The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1883-09-26
WHAT BECOMES OF THE RAGS.
AN INDUSTRY IN WHICH MILLIONS OF
CAPITAL ARE INVESTED.

William FraDzen, one of the Oldest
and most experienced rag and paper
stock dealers in the West, was ask
ed about his business and the posi-.
bility Of its being medium of bring
ing Asiatic diseases=into this coun-
try. He said: Large quantities OF
rags from Egypt and Turkey pass
through Milwaukee on their way to
the paper mills at Neenah and Mem
asha. ] mean actually large quaint.
ties-not relatively large--for the
greater proportion of the receipts of
foreignfrags into this country are
consumed in the East. l don't think
however, there is any danger of dis
ease originating in Milwaukee BY
reason of the rag trade. The foreign
rags are not picked over here. La
Dor at the points of shipment is so
much cheaper than here that it pays
to do all the necessary asserting be.
fore the rags are baled and sent of.
In support of my belief that no dan
ger of the spread of contagion in
Milwaukee hy the bales of foreign
rags which pass through here is to
be apprehended, l can say that l
have been in the rag business for
lwenty-years--l2 of them in this
city and have never had sick day
| have employed from from IL to so
hands in sorting rags during all tina,
time and have never known sickness
to break out among them from the
handling of rags. l don't think there
is any danger to be apprehended from
the rags at the paper mills either,
for the strong bleaching materials
used would be likely to act as dis.
infectant."
Mr.. Flanzen went on to give some
facts to prove that the rag business
is one of the staple industries of the
country. "The business in rags and
paper stock done in Milwaukee alone
mounts" he said, "to $3.50. 900 an.
nually, and furnishes employment to
upward of 800 persons. Careful es-
Inmates in the United States place
the amount at 100000 bales, valu-
ed at $36,0O0,OO0. The arrivals of
foreign rag stock at New York city
are estimated at 100000 bales annu
ally, and those of domestic rag stock
at 100000 bales. Twenty five
Thousand bales of rags we're shipped
out at Milwaukee during the year
1882. Most of the domestic paper
stock received here comes from Iowa,
Minnesota, Wisconsin, Nebraska,
Dakota and Michigan. Missouri and
Illinois also contribute large
amounts. A considerable quantity
of foreign rags also pass through this
city during the course of year.
These come from all parts of Eu.
rope, England, France, Germany and
Turkey contributing most freely.
Egyptian rags, as have said, often
pass though this city. The destina.
ton of the rags which are shipped
from Milwaukee is dependent upon
their quality. All the woollen rags
and better grades of cotton rags 90
10 the East, mostly to supply the fine
paper mills and shoddy mills of
Massachusetts, New Hampshire,
Rhode Island and Pennsylvania. The
cheaper grades of stock are used in
the West in the manu- facture of print
and wrapping papers. The foreign
rags received in Milwaukee, which
are inferior 10 quality to those made
in this country, are used BY paper
mills at various points in this State.
The foreign rags, as l have said,
reach this market assorted and ready
for the'mills. The domestic rags, on
the contrary, invariebly require to be
assorted here. esv
ut would astonish the uuinitiated
to see the number of distinct grades
into which rags are Disseminated.
Here is list of most of the impor
tant classes of rags and paper sock
recognized in Milwaukee: Whites
Nos. l and 2, thirds and blues,
prints, manila rope, mixed bagging,
wrapping stock, scanned cloth, wool
seams. new clips, soft woods, print
papers, manila, papers, common pa.
per, white shavings, mixed shavings,
tea paper, No. l book, No. 2 book,
strawboard clippings, skir.ed de-
LANES. must not be supposed that
the differentiation ends there. Soft
woods, for instance, are made in Mil,
waukee Into one grade. In Cincin-
natl, Philadelphia, and other cities
east of Milaukeee there are nun