Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-12-03
THE VALUE OF RAGS AND WASTE
PAPER

In this age. of literature and printing
when fncalculable quantities of paper are
used every day, the value of rags and waste
paper has become so great as to make the
trade of collecting them one of considera-
bic Importance. In New York, alone, up
wards of one thousand persons find employ
ment in the business, and as it swells in
volume, the number of workers is con-
stantly ON the increase. 1t is calculated
that the $50 publications printed in New
York circulate a million of copies,
or nearly 2,100 quires of paper
daily. The collecting and remanufacturing
Of this enormous quantity of material has
become an important industry throughout
the country. The New York Times
furnishes some interesting statements re-
pc citing the trade in that city. 1t says.
"a large dealer recently paid $1,000 to a
wealthy banking firm in Wall street, for a
mass of old paper, (books, checks, blanks,
ledgers, etc. which had been accommodating
during period of fifty years. The price
per pound was six cents. Railroad and in
surance companies frequently sell large
quantities of such stuff Occasionally there
comes to the paper shops huge piles of pub
lie documents, new and handsomely bound,
never opened probably, and never to be
cared for by any one. Shameful as it seems
they are consigned to the common heap
for the one remorseless purpose. Sometimes
cartlOads of unstable books, almost new,
on romance, religion and all sorts of
themes, arrive and are dumped in the vault
-aS the dead remains of unfortunate au-
thOrs' idols lost to fame and fortune forever
Great punches OF unpublished manuscripts
also flow in an almost uninterrupted stream.
BOoby nabobs, from the most aristocratic
avenues, on vacating their house to go to
Europe, have sent down their libraries TO
be sold by the pound as waste paper.
Barrels and boxes of books are also often
sent in from the country. Occasionally
rare and valuable volumes are found and
sold to book-dealers. Among these have
been: DR.. RdmSegs History Of South
Carolina; Secret History Of Be2ja-
min Frdrklin's Mission to France; bound
volumes of the FederdliSt, Washington
Globe, London Times, (all old and rare;)
autograph letters Of Washington, Franklin,
George III, Hamilton, etcR stacks Of Euro
pc n and American illustrated journals;
one volume of AuduboR'S Birds, foreign
and ancient books of great value, old law
books, etc, etc. Five tons of new books
by one author came some time ago; they
did not live TO get even a rest en- the book
store shelves, and the poor author, who had
wasted years in the work, which he had
fondly believed would yield him fame
and fortune, subsequently died in a
mad-hOuse. Recently another disap-
pointed author sold nine tons Of
his book-the product Of great la
Dor and cost-at six cents per
pound. But small as well as large lots are
bought from all sorts of customers. The
clerks state they often have cash entries Of
even four cents. Both sexes and all ages,
well dressed and shabby, come with big and
little packages. One store has thus paid
out 81, 600 in a single day. From -four to
six hundred customers is their per diem sy-
erage. The professional gutter hunters gen.
eraily rendezvous at the Five Points, where
they sell their stuff TO a sub-agent. Seven
Easements are occupied at one establish
ment in Ann stree; besides other rooms up
stairs. About forty persons are engaged
there; some in sorting the stuff; Others in
baling it."
In Chicago previous to the fire the rag
and waste paper business had assumed con-
siderable Importance, and there was at least
one large wholesale establishment engaged In
il. In other large cities the aggregate val
u Of these trifes is becoming recognized
aud even in smaller places a trade is spring
ing up which every year assumes larger pro-
portions. Country merchants begin to find
itprofta5le II to save up and collect what
was formerly regarded as valueless, and the
economical European system, which allow:
nothing TO go to waste, seems to be gaining
favnr in ihis country.