Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-08-19

As rule, rag pickers do not belong to that
class which has received the rather opprobrious
name of ''bloated bondholders" Among the
avenues which are supposed to lead to wealth
this business is not generally conceded to have
place. There are not many parents that would
think of placing their children at work picking
rags and at the same time entertain very high
expectations of their ultimate success in life.
Yet there are instances of fortunes being accu-
muatedi this way and literature, which delights
In contrasts and the portrayal of the grotesque,
has brought out from the obscurty of their call
inc a large number of individuals who have
reached competence and wealth by searching
for rags bones and old paper. Among the
members of this class in this city there are bat
few who have ever risen to the proud distinc-
tion OF possessing money more than sufficient
for their daily wants. Yet there is small army
Of men. women and children engaged in the
Junk business in this District. Some idea of the
amount of junk matter sent away from here
each year can be obtained from the money value
received. which is estimated to be from two
hundred and fifty TO three hundred thousand
dollars. These figures seem incredible when
you consider that it is all realized from the ac.
cumuations-the worthless debrs-that col
lects in and about every house. The old, dirty
pieces of cloth and rays the broken pieces of old
CRATES and bolts. these
UNCONSIDERED TRIPLES
and accidents of our daily life. which are cast
aside in corners and looked upon nuisance,
have, when collected and classified. a money
value that is not to be despised There is large
and industrious class of our population to whom
all this rubbish has commercial value. These
are the rag pickers of the capital, the scaven
gers OF the cutters. the agents of the junk deal
ers. Before the world. or at least the influ-
entail part of the world. has opened its eyes
upon the new day. these workers are scattered
over the city. following the track OF the street
sWeepers. and nosng around in the cutters
picking up the bits of paDer and rags and bones
that have been thrown out during the previous
day. The majority of these early workers are
colored people. and they are of every age and
both sexes. When they have secured the streets
and the signs that the town is waking up be-
come visible, they retire from the frequented
streets. and during the day large numbers may
be found on the dump gN!unds' on the out
skirts of the city, turning over the mass of re-
fuse and rubbish that has been carted
away. The vacant ground south of the
Capitol is a favOrte resort, and the scene pre-
sented is O curious and interesting one. Old
men and little boys, women and girls, and some
times whole families. may be seen with basket
or bag and long stick prOdding in the masses
OF accumulated stuff and drawing out prizes in
the shape of rags bones, &c. But while there
are large number of people engaged in this
business and while the extent of the junk traffic
Is very great still there are not many that reach
competence as result of their toll. A prOmi-
nent junk dealer explained to a STAR reporter
that this was because they were not thrifty.
Unlike the Italians who grow wealthy in New
York and other places in this business, they
live well when they have the money and then
get along as best they can until they get
another supply. There are. of course. num-
Der that have risen from the ranks of the
pickers to the dignity of small dealers, but these
eases are not many.
A MYSTERIOUS JUNK NAN.
There is one eccentric Individual who lives in
South Washington and has the reputation of
having considerable wealth. He is however,
reticent about himself and all that others know
about him is the result of conjecture and not
actual knowledge. Drifting here after the war
from no one knows where. he has lived by HIM
self and kept his own counsel Beginning in a
very small way by gathering rags and old bones.
DC, he now buys from other collectors and sells
to the large dealers He has become such
familiar object that people have ceased to talk
ebout hAf. The most curious thing about this
solitary old man-he is now over ffty-are the
EVIDENCES of refinement and education which
he betrays in his conversation, and the cultiva-
ton OF tastes which not usually possessed
by a rag picker In his old tumble-dOwn house.
which he occupies alone, he has piano. upon
which he plays with great SKILL besides other
musical instruments which he handles with
facility. He is good talker showing famil-
iarity with large range of subjects, and
surprising people by the fluency and ex-
is or what he has been no one knows Occa-
sienaly he has been induced to put on decent
clothes and pay brief visits to the homes of men
with whom he has come i'm contact i'm a business
way; bat he has returned again to his old habits.
He is generally believed to be ''blOated bond
holder" although only a rap-Djcker
There are grades in the life OF a raI-picker as
well as in any other business. There is the man
who begins business with only sharp stick and
something to carry his plumber away in. Then
there is the rag-picker who owns a bag and has
perhaps limited circle of patrons upon whom
he calls and gathers whatever odds and ends
may have collected about the house. The man
with bag makes from Il to 50 per day. Rising
the scale OfimpOrtance the owner of wheel
barrow or a push-cart comes next. They 90
about the city picking up whatever they can
gather or buy and their cries in the alleys and
along the streets are familiar sounds They
sometimes make as much S3 to IS per day.
The boss" rag-picker is the man who owns
horse and wagon He is a king bee among the
rag-pickerS. His earnings average. from 80 to
$40. according to the value Of his load. Then
there are the small dealers who buy from the
collectors and sell to the commission merchants
A LICENSE TAX NEEDED.
STAR reporter was told that what the bust
ness uteucu WAS u TAX license IOr collectors
Many swing bag over their shoulders and go
prowling around the alleys and the back part of
houses watching for an opportunity to steal
something. They haye no intention Of gathering
rags, but the business serves as a cloak for their
pilfering operations. The dealers think that if
. slight tax was imposed and the men properly
numbered, such petty thieves could be more
easily arrested. As it is now q man found
within private premises can answer embarras-
sing questions by producing bag and saying
that he is after rags and old bones
The junk business, which has reached large
proportions In this city. isso thoroughly system
atized that the entire country for miles around
IL placed under contribution. Men 90 out in
wagons and visit the farm houses and small
villages collecting the rags. bones, and old iron
They go down the river In boats as far az Cone
river, collecting from the people that live along
both sides. Country people are just beginning
to realize the money that is in these things which
they have been accustomed to throw aside as
worthless. In the junk business country rags
rank A. No 1, because they are cleaner Dirty
rags are rated very low and collectors are
obliged to wash the rags before the dealers will
buy them The latter go under the technical
name of streets" The leading article in the
business in this City Is old paDar and tmmepSa