Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-09-07

Sometimes the Discarded Sets Are Cleans
ed, frightened Up a1d Resold, and
sometimes They Are Broken Up For the
Old Gold In Them.
"Old False Teeth Bought
This is the sign which attracts the
attention of visitors to the office of q
certain dealer in dental and optical sup
plies who does business IN Chicago.
ITS queer how people are attracted
by that sign said the owner of the
establishment. 81 never intended it to
be prominent, because there are ether
lines in my business am more interest
cd in pushing, hut it seems TO fairly
force itself into the minds of everybody
who comes here, no matter what his
mission may be, and old false teeth
bought is the only thing they can think
or talk about.
There's nothing audacious in deal
ing in secondhand false teeth, although
will admit the sign Is an unusual one.
1t is a legitimate branch Of our trade
With ordinary usage false teeth don't
wear out aud are Just as good at the end
Of few years as they were when new.
The teeth themselves are valuable, and
the gold work used in binding even the
commonplace kind together is costly.
People are forever getting new ideas
about their teeth and keep the dentists
bhsy changing or building over their
artificial molars. Then, you remember
that whole lot of people who wear
false teeth are dying every day.
Ten years ago there was no way Of
utilizing this old material. 1t was all
dead waste, so to speak. But now it is
different, and people are more econom-
ical. False teeth, especially il heavily
set with gold plates are worth too much
money TO be cast aside when new ones
are ordered or to 10 buried in grave.
Thus 1t comes that trade OF consider
able proportions has sprung up in this
line, and old false teeth are q staple in
this market
"Who brings them here to sell ard
what class of customers buy them:"
Small dentists vino arc hard mp
financially and lack the inclination CT
facilities TO clean up and build over the
discarded sets, which they are sharp
euoCgh To retain from their patrons, are
the main source Of supply. Sometimes
they make their Patrons little allow
aHCe for the old sets Of teeth, but they
get ont Of this whenever possible ON the
have pco- folk who cannot affuId to
wear false teeth any longer come il
here occasionally and Offer them for
sale. Underwriters: Well, that il . fca-
ture Of the trade / don't care to tall;
about. 1 might be misunderstood, and
some pcOple are 90 sgueauiisb, you
know.
"Why, one woman came in here yes
I-,r. L.
cd like good customer and was inspect
ing some high priced glasses when 1
stopped to wait upon man who fire.
quontly brings IN some fine teeth. She
saw me take q set from him and pay
for them, and then, noticing probably
his somber clothes and an end of black
Grape sticking out of one of his side
pockets, she luunced away III fury
without a word Of explanation. II is
hard to please everybody, and as times
arc hard 1 have to- be very careful"
"But what about your sales? Who
takes these old grinders and incisors
from you:'
principally q class of men who
make business of working over the
sets. When tho outfit is in reasonably
good shape, il Is given thorough
cleansing, frightened up, and then re-
sold TO dentists who have a cheap pat
ronage. y little tinkering will make
them fit after fashion in the mouths
of people who want To- make show of
false teeth at small cost. Where the sets
are not good enough - be used entire
they are broken up, the gold either
melted down or saved to be remodeled,
and the teeth themselves remounted as
they are needed Tor patients. It's good
thing for poor people, for many Of them
are thus enabled 10 get passnbly fair
false teeth at nominal price, when
otherwise they would have to go with
out, owing 20 the great expense. Excuse
me while 1 wait upon this woman.
When The Inter Ocean man left tho
establishment, the merchant was dick
oring with an ample proportional At
rican "aunty' for a double set of teeth
with heavy gold plates, which she said
she had found in a hotel where she
worked rs chambermaid.
der Eenman' don go to at 'ors-
pital, said aunty. "E's WIZ go sick
when dey tax i'm way he dom clar
forgot lis teet', an 1 doan' spec he'll
wan 'em any more. Steal 'em? No,
sab no, sab! Boss, a say tax ole
truck way. 1 doan' want 'em round
ere Ole truck-umph. umph-why,
OATS jes' like findin five dollahs. -
Chicago Inter Ocean.