, 1884-05-11
TRADE IN "OLD CLIO"
Bhipments to India, Japan and the
South Sea Islands.
The English Trnde---Busincss AZ
HOmc---E1ow Second Hand Suits
are EenOvated---N Making
INTO Shoddy.


Chicago Tribune.
The trade in old clothes in Chicago liz con-
siderable. over S2jO,OOO being paid fo- "Old
clo' " annually. Whom bought by the dealer
they are graded pants that have been
oftener sat upon than troi upon are put in
one heap, and coats that are glazy and "out
at elbow put along with them. Suits are
then made up and repairing, when possible,
set about. Little else is done with clothes of
this description, and they are sold to the very
poor. On tho other hand, "all-woolp suits
that have been little worn and have been
purchased from the better classes, who have
sold them owing to n change Of fashion, Or
because they have tired Of them, are cleaned,
pressed, and refined, and sold as "the latest,
only 81" Evening suits, which used TO be
worthless as a selling commodity, are now
the most valuable, as lately a considerable
trade has sprung up in letting dress suits out
at SO much per night. II you are introduced
or make the necessary deposit you may now
blossom out for one night only as one of the
upper-ten, claw-hammer and all complete,
for the small sum Of 81. Old hats are ironed
and refined and in most cases sold as new,
the trade in secondhand hats being almost
nil.
The old-clothes trade in this country, how
ever, IS not nearly as brisk as It is on the
other side, as there is not the same market.
The chief market for England is the colonies
and the islands OF tho south Pacific.
Thousands of cases OF old clothes are every
year exported from England to India, Japan,
and Ceylon. In the hill districts OF India a
coolie has to wear something warmer than in
the low country, and, although he cannot bear
u leg-covering, he has always an old coat on.
1t Is ludicrous sometimes TO SEQ n coolie with
not n stitch Of clothing on except a claw-ham-
MGR coat md n plug-hnt. The South Sea
islands have lately been u great factor in the
"old-clo'" trade. Whenever q heather there
is converted the first thing he is taught to
believe is that it is wrong to go naked,
and, as when a thief is converted tho whole
tribe generally follow suit, there is often a
great dearth OF old clothes.
The jews are the chief if not the only deal.
ers in old clothes, md they owe a good deal
TO the Christians in this respect, as withou
the missionaries the heather would still b,
going about in the state OF our first parents.
Last year there was some trade between
Chicago, San Francisco, and Japan N old
clothes, about 100 cases being shipped. Ever
since the Japs mbibe u taste for western
civilization they have been great in European
clothes. When the disease first broke out
the streets Of Yokohama more nearly re-
senlLied u street where Il fancy-dress ball was
dispensing than anything else. The stores OF
nl the Old clothes dealers on Europe and
America yyera put under requisition to sup.
ply Japan aud costumes Of the days of the
Pilgrim fathers were common in the streets.
Clothes that are too old and soilcd, old
socks aud underwear, are all Of use. Along
with old paper they are sent to tho mill to be
made into new paper, and old cloth can no
re made into ~"shoddy." In point Of fact,
most Of the "this style for S7' is made out OF
this material. Lately chemistry has shown
-, bout g. I,IH IT,. ..a-4 ~