Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-11-21
WEALTH IN FOULNEss.
A Body Of Meu Make Living by Hunting
in Sewers.
rb0tgbsy'S Journal
Chambers Journal.


Chambers Journal.
A husher is the name given to those
men who make living by raking away
the accumulated mud from the walls
and grubblng and hunting for uncOn-
Sidered and other trifes in the sicken-
ing elluvium Of the metropolitan sew
erS. The reader might well be pardOned
If ne imagineS that these men are small
and emaciated, with pallid COuntenances
aud OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES appearance.
That this is not the case was vouched for
by the singularly strong and robust indi-
vidual we recently interviewed. be
had worked some thirty-fve years as a
huSher, and had never experienced a
days illness in his life. The average
earnings of each manin a gang of five or
six are better than those Of the ordinary
artisan.
For several reasons hushers invari-
ably work in gangs. each gang being
accompanied by an old hand who knows
every inch of the ground, and is cap
able of conducting them all over under
ground London, Under his guidance
without (which they would soon lose
themselves-theyt travel long distances,
and are enabled to scour not only the
main sewers, but also many OF the
smaller branches. A good lookout man
is also posted as the entrance. The alb
solute necessity OF this individual may
be judged by mentioning the fact that
should q shower of rain come on sud
denly the huSherS would, unless
warned, be washed into the river.
Until recently the not very prepos-
sessIng entrance to the main sewers
could be seen by any one travelling down
the river by boat and the general pub
lie could enter them if they so wished.
These entrances have now been blocked
by the authorities. The hushers are,
therefore, barred" by heavy iron gates
from entering the main sewers direct
and have, consequently, TO make their
way first Of all through the smaller
passages before reaching their hunting
grounds.
Before commencing operations each
man In a gang provides himself with a
bulls eve lantern, a canvass apron and
pole some seven or eight feet in length,
having an iron attachment at one end
somewhat in the shape Of hoe. For
greater convenience the lantern is in
variaoIy fixed to the right shoulder, so
that when walking the light is thrown
ahead, and when STOPPING its rays shine
directly 10 their feet. Thus acCOu-
tired they walk slowly along
through the mud, feeling with their
naked feet for anything unusual, at the
same time raking the. accumulation
from the walls and picking from the
crevices any article they see. Nothing
is allowed TO escape them, no matter
what it's value, providing il is not value
less. Old iron, pieces of rope, bones,
current coin of the realm and articles Of
plate and jewelry-all is good hsh
which comes TO the huSher's net.
q With finds in the way Of coins Of
course the humble penny" predomi-
mates. SiXpenceS and ShillingS, how
ever. often increase the value of the
collection; and at rare intervals-tOo
rare 10 please the husher-half sover-
eipps aud even sOvereigns are discover
ed. Like the flies IN amber, the myS-
terry is how they got there. Among
other articles Of intrinsic worth, silver
spoons are most often found, although
shirt studs, diamond rings, silver drink
ing vessels, and many other quite out
of-place articles swell the list from time
10 time. Lucky finds such as those
above mentioned do not deter huSLer
from keeping a sharp lookout for less
valuable articles as they float by.
His "eagle eye" from long prac-
tice is capable ofindulging the worth OF
the floating refuse before it would DC
even discernaole 10 the ordinary OBJ
server. Mile after mile does the sewer
hunter traverse underground until
tolerably heavy bag is result Of DIS
labor. Night or day IS all one 10 tue
busber. some gangs enter the sewers
at night aud work on until morning,
while others carry out the search only
during the daytime. Rats abound
evsrvwhere. some Of them being OF
enormous size, large enough totrlghten
anv beginner at the game. The exper-
fenced husher, however, takes no no
rice Of them; and the rats are only TOO
Dleased 90 sneak away in the darkness
When a gang has done fair day or
rigbt's work and leave the sewer the
Arst bnsiness is 10 sort and divide the
s,oils The saleable goods, such as
names. rome. rags, ETC., are disposed OF
~ the marine store dealers. and any ar
tjclas of silver plate or jewelry are
DledFed. The proceeds are then added
n apv money found during the WORK.
and the whole is equally divided among
the gang.