New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-13

--,,.sses w which the rags are converted INTO
q. Handsomely boxed stationery. By rags one
-,,e-s:ands the refuse stuff gathered from The
,sNish-heaps dumping places and ash-bAr-
~. BY the dnapidated individuals who make
49, investigations with an iron hook and carry
Ger treasures IN great hemp bags. Rags OK
q: KIND do enter into The manufacture OF
49,. and there are hundreds OF bales Of tina;
ssss n paper mills to-day awaiting their turn
e - turned over to the men who viii rip them
s-sa-. and dash them into great watts. But the
RS .rcn which the best paper is made are
~ another class. They are clean. have never
eee- G,f!ed by the hand Of the ragpicker. and
have none OF the Objectionable features OF the
lev grade Of their kind. They come from the
s.. and collar factories and from other work
sAo,s. where large quantities OF bleached and
r-blescAei muslin are cut up by garmeni-mak-
e-s. A-a much Of the stock comes also from the
soto, .vs-ls and print works, where odds and
.-,5s 49, ,hroun aside and baied for the paper
makers
T;r,s-~ss O, Na,cs 81 these clippings are
s.,->, - ~ l.-s,s- Seer - the mill. They are
s--a-res r. c-,a-.S cne lo-e TOW contains only
.au>, s-s s1esas ...apr.es Another smaller row
,ss -. .-.--.re> r-nm nc Hrs,sh sail loits'
g., 49,. s~f AaaaNrl muslin s;-'Ts and scrap
49, So fscta~ias whore ar-2 wA;e Jeans
s,s s--.> -. usaG WNef 3 sa.e : cA'!ed 10Y
:. .s,-.- -. s- .san- anar .asg ae1 Win o'her
has s--- s-ras ,.no- gang. because ea.e Is
s..-.,r ~-sss a~a-r sse.~a- -u4,:eS u rags
IT, 80 err-,s AND re t--.@G covering are
o-.,.ss sra re great :-shtly packed masses
- .rs ~. s- pee mo MIA; : known as
So -s.s- 49,. : = machine with star
sN--~.s e.. - mans q which the STOCK IS
3D.. L.e---e he stock : supposed 10 be
= p..- .. reaches the mill IN bales the
els &. s-s: s-6 the heaps Of foreign matter
u. - A-e s-.yen .-1n The rags before ;hey are
...e- ~: @: :he 5us;er show that the process
Vs. r-c1.y necessary.
I'm -r4 buster the rags are taken IN shop
= : - The women who work at tables COW
- v-..h wire screens These operatives all
~ REGULAR hoods. which cover the whole
had and extend far TO the front. The hoods are
trimmed with fru and protect the hair and
eyes from the dust which comes from The rags
u front 81 each of these women-who are al
WAYS called girls" although many have grown
gray in the sery!ce-there is huge upright
k-te fastened TO the table. on which the strips
u material are cut. and by means of which for
ei-- s,,l stances are removed and the pieces are
divided into various grades and thrown by the
women into baskets which stand near the table.
Buttons pieces Of metal, soft rubber and all
sorts ~ things are found in the rag heaps. and
the screen girls must be on guard to see that
they DO not 90 beyond their department.
The amount If stock which these middle aged
and ola girls" handle may be judged from the
fact that ;h,y make what their employers call
-fair wages" at one-half Of a cent pound for
asserting the rags. The dust which falls
through the table screens is collected and sold 10
makers OF inferior paper.
STILL MORE CLEANING.
From the ragroom the loaded baskets go to
cutting machine. where sharp steel teeth reduce
the pieces 10 uniform size. But the papermaker
Is still in doubt as 10 the cleanliness Of his base
rock. and sends it to a second busting machine.
.n6 from this to still another. and when the rags
finally come from their third busting II is safe
To say that little remains TO be beaten out OF
chern broad apron belt carries the rags
b an opening in the floor. through which they