The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-11-19

mixed up in every conceivable c1rner with
| shavlngs, waste paper and rags. An entire
colored family of nine, with the smallest
| Youngster barely able to toddle. was busiy
pushing the contents of one wagon about as
they fell to the ground, and one of the
urchins gave yell Of eostacy as he picked
up stud Of yellow metal from the dirty
pile. "Brung dat button yeah, boyl"
shouted the master of this particular party
OF pickers. but the stud proved to be merely
a brass fixture which the head Of the house,
however, confisoated. Meanwhile, the
whole crowd was busy sorting old news
papers, bones, scraps OF iron and anything
which promised TO bring penny or two
from the junk dealer. and everything else
OF combustible nature was carried to one
OF the fires constantly burning on the dump
to destroy waste.
FAMILIES BY THE DOZEN.
That's the way you'll find them day in
and day OUT said Inspector Burt, as he
picked up penny which his practiced eye
noticed on the dump near at hand. They're
here in all sorts of weather, and I'll wager a
dozen families, mostly colored, in this
vicinity make their livelihood out of this
dump. They search patiently, and some
times ind something Of considerable value.
Besides, quarter aud half dollars are COM
mon thing to find here In the refuse; but
trust one of these pickers TO say word
about 1t. They're as close-mouthed as
political prisoner. although every one of
them will boast of what be is earning. Junk
dealers make regular trips to the houses
about here aud have their regular custom
ers, who frequent the dump and keep the
junk market supplied. am pretty certain
some OF them make anywhere from 81. so to
IS day from their pickings, although the
majority make much less than 81 even.
But, excuse me, that fire over there seems
to have a peculiar odor, which have
learned to be burning flesh, I'll see what
II means"
WHEN FUMIGATIoN rs NEEDED.
The inspector hastsned to the place, but
the scent proved false. A small piece of
rubber happened to be the unpleasant factor
this time. It was leader, however and
the dump man was asked whether any
human remains ever reached the refuse
ground. "Only once" replied Mr.. Burt,
and that was the body OF an infant so
thoroughly wrapped in rags as to almost
escape notice among the other contents of
the wagon. ! discovered it in
time, though, and notified the
police, who had the body removed.
else it might have reached one OF the fires
accidentally, although it wouldn't have
been my fault. Sometimes dead cats and
dogs escape the garbage mans dead animal
wagon and find their way here. Somehow
they are tossed into the fire. aud you can
imagine that a sanitary fumigation would
be highly desirable about then. Still many
of these things are as rare as big finds and
altogether there are worse occupations than
being the inspector of a big dump like
this"
BANK NOTES BURNED TO ASHES.
This Twenty.fourth street repository also
contains the charred remains of several
hundred dollars which were accidentally
destroyed there about five weeks ago Great
loads OF waste paper from stores and print
ing offices are brought there daily, and the
match is applied before the pickers have
arrived. Iu one of these loads was a tin
dispatch box, as was afterward found, but
before 1t was discovered the contents had
been turned TO ashes. Mr.. Burt's attention
was first called to the pile when a we'll
dressed gentleman came to the dump
aud inquired whether load of
waste paper had arrived that morn
ing. He had lost a valuable tin
box. he said. and thought it might have
been dropped among the waste accidentally
before its removal from his place of bust
ness. Among the burning mass the re-
ceptacle was found, but the owner left the
| dump sad man. Only a small corner of
| two or three bills was left to show that
considerable cash had been in the pile.
One of these days the commissioners will
| have to find new dump around Twenty
| fifth street, for in year or two more the
| filing will be as near Rock creek as il may
be placed without damming the stream.
Meanwhile. the dump picker aud his con-
trere, the junk man, will find many a dol
| lars worth of value in the refuse which
| fluids its way to the capitals scrap piles