The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-05-18

Visit tn Warehouse Heaped with Pick
ings of All Kinds--Sorters and Their
Deftnes,-A Pile ~ Old Ru bers aud
Arctics.
Twas in my golden age Of childhood
that there lived if indeed. Sue does not
vet, bent and wthered woman. wrinAled
as China crepe and merry a. lark song
Methinks It's a. far back rs the third time
the pussy willows purred for me when
first ! heard her shrlll CHEEKY call, haks,
raks" From then till WAS quite blk
gerl. missey. old Mary was a welcome
arrival upon the domestic scene was
reminded Of old Mary the other day by
seeing a woman walking bri,kly under
heavy sacl, of rags It was sunny | was
stroIing msensibly and followed her She
entered "A warehouse heapcd with pickings
OF all kinds after hestating moment
did the same Things seemed novel. so
when the proprietor looked at NC In rather
a surprised manner. explained Id like 20
add to my slim stock OF information re
gardiug rags and rag picl;ers Whcreat
the clerk inquired intcrcstedly, Are You
the woman who writes and a rag peddler
who had just dropped In leaned up against
the wall and gqzed at me fiXcdly, and with
much the same expression as he would
wear In viewing freak in the dime
museum.
oh it's n great business, be remarked
Il mean the proprictor-as he glanced
over some letters before conducting me
over the establishment. If IL weren't for
rags there would be No paper, You would
have no Bible, no romance no-l0vc let
tiers. he added In quite courtly manner
OF all the queer places. that warehouse.
| clambercd over the foot hills of rags.
separated by valleys rich with old iron.
zinc sheets, lead piping brass wire and
nv eve rested upon Arctic mountains in
the back ground. perhaps | should say
mountains of arctics, Ii seemed touched
rudely upon professional pride when !
asked II that immense bulk and the many
bales for shipping were brought in by rag
pickers was informed that rag plc6ers
are those that 20 about the streets aud
alleys or beg rags. which they usually sell
10 small merchants Then there are rag
peddlcrs who own wagons aud 20 about
amonr houses buying what they wish
merchants buying from both these classes.
and himself, buying mostly from them
asked the proprietor what under the
canopy be does with an this truck and
was told he had contracts with large fac
tories all over the country Old metals
are returned 20 foundrie- paper and rags
20 paper mills. and also ropes. which AFRO
used for MANILA paper. vim gar and OH
barrels 10 be rldlled. bits of leather and
old boots 90 soap factories where the
grease is extracted for soap formy elegant
ladies white hands. old bones 20 sugar
refneries. where. caiciEed. they purify
sugar and syrup. or bones may hc shipped
for fertilzing Old bottles are returned
10 brewers. etc. new cloth rags from
taiiors back to cloth factories aud rubber
gums as the Auglomauiacs term them
to the factory In Massachusetts,
That pile OF rubbers aud arctlcs reach
ing to the ceiling did look odd There
were tiny baby arctics and large scows
stranded side by side, those sperating
run down at the-hecl rubbers which PEG
pie had lost in the street and plenty which
had sprung a leak and been abandoned
You've walked from many directions.
through many paths, upon feet shod IN
Righteousness and those taking hold on
hell. haven't you. They present a good
illustration OF rciucaruatiOn doctrines,
they will be rid of the useless parts and
tho impurity and their best parts sent 70
the factory, whence they Will shortly IS
sue again shining and new
| always used TO dcprecato throwing
arctics. etc. into the alleys. but now
shall do all in NY power 20 assist these
rag pickors 70 plentiful spring crop
They receive four cents pound Ton them
besides. quite a number Of boys end girls
get employment in cutting oil the rubber
It's queer blling them hundreds OF
them are flung into huge box lined with
burlap Then man on each side pumps
on n windlass-tLis may not Doe clear
enough but that what it looks Ike When
the box was opened. ] saw the rubbers
had been pressed ont ofGll scmbIauce
The proprietor took me ID another ware
house where the RAGS were being sorted /
4 long room was b0rdercd with deep /
boxes. in shape and size like tables. with /
bottoms of sleeves for the dirt 10 slit /
through On either side stood women F.
RAPIDLY SORTING them and unlTlng.y .
Aiueing tho RAGS into various barrels
round about They wore calico gowns
reaching to their sect, and kerchieis on (
their heads to protect themselves from .
the dust They didn't seem 10 be paying .
any attention 10 whether rags wero linen, .
wooden. mixed. what not asked one Of .
them how she tells by tho feeling .
We scarcely ever stop TO tearit We get .
so that we can tell anything by touching
1t. even with our eye shut
Easy learntg Wei for those as has I
the knack Some GIFTS pick it up I'm il
couple OF weeks. soue never can learn H. 4
Oh it isn't disagrceabie work when you're F
used to it. Most rags Is pretty clean. 4
Some. she pointed 10 a bin i gave now .
meaning to mems righteousness being .
like filthy rags. "a. L. P " in Pioneer /