The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-05-22
Tragedies and Comedies
Revived at the Gene
terry of the Useless.
Love and Hate Play Their
Parts in the Lives of
DWellerS There.

NJ OST people know what the
mn dumps are and lovers may
! VI think they know what TO-
nance in the dumps would be.
But there are material dumps as well
as spiritual ones. ana they are out on
the Benning Road, where the city ash
carts deposit their freight. There are
also dumps on Capitol Hill, and near
the Soldiers Home, but they are not
so large. or so fruitful. Each. however.
has its mining colony. working with all
the zeal and hOpefulness Of Argonauts
in the early days Of California. II may
seem strange to more favored folk, but
there is a considerable part of the
population Of Washington which makes
its living. literally. on the dumps.
These dump colonies are mostly ne
groes. though now and then a broken
down. dispirited white worker may be
seen in them. There are more women
and children than there are men. and
more old men than young ones The
women wear all sorts Of nondescript
garments. with an old hat or handker-
chief or shawl tied over the head TO
keep the all-pervading ash-dust out, and
they grub in the gray piles with small
shovels or sticks, or sometimes with
the bare hands.
What They Find.
What do they find there? When it is
remembered that the contents Of ash
barrels and trash-barrels, sweepings Of
all sorts. every kind Of fiotsam and
jetsam which may accumulate in the
progress Of a civilized family, find their
way to the dumps eventually, It is evil
dent that the industrious worker
who Is not too proud, may find much
that is useful and now and then some
thing that is valuable Silver spoons
bits Of jewelry, now and then money,
turn up, and there are legends Of re-
markable finds in the way Of silverware
and Jewelry.
When you come to verify these
legends, however. they turn vague on
your hands. The people who work on
the dumps are well aware that if they
confessed TO having found y piece OF
jewelry or anything of great value. it
might get them into trouble with the
police. or with INSCRIPTIONS companions
and they do not go about announcing
such discoveries with megaphone.
Coal Chief Find.
The larger part Of their revenue come,
from coal The majority of the house
holders Of Washington do not sift then
coal, and the unburned bits come to the
dumps, to be picked out by the patient
fingers OF the poor. and collected in bas-
kets and barrels TO be sold again. II
IS said by those who know that during
the coal strike hardly any coal was
bought by the very poor in this city
They could not afford TO pay the prices
asked by the dealers and found enough
in the refuse-heaps to keep them from
freezing
This coal is sold by the dump worker:
10 washerwomen and other poor people
who have regular employment, and they
get from . TO Is cents a barrel for IL
There are ways and ways Of economic
ing, and the housekeeper who sift.
her coal IS not looked upon with favor
by servants who know Of the industr,
Of the dump-heaps. One such house
keeper, on instructing d new servant II
the duty Of coal saving. was met will
the indignant query:
You wouldn't sif' yo' coal, would you
miss. when you know dat de onlies
way some 20 folks has 20 git coal is I,
-pick II out o. de ashes?"
Not only coal. but rags, bottles
old boots and shoes. old iron an,
all sorts Of refuse are gathered from
the dumps and sold 10 those VIII
deal in such things. II IS rough work
dirty work. disagTeeable work, but 50 /
a good deal Of the labor turned over {
unskilled workers. and the dump colon
has, at any rate, the advantage Of bein
independent and choosing it's own hours
Fairly Good Income.
The Industrious. moreover. can max
a fairly good income. There Is on
woman in Washington who knows thi
by her own personal experience. Sh
had a servant, whom she was paying 81
a month. and who suited her very wei
One day the girl gave notice.
What's the matter, Martha2" aske
her mistress, aren't you satisfied wit
the place? ! can't pay you any more
] told you that when you came"
well. num-, was the answer. Il ca
do betta'n Sl2 a month workin' on 4
dumps And she did. At last account