Morris tribune., 1897-05-19
PROFITABLE SWEEPINGS.
How a Londoner Makes Use of Discarded
odds and Ends.

II
| How a Londoner Makes Use of Discarded
odds and Ends.
claim to be&he proprietor of the
very cheapest shop in London, and
without me some of the poorest Of
the poor would have to 60 even
shorter of the necessaries Of life than
they do at present. The majority Of
my things are of first class quality,
and retail them at often less than
Aalf the price of the most inferior
stuff on the market, and make a
handsome profit too, How doIman-
age it9
I am what you might term a river
marine store dealer. Every day up
| on the falling tide / proceed down
| the river with my small barge and
boat and make my way to any ship
or craft which has just discharged,
or is discharging, her cargo. The
sweepings of the ship are what /
trade in.
When ship arrives at its desti-
nation, no matter what cargo she
has, the owner of the cargo engages
extra men to help the sailors get it
out. While this work is in progress
part of the cargo more especially
if it is in bags-is sure to get spilled
about the hold and deck. When the
ship has finished discharging her
cargo, the sailors sweep her out to
make ready for the next cargo, and
the results of the sweepings are
their perquisites. n.
The vessels which ! like to buy
from most are those which contain
corn and those which have a gen
eral cargo of dry goods. AS regards
the returns. they both pay very
well. But there is far more chance
Of finding something in the latter
cargo which will give me a better
assortment For instance, bought
bag of sweepings once which con-
tanned lump sugar, haricot beans,
maize, split peas, nuts of nearly ev-
cry description, candles, nails, two
bottles of ink and a packet of writ
ing paper.
Some years ago / was offered a
cask containing something unknown
that had been picked up at sea. /
gave 5 shillings for the lot, and hook
it away. / noted the name on the
cask, and during the same evening
asked friend if he knew anybody
who would buy the contents of the
cask. He never said, one word as to
the nature of the stuff to me, but
must have gone straight to the po-
lice station, for within half an hour
there were nearly dozen policemen
at my place, demanding to know
where the cask of dynamite was
which / had offered for sale. At the
time these policemen arrived there
were over 40 pounds lying in front
of the fire to dryl
Quite the reverse from this, how
ever, was cask / bought from a
bargeman for half a crown. It con-
tanned what / thought to be lot of
dirty pieces of marble, and was
picked up on the beach near Dun
geness. | placed it in the store and
thought no more about it until some
three months later, when my son
told me he had sold it for $50 to a
gentleman who had come to fetch
some oil 1 had previously sold him.
I afterward ascertained that it was
a cask of the best india rubber in a
raw state, and its value was about
twice what the gentleman gave for
it. But / was very well satisfied,
considering / disposed of it at the
rate of $500 per cent, returnable
in three months.
Tea and coffee are sometimes not
very clean, but there is not always
any injurious dirt mixed up with
them. ! sell nothing that is not
pure, and have printed card hang
ing in the shop to that effect
Most of the maize, barley and 9th
er grain | sell as mixed corn for
poultry food. But the beans and the
best part of the wheat pass through |
a sitting machine, containing 80 |
sieves of various sizes. The wheat
is then sent to the mill and ground,
after which i turn it into bread.
This can sell at profit at half the
usual price.
No | do not think my peculiar
trade encourages .pilfering. The
profits do not allow of that. At the
time I am open to buy any
thing under the sun, from the loose
cement which falls out of the bags
to the pieces of straw which are al
ways to be seen lying about after
carefully packed cargo. london
Answers.
Her Especial Failing.