The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-04-10

in charge of q fellar as hires lot of oder
feilars an de little ole man to look after
dem. Dem fellars as he hires is profession
ais. and dey have to go over de loads as dey
cum along and get out all as Is valable.
Dem fellars has to turn up all as is picked
out an put it in de piles. Den dere's some
fellars like me- as isn't profeshs. and we
looks around to see IL we can; pick up an
sneak off sumthin' dat de other fellars amt
see. If We gets away wild it all oak. but IL
dat 'sistant boss Catches US we bav ter give
up and say nawthing; dye get on ?"
What becomes Of those coai-oil cans and
preserve tins ?"
"Do wild demp Why dey takes dem up
de soder."
"And what becomes of the tins after the
solder has been melted of-thrcwn into the
bay?"
Nav, yer off, mister; dey beats ,,em out
and bundles 'em I'D. an den dey sells 'em for
90 cents a hundred at de iron works, near
Shell Mound: you know OATS de place
where dey has de picncs-"
"What becomes Of the stuff there?"
"Dey melts 'em up, and makes SASH
weights an oder things"
"What becomes Of all this meat, stale
bread, potatoes and fruit that is In these
crates?"
"Dey eats 'em, mister" was the laconic
reply, which carried with II disturbance in
the region Of the stomach akin to that pro-
dueed by seasicknesS.
"What?" asked the reporter. do you
mean to say that human beings eat that
stuff that has been gathered out of the dust,
ashes. manure and the Lord only knows
what? Why, who eats such stuff"
Dem fellers, answered the tough youth,
pointing to the pickers. San den de buns as
works here for a spell ought ter see dem go
for de stuff. an dey thinks it's good"
Do you mean TO tell Inc that there are
human beings who can enjoy this foul
smelling stuff"
Eyes. and der's some as Is better dan de
buns as uses dis for grub. Der's some
feliars aroun' here as can buy all de decent
grub dey want, but dey won't Dey
pick out all de best outer de baskets and
takes 1t home. Dey washes de meat an de
too much mussed dey wipes 1t off; If it is.
dey cuts off de crust, an eats de inside. Eff
yer doesn't believe me git yerseif on de
oder side Of de bridge an watch de buns
coOkin' an' eatln'. Say. mister, Yer was
taikiD' Of smell; yer oughter come down here
Saturday mornin's, when dey dumps de fish
from de markets, den de time yer'll git it.
i never Gums down here Saturdays. dem's
my days Off"
Il believe that 1 understood you to say
that only certain people are allowed to pick
on these dumps?"
That's what's what, mister; yer couldn't
cum down here an go pickin' on de dumps"
II don't want to. said the reporter inter-
Tupting.
Don't 'spose yer want to; but was say
fire you so quick ye'd think yer was struck
by giant powder 'splOsiOn," and the tough
youth laughed ut what he thought, no DOUBT
was witty answer.
as there much money in this business ?'
"Yer can Just bet der is; If dat boss don't
make four hundred scadsa month he ain
making a cent. A scad's a dollar, git on?
But say. mister, IL yer want TO know any
more bout this biz jest skip around and find
de boss. He's round here somewhere; he's
Joe fellar wild blue shirt and BLACK
SLOUGH hat. Pm going for some OF dat beer,
mister" and with that he walked away.
1t was not long before an individual an
swerlng to the description given of Joe
approached. and being asked q question
admitted that lie was the one who looked
after the men 1T work on the dumps.
In answer to questions asked him be
stated that he did not keep an account of
the men who worked on the dumps, but that
sometimes there were as many as go, and
that on an average 800 loads day were
dumped on the spot by the ashmen. He
also said that these loads are not dumped
into the water but have to be turned out at
a particular spot designated SO that the
pickers can overhaul them.
Joe was then asked what was done with
the scraps of bread and meat and potatoes
that were in the crate.
THAT, we sell i; for chicken feed"
do any OF the men who work here ever
eat any Of this?" asked the reporter, who
wished 70 know il the tough youths story
would be corr0borated.
''Somstimes some of the buns who camp
on the other side take some bread and pc
tstoes and cook it,"
al notice that what other people don't
want you save and make money out of it."
THAT is So" said Joe; every thing brings
something"
do you allow any one who wants to come
down here. aud 60 over the piles to look for
anything they may find?"
why, certainly not. IL We allowed that
there would not be any money in il, and we
do not want to work for nothing"
Further conversation drew out the fac.
that sometimes the pickers find knives, forks
and spoons that are thrown into the ash
barrels by careless servants, but that the
finding of gold watches, diamond rings and
500 pieces is something that exists only in
the Imagination OF those who like to tell
big yarns. The matter saved from the
dumps Is allowed to accumulate until suf-
hcient quantity Is collected to warrant It's
bundling or baling, after which Ii is sent to
dealers in rags, who Ia turn ship the white
rags TO paper to be converted iuto fine
WOODEN principally, 10 mills to be made up
into shoddy cloth, the glass 10 the glass
works, the iron TO the rolling mills, and the
other articles TO those who deal In the mate
rial offered.
Joe complained that there is not as much
money In the business as there might bs il
the scavengers would bring everything to
the dumps. you see," said he, "these
men are daily called upon to clear away