The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1914-06-11
SCRAP METALLURC|ST
A NEW PROFESSION
on RATHER AN OLD OCCUPATION
DIGNIFIED BY HIGH SOUND
ING NAME.
(Technical WORLDLY

calls nlmSelI scrap metallurglSt,
which means that he has elevated the
business of saving old iron and kindred
metals to the dignity of science
Every city dweller who hears con-
tinually the raucous cry Of "r-raak
81 iyun," rendered to a cowbcll obi
cato, is quite willing to believe that
large proportion of his fellow citi-
zens deal, or desire to deal, in rags
old iron, and the like. But probably
every city dweller does not know that
what he regards as the loWly call
ing Of saving cast-off utensils i'm
plements, machinery, and clothing, is
business Of such magnitude as to
require the astounding investment of
seven hundred million dollars, or that
the prfI cipal firms engaged therein
have a national organization which
holds conventions just like the con-
Germs that sell things when they are
new In New York City alone are half
a score Of men who came to this coun-
try fifteen or twenty years ago, with
nothing but a desire to get rich as
soon as possible, each of whom has
since acquired million dollars or
more in the junk business.
Old Metal Used Over.
OF every one hundred pounds of
metal used in manufacturing, at
least eighty-fve pounds is returned to
service by way of the melting pot, af-
ter the article in which it originally
appeared is worn out II old metals
were not used over and over again.
there would not be enough of them
to do the work of the world
The heads of some of the big corr
porations are recognizing this, togeth-
er with the uncomfortable fact that
the junk men, and not the corpora
tions have been getting the money
Hence, the usefulness of Jacobus
The man with the new profession
is the son of junk dealer in Buffalo,
who helped in his fathers business
when he was ten years old. 1t was
not long before he became interested
in metallurgy, thinking it might be
useful in his business. It might have
been so but for the peculiar ways of
his competitors, for the old metal bust
ness is probably the crookedest of any
that is classed as legitimate. Scorn-
ing to stoop to dishonesty, Mr.. Jaco-
bus was forced to give up this bust
ness, but he quietly planned to expose
its devious methods.
New Methods of Junk Dealers.
Combining his expert knowledge Of
old metals with an intimate insight
into the ways Of old metal dealers
and his natural ability as a detective
he began his task by obtaining an
appointment in the Navy Department
This Department has several million
dollars worth of metal to dispose of
annually, which has furnished a par
tlcularly rich field for the junk men.
by combining, under gentlemens
agreement not to bid against each
other, they contrived to get copper
worth thirteen cents pound at one
or two cents a pound, and other ma
terial at proportionate rates. Also,
copper weighed on the junk mans
scales weighs but six or seven ounces
to the pound when purchased, though
the same metal runs twenty to twen
ty-five ounces to the pound when sold
if the buyer is not wise to this old
method of proceeding.
Carefully Planned the Sale.
Jacobus began operations by pre-
pairing a large quantity of old metals
from the lighthouse service for sale.
All the metals were carefully sorted
and graded. When the auctioneer was
ready, Jacobus took the floor to make
few remarks. He announced that all
metals would be sold in lots just as he
had divided them, at government
weights, with no deductions for dirt,
moisture, or anything else. When the
first call for bids was made, a man
planted in the crowd for the purpose
by Mr.. Jacobus bid very close to the
actual value of the lot. instead of
'''"iA' IL dSlloli III lIlC NdllG. uCIt "dS
tremendous sensation, followed by
some frantic bidding by the junk men,
For the first time in their lives they
paid the actual market value for all
they got; moreover, they paid for it in
real money with the melancholy as
surance that there would be no rebates
nor refunds on any preteSt whatever
The official opinion of Jacobus has
been expressed by the Paymaster Gen.
eral of the Navy:
Made Money for Government.
THE employment of a scrap metal
expert was continued durin the past
year. His services have resulted in
changes of method in shop admins
tration at several yards and stations
which have accomplished tremendous
savings to the government. A great
deal of material formerly Sc Id at low
figures, due to it's not being properly
segregated, is now profitably made use
of in various ways and in the case OF
that which is at present sold, far bet
ter prices are obtained by re ason of
recommendations relative to / is salt