The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1884-05-14
TONS OF OLD PAPER.
Valuable Records TINT are Sometimes Sold
With Old Letters, Posters and
Newspapers.

The amount of paper stock consumed
daily in the publication of newspapers and
journals in this city is almost incredible. II
is estimated that about two hundred and
twenty-five daily, weekly and monthly pub
LEGATIONS are issued, which have an aggre-
gate circulation of over million sheets
day, and which weigh about 100, 600 pounds.
The greater portion of this paper soon be.
comes worthless, and is either thrown away
or burned or collected to send to the paper
mill. A reporter recently visited Mr.. j. @.
Stockwell for the purpose of getting few
facts concerning the use and misuse oil
paper and paper stock. +" started in this
business" said MIR. Stockwel, "about
thirty-four years ago, since which time there
has been great changes in the trade. Then
used to buy ON an average about a ton OF
paper stock week. now l am buyimg
twelve tons day. Then there were only a
few dealers, now we are a hundred. Much
Of our stock is obtained from banks and
merchants who have failed. Letters. politi-
cal and law documents, commercial and &C.
count books, representing years of business
months of litigation and millions of dollar
at last come to our old paper morgue. The
amount of material that arrives here in one
year in the shape of patent Office reports
alone is surprising. Huge masses of these
handsomely bound volumes are jammed into
the bales with battered show bills, and pur-
chased at so many cents pound"
Then the ragpickers do not furnish you
any amount of paper sock ~
None at all there is no market for re-
fuse stock of this kind Some idea may be
had of the growth of our business when
tell you that in 1888 carts went through
Boston and the vicinity collecting rugs foi
which 2lc. pound was paid, while nov
they bring but one cent q pound. In 1866
one cent pound was paid for miscellaneous
paper stock, but the price gradually rose
until during the war the scarcity Of paper
brought the price up to ten cents a pound.
g Do you not often find valuable and inn
portant documents ?"
g We do not make it q rule to look for
across them. Some years ago found the
first records of the Continental Congress,
which is now in the Library at Washington.
Then found the old parchment deed by
Which the land, which now comprises tn,
town of Schenectady, was coded to I'll,
whites by the Indians. That was sold
Checks for large amounts have sometimes
been found and restored to their owners.
We find more amusement in our business
than articles of value; for instance, i'm
mediately after the war l advertised that |
would buy up Confederate bonds. Great
comfort was drawn from this advertisement
by many of the holders Of these bonds, and
muumerable applications were made to us
for the purchase of precious documents
You can imagine the chagrin of the would
be sellers when they discovered thnt, nj.
though purchased Confederate bonds, il
was by weight rather than Mt their face
value"
What is the most money, Mr. Stock
we'll, you ever paid at one time for old
pal er stock 2"
Nineteen hundred dollars. This was to
Wall street banking house for matter
which had been accommodating for period
of fifty years. Mail and Etpeess.