to seventy pounds
for the same quantity, 1t seemed to me that
by looking about him he might possibly find
better market.
The next article he introduced to my notice
bore so unsightly and valueless an appear
ance that the alIectionate way in which he
patted and poked it considerably surprised me.
1t was contained in huge basket, and more
than anything -rcscmblcd odd corners and
chunks Of muddy wood, or broken, half.burnt
bricks.
We find tidy lot Of that, and wish we
found lot MORE said he. It's frst.rate
stuff, that is.'
For burning?' 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 Ill show
you my wash.house.'
Not without twinge of nervousness too
laped and strobe after him, towards dark
passage. Just however, AS was about to turn
into it, caught sight, through dungeon
like doorway, the iron door Of which stood
ajar. of great chamber black as night, the
floor of It ribbed with iron bars, like u mon
strous gridiron, cruelty suggestive Of the In
QUESTION and the days Of the rapacious Jews
and the mild Barons.
'Ah,' said my guide, politely retracing his
way to where stood. that's queer place,
isn't il? Get inside'
! cannot lay claim to bravery through en-
tering the horrid place, because, coming up
behind and being eager to show 1.-THE pressed
me forward and sheer on to the gridiron.-
The chamber, which still retained the scent
OF burning, was partly filed with crates and
baskets.
'This,' said my guide, is our furnace: tho
shaft you noticed when you were outside be-
longs to it. Every thing we collect we arc
bound to get rid Of, and. Of course, among
the rest you cant't help taking q lot Of rub
bsh, such rs worn.out oilcloth, old bonnet
boxes, cocoanut mating, and that sort Of
thing, that can't possibly bc worked in for
any purpose. Unless we can find - shoot
for it there is nothing left but to destroy 1t
by fire. This is how we do it. If you look
through the grating you will sec hole be-
meath we'll, in that hole we make roaring
coke fire. Now, II you look up you willsec
daylight coming through loophole to tho
left; we have to 60 up stairs to get at that
hole, which is fitted with a sliding door Of
iron. There is shot the light stuff, US we
call it, which falls on the grating here, and
is at once consumed without putting out the
fire, or even deadening it,
Glad to escape from the furnace, begged
to be taken to the warehouse / cannot
say it was handsome place, or place where
q fastidious person would care to sojourn for
a long period; but this am bound to say.
Considering the quality of the goods to be
operated on, and the limited space available
for the operation, the rag.washing apparatus
was as commodious as possible; the propr-
etor having no further interest therein than
laudablc desire to prevent waste. Along
one side of the chamber, and facing the win
dow, were two enormous vats capable of
holding several gallons of water. and before
one of the vats, and with its nose resting on
the edge of it, was u powerful pump. Con-
Meeting this vat with the second was spout,
and the washing was managed by simply
trundling heap Of the filthy rags into the
vast vat and keeping them stirred, man
pumping the while, and the connecting spout
in full action, till from inky blackness the
water in the rag.tub gradually became clean,
and then the rags were raked out, and wrung
as dry as possible.
Not dry enough, however, to DO sorted or
stacked away. A drying room is required,
l.