The New York Herald Newspaper, October 5, 1853, Page 2

THE RAG PICKERS OF NEW YORK. WHERE DO ALL THE RAGS COME FROM? we eee GOCIAL LIFE OF THE RAG PICKERS. THEIR AMUSEMENTS. Whe Dwellings of the Chifonniers. THE RAG PEDLARS AND RAG MERCHANTS, &o., ke, &e. Light as we may esteem it, there are very few bramches Of business of more importance taan the rag trade, Last year the imports of rags of all kinds into the United Btates amounted te 18,295,458 pounds, and of these 10,058,652 pounds were from italy alone. Englaud seat Bs 1,617,359; the Haase Towns, 1,055,008; Turkey, Levant, Bee. 1,446,626; and Trivsto and other Austrian ports 2,161,988 pounds. No other country in the world, strange te say, is more dependent upon rags than the Unived Btates, and this is ins great wvasure attributable to the fmmense consumption of paper in the publication of Bewspapers, magazines, and works of all kinds, besides what is used for commercial and mercantile purposes. These facts will incline us to look with more respect on the chiffeaniers whom we see daily in our streets pick. ing up the scraps of paper and rags which are thrown out avery morning with the sweepings of the stores. They fre at the basis of this great trade, and supply an im wense propertien of the material from which that indi: pensible article, paper, is made. Abvut twelve or ifteen ears ago the rag trade was contined to a few Germans Bod Irish, maay of whom haye acquired large fortunes find are still im the business. They are employed in its higher branches, however, and are now dignitied by the Sppellation of rag merchants. During the last eight or ten years the large inilux of ewigrants has greatly ia Greased the number of rag pickers, aud they are now esti wasted at about five thousand. Of these about five-sixths gre German and the remainder are Irish. This includes @nly those who pick up rags in the streets, and who go Found the city with bell carts, &c., buying them, or giv- fing china and other ornaments im exchange for them. ‘The street pickers are also culled hookers, from the little fron hook with which they are always armed. Those pick Bp rags, bones, metal, India rubber, old boots and shoes, and, in fact, anything that can be sold or converted to aay wseful purpose. There are also paper pickers, who pick Bp the paper swept from stores and shops; and the deal- rs, who act as a kind of middle men, purchasing from the gag pickers and others, und selling at a certaia per cent ge to the rag merchants. There are some rag dealers who buy only the clippings of tailors, shirt and cap- woakers, and others enguged in the manufacture of the warious articles of dress. A portion of tue rags or rem- pants which they purchase is made into rag carpets. This is an exceedingly lucrative branch of the pnd large fortunes have been reali: wpoa credit, and who is now worth over ten tuousat Jars. Some years ago it required less capital than it Bow, in consequence of the greater cheapness of th pings, but thea there were very few en, all the German dealers in it xt present be, ago with a few dollars. Those are in co. dependent circumstances, aul, unlike those in ti trade, who livo in the midst of Glth, they dwell in well furnished houses. clip: dim it, Nearly n some years table and in There are some dealers who are extensively engaged in | of its own which would equal in interest the celebrated | the purchase of tailors’ clippings, and who buy princi pally from the various clothiug stores throaghout the Gity. They employ from tweuty to three hundced hands, Gel women,) at from twelve shillings to twenty per week, for sorting their rags. Some are paid by the hundred pounds for this kind of work. Thoy sort the clippings @ccording to their quality, A large proportion of th joollen rags is made into a kiud of cloth called “ shoddy bbe preparation of the rags for the manufacture of shoddy both curious and interesting. aade are reduced by means of machinery te their orix mmanufactured state—they are, in fact, litera Bio wool. This wool, after some preparatory cleauing focess, and boing mixed with new wool, is made into all Kinds of cloth. Of course there are varieties of this clota, ome of which is said to be nearly as durable as th made from new wool, but it is generally inferior. immense quantities of rags are obtained from Nov Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Comnecticut, aud feo all parts of the Union, by the paper manufacturers «f this State. Every grocers shop ina village purciases the rags from the inhabitants and collects them for the mg merchant, who has his agents travelling over the country. In this way millions of pounds are collected yearly, in ad- dition to what is gathered by the country and city pod- Jars and the rag pickers. Thero are some paper makers who consume each six million pounds of rags every year, the valuo of which, at an average of five cents per pound, is three hundred thousand doliars. In the printing of the Henan wo use one milion nine hundred and seventy one thousand pounds of paper every year, or nine hundred and @ighty-five toms anda half. in the manufacture of this Amount of paper three million two hundred and eighty-five Moweand pounds of rags are required. If wo estimate the walue of these rags at one hundred and fifty thousand dol lars, it will be found that no less than five hundred rag Pickers, earning six dollars 2 week, are dependent ou the Publication of the Hewat for support. Some idea may be formed ofthe value of the paper Picked up in the streets when we inform our readers that it amounts in the aggregate to about fifty tons a week. Immense quantities are sold by bookbinders, banibox makers, and others engaged in the extensive consumption Of paper. The best kind of this refuse paper is remana factured into book and general printing paper, while that of inferior quality js made into hanging paper for walls Gnd binders’ or paste board. The refuse paper is sold at erious priges from one to five cents per pound. The number of wholesale rag dealers and merehants in New York is estimated at one hundrod. Besides these there are seven hundred licensed and unlicensed jank | shops, which buy rags froin housekeepers and rag pickers, | end séll them to the rag dealers, | The rags of which it is torn | up ofthe cast-e dresses which they are so fortunate aste with as much sest, perhaps, as any other class of people. pick up city, and sometimes they purchase it from the pedlars of china ornaments, who, in exchange for thei ware, are | tions. Thea the lager bier saloons may be socn im all content to receive an old coat, vest, or any other article | their glory. Formerly they had balls on Sunday night; of dress which is thrown off by the original wearer as un- fit for further use. These clothes are not, as may be supposed, much improved by coming in con- tect with dirt of every kind, and in a few months to ren- im fact, are so worn and full of rents der frequent repairing necessary. as It is, quite a common thing to see a coat literally made up of patches, none of which are ever by any chance of the same color. The many-colored garment which the Scrip tures tell us was worn by Joseph we are certain was not “ circumstance’ compared with the garments of the New York rag pickers. Black, red, green, browa, parple, blue, yellow, all the colors of the rainbow and many that never were seen there, are tv bv found im a chifounier’s coat. The children, of whom, as we have stated, there is generally a large number in each family, are very poorly clad at all seasons of the year, They are, however, healthy and hardy, and are capable of enduring an ex- tracrdinary amount of hardship and privation, as is evi- dent from their manner of It seems incredible that young and tender children could be reared in the poverty we have seen; but it would actually appear as if they grew fat and hearty in the midst of it, One winter passed in some of the habita- tions we have seen would kill three-fyurths of the child- ren of our wealthy citizens who have been brought up ia the midst of all the comforts and luxuries of life. Here is a problem for political economists to solve, How is it thata state of poverty is favorable to the increase of population, while wealth and iuxury is, om the contrary, inimical to it? ‘Ihe dwellings of the chiffonniers correspond with the ap- pearance of the inmates. Some of thom are miserable hovels, consisting of one or two apartments, which in sixo exhibit the remarkable economy that has been at- tained of late years in the erection of houses for the poor. ‘The bedroom is very seldom ifever lighted by a window, and of course is never thoroughly ventilated. Imagine a room about eight fees by ten, without any light ex- cept what it receives through the door, and occu- pied by five or six persons every night, and you can have something like an idea of the sleeping apartment of a rag picker. The sitting room is made to answer all the purposes of a sleeping apartment also and a kitchen, The furniture is, as a general thing, of the worst description, but we have seen inoue or two rooins mahogany bedsteads that would grace the sleeping apartiaent of any of those who belong to what is termed the upper classes. How such furniture found its way into these dwellings 1t would be hard to determine. Some of the rag’ pickers pride themselves on the style in which their rooms are furaish- their occupation it is almost impossible to preserve clean lines. They must keep their rags im some part of their up out of the street, they engender dirt and dust, and sometimes infect the atmosphere with a most disa- greeable odor. Those who are so fortunate as to have a» yard attached to their dwell- lings hang their rags out to dy; stretcl€d trom wall to wall in every direction, appear- ing, when seen from above, like network. On these lines you can see rags of every c condition, collected from the city—ban dages still bearing the the servic which they were employed, the tattered remnants of shirts, si 1 parts o evidences of ngs with a 4. Little does the weaver imagine, st costly pivee of cloth, “to what Fach piece that the and flings into his nand old bones, has a history } total of human dr | when enguged on the vile purposes it must come at last.’ | ehiffonnier serapes ow | basket among Scraps of i Adventures of a ng: but the rag pickers are never | ‘afflicted with philosophic speculations of any kind, and the interest they attach to ags is in proportion only to the price they will bring. Third street is inhabited by a large number of rag pick | ers, who ehiefly occupy rear houses. In one part of this | street there are nine rear houses, which are, we beliew entirely occupied by them. They are four stories high, and the number of inmates in each ranges from fifty te | one hundved. On every atory there isa balcony, wi projects some eight or tea feet from tho rear, the front of the houses being laid out ina similar manner. Those | balconies are alo hung with rags, so closely arranged to- gether on lines that the windows are only dimly diso | blo through the open space. The whole of the frout anl | buck of the houses, from basement to attic, is literally | covered with rags, and whon there isa pretty strong wiad | the appearance presented by these, as they are blowa to | and fro, can better be imagined than described. Each day's collection as itis br F shed and hung up to dr 4 much better on these Ines, a4 tiaey cleaned | price w | Besides several others | and in the r part of the by these people. Those who live up town, from Twen | tieth to Fortieth street, generally occupy those little wooden shanties erected on 4. In alition to by rag piel they feed wpon tl streets or procure at Louses this isolated manner is, | with thore who congr garious sort of people | among them, but the distinctions are not strongly mark- ed, Some are employ ing bones and rags, while others are exclusively engaged in picking and paper. Where there is a whole family engaged in the business the rage are washed and hung up to dry as we have described. When suficiently dried they are taken down, packed in large bales, and sold to | rag merchants, who visi cts at regular intervals through the week. Those who are too poor to wait till they can collect them in such quanti vry what they have gathered during the day to the shop at once and sell them. These rags are generally full of dirt, and will not bring more than two cents « pound. ‘The street rag pickers who live in those houses we have described have certain beats or I ios out of which they seldom or never travel. Where there is a largo family they make a division of work, so tha bers are never out at the sam ‘Thus the day is divided into three or more parts, in proportion to the age they find in the number who live in very triding compared for ¢ re a gre- howey te t THE RAG DISTRICTS OF NEW YORK. THE DWELLINGS OF TOS CAIFPONNIERS, ErC. Nover were we more convinced of the truth of the old pring, that “One half the world don’t know how the Jher balf lives,”’ than when on a visit to the rag districts »New York. We selected Saturday as the most auspicion time for the purposes of our visit among this pe @lass of people, as it is the busiest day of the week with | them, and they are of course to be seen to much better Bdvantage. Accompanied by Mr. Morris, the Health Warden of the Eleventh ward, who kindly volunteered his essistance, and to whom we are indebted for much of oar pformation, we set out about one o'clock on our tour of Observation, The Eleventh ward is par excellence the rag ward of the city, and wo should judge, from what we saw of the population in aud out of doors, young pnd old, male and female, that it cannot contain less than Tom two to three thousand chiffon They live prin Cipally in Pitt, Third, Clinton, Fifth, Ridge, Stanto. Bivington and Goerck streets, but they may be glso found scattered throughout the ward A ® general thing, however, they live in communi- bat when fies of from three to four hundred We ssy in communities wo do not moan accorling to the fommunist plan, for they are decite ed to any: Shing liko an equal division of property. Wholo familie pf eight, nine, ton and twelve, are employed on the streets ef New York picking rags;ani when the first blush of gmorning is seen on the eastern sky they inay be 1 issuing from the alleyways th ad into tions, with » basket or bag in one he Land a rag hook in » various lit the other, prepared for an onslaught on th and big heaps of dirt which our benero) silows to encumber the streets. It is a pe ny of chill @ places of this wart a Here, in this fara ating sight to beliold t in detachments from t fuses itself over the city may see an old, decrepit wornan, perhaps th or groat-grandmother, hobbling along ould suppose, to move a step, and be i xidling in quest of rags and paper, a pore than five or six years of ge woman, helpless a4 sho looks, ant that y prefooted and often bareheaded, sometimes pdfour dollars a week cach by grubbing In t city. Then there is anotler group, compos pers of one family, surroun @ bandeart which is Qeawn by 8 man or boy aud—two dogs, But thove do got all remain with the cart, one or two being considered pofficient for all purpores. ‘The clothing of these people is of vse worst desoription, ani, #0 far na thoir ragged uppe regarded, is cer Geol e tavligative « th is made number of members in the faruily, two or three of whoat sally forth about three o'clock in the morning. These go round their particular be five or six o'clock | when their place is » others, and #0 on till the labors of the d The younger scions of norning, some ployed ting paper, rning till are en he lowe! of them not ret | principally which they se filling throe or four bags ia paper is bought by the 1 and Third wards, The p amounts to one and as 60 bogs ar course of one day. s in the F some They oecasionally pick up knives and money. and we were told of one rag wateh and chain, y which an owner never appeared found a gold 1 dollars for all returned they commence separe ting the woollen from th and placing the bones with which the snp by them selves, These bones boil, and sell the fat to soap and candle manufacturers, and ¢ bone nian bought by agents of tl them at regular i It is only in very rar the busine re of man pickers fellow arrive at the a ent soo or Ww into th rviee of parents themselves, when ¢ avo @ money for the purpose, en V 4 : purchase farms. They wre ¢ or five ut we 1 a great boxer, which the get @ bunk bill they if they have to 5 TC In the summer seas rags in the litt vegetables being left entirely to the work their way th h the world HOW THE CHIPFONNiuks AMUSO THe SELVE rs work hard, and are very wrong to infor that they On the contrary, they sure excursions Although thrift never indulge in ar enjoy themselves the eh and saving, it would by ment amus at tole and om ed, and the neatness with which they are kept; but in | chestre. dwellings, and as the principal part of these are picked | on lines, which are | or, and in every | in | front of the orchestra. ul without feet, and the remains | | of all that terrible array of articles wiich make ap the sum | ty, which are inhabited | ney keep two or more | gombatants, | or fighting, vat in the course of their wanderings through the | Sunday is their great day for recreation, and they look forward to its approach with the most pleasing anticips- but as they disturbed the peace of the neighborhood, aud were complained of as a nuisance, they were prohibited on that day. Now the rag pickers, in company with the Germans employed at other occupations, pasa their even. ings in the saloona, Here comes the lover, with his fair one, to plead’his suit over a glass of the favorite liquor, and as their hearts are melted by its mellowing iaflaence they make to each other vows of eternal fidelity. The husband and his row, too, come here te forget in the plea sures of the moment the cares and hardships of their every day life. What care they now for the sneers and insults which they meet in the pursuit of their business. They cam afford to treat them with indiderence while they have in their power the means of eujoying thein- selves. They are, besides, their own masters, an ave mot dependent for support on the capricious will of an em- ployer. They are, in fact, indispensable to the busi of the city, for if they suspemied their labor for two or three months the scarcity of rags which would follow would cause a corresponding increase in the price of paper. It is astonishing what immenso quantities of rags, payer, &e., are daily collected in the streets of New York. But the strongest proof of this is to be found in the fact that four or five thousand people make a sub- sistence from them. These are suflicient reasons why the chiffonniers should feel independent, altiough their occu pation may be regarded by some as degrading and de- meaning. ‘The lager bier halls and saloons are crowded every Sun- day evening, from six or seven till eleven and twolve. They bear on their exterior a sign'in German, informing tho passer-by that the best beer is sold inside, On enter- ng you discover at the end of the barroom a hall capa- ble of holding from one to twe hundred people. This inll is furnished with long tables, which extend its entire length, leaving a narrow passage for the company. The seats are generally bonches, except in the higher class of saloons, where they can alford chairs. The walls are almost invariably hung with pictures representing drink- ng scenes, desperate conflicts with brigands, lovers! ourtships, shipwrecks, and any subject that ix calculated ‘o arrest the attention or excite an interest in the specta- tor. In some of the saloons the entrance is decorated with drapery, which falls gracefully on either side, giving it when viewed from the street ti: appearance of @ stage curtain, Musio is indis- pensible to the successful management of saloons, and they are consequently never without a ban] of three or more performers—in one we counted seven. The musi- | cians are perched up in a sort of box, which is fastened to the side ef the wall about half way between the floor and ceiling, and which is dignified by the title of an or- Here they sit for five or six hours, playing for the amusement of the convivial crowd bensath, who ap- plaud at the termination of each piece with the greatest enthusiasm, The favorite airs are of a national charac- ter, reminding them of their fatherland, and bringing back the scenes of their youth; but the music is generally of a miscellaneous kind, consisting of walizes, selee- | tions from operas, &e. In some of these saloons the | music is varied with performances partaking of a thea- trical character, without, however, the dress, scenery and other paraphernalia of the stage. The actors, of whom there are seldom more than two, go through the per- ‘ formance on # sort of enclosed platform projecting in Sometimes they sing and some- | times recite their partis, the subject being alinost always of a humorous character. On the occasion of our visit | the actors, a man and woman, sang their paris. The | title of the piece we could not ascertain, but it was evi- | denuy, from the pantomimic part of it, intended to repre- | cent a quarrel between a husband and wife. The former | bore a glass of lager bier in one hand, while his stagger- | ing gait and drunken looks told as plainly as words that he was a votary of the jolly god. ili wife was lecturing | him upon his conduct; but each rebuke appeared only to | excite his merriment, andin utter desance oi Ler he would flourish the beer glass in her face and drink the beer with | the greatest gofit imaginuble. Finding that all her scold- ing was useless, she gave it up in utter despair, and then, tasting the obnoxious liquor, she found herself unable te resist the temptation of tasting it again and again, until she was reduced to the same state of happy forgetfulness of ali earthly cares with her husband. In this condition they vetived from the stage arnt in arm, amid the applause and laughter of the audience. While these performances are going on, the waiters—for | whem, like the wicked, there appears to be no rest—are constantly employed running from the barroom to all 1arts of the saloon with glasses brimming with the fayor- | ite beverage. ‘There seems to be no end to the lager bier; and the company drink it with such desperate determina- tion that one @nacquainted with the German customs would think they were drinki revolved on draining the bier barrel. dry. They are also most inveterate stuckers, and by the time they are pre | Paring to leave the saloon is so densely filled with smoke that persons at one end of it can with difficulty see those at the other. It is very scliom that the peace of these assomblies is disturbed by quarrels when an affray does occur, it not unfrequently assumes a most serious | character, and knives are rometimes uscd by the ‘These kinds of amusement may shock the | | refinement of the polished classes of upper tendom, whe | turn up th a sort of classification | Goo is not with disdain at such vulgar pleasures; | but, after all, what is the difference between one of these | lager bier hails and fashionable saloon in Brondway ? » pretentious as the other, re te rt that the liquor which is sold at the former i; leas , | injurious than what 14 obtained at the latter, Those, also, | pretend to religion may exclaiin » 2 y evening, and denow: breaking; but let them examine the nutely, and they will find, perhaps, ‘hat their most pro- minent vices are of a worse characies. Such people, in the words of Hudibras, und for sins they are inolined te damning those they have uo mind te! Since {he balls on Sunday evenings were suppressed. by the police, they hold thei on other evenings. They are not, properly speaking, rag pickers’ balls, as they are attended ners; but the company is almost exclusively German. Some time ago, however, the rag pickers had @ ball of their own, and those who wei sent at it informed us that it had taken place in that sect inst this way of it as Sabbath- own conduct mi- pres the most brilliant that time. The patched garme: thrown asi cecarion, and their place supplied by clothes which a Browdway bean or belle would not have been ashamed to wear. The display of jewelry wa surpisin’. Mon, who might be seen wanderin, abou the streets every day delving into dirt heaps, sported massive gol! wateu chains, while the fingers of the women were ornamented | with rings. ‘This looks like exaggeration, but we are per- suaded from what we have seen that is to a great extent, if not wholly, true. The favorite dance of the Germans is the waltz, and to this they devote nearly the whole night ‘the floor is covered with waltzers, who sweep in their gyrations from of the room to the other with such rapidity as to render collisions protty dan gerous. The women enjoy it than the men, and it is very seldom that they are tived out first. They will keep whiding about in the giddy mazes of this dance for half an hour be think of leaving the oor. The prices of admission to these balls is twenty-five cents, a half » dollar, and a dol lar, but it seldom exceeds a dollar, Some of the balls are fice, the proprietor of the 1 of lies liquors for his one end pear to mo ve they vor dh rotits, resort to I is the On Sundays the ra they enjoy th trees. Their national seldogyt ing a1 | they are never elow ia their defen nie p Mai es ne Geri eat hol val of th n race, sare disturbed when at ad if ono of numbe sinto a di ni bout the police them. We 1 t one of wessful ope 3, baving, we are in ia mi of Letween two and three thoussnd ¢ the aul cord! t rulos of this ms i tubers ng are entitied to receive n providing against that ae ie | of two or three societies, so that, when they are con Gned to their beda and unable to wor y receive ag till they are suf ‘Tae much as eight and twelve dollars a me their labor ficiently recovered to re fed soon after its teainboat for t jred dollars, ‘The loewlity 1 the society to which we have 9 and chartered & up an exeursivi pore at an expense of three hu defrayed by an assessment on the members selected was sone place up the fi they had another, on some part of Long Island, te which they were conveyed by stages, which were waiting for them at the Williamsburg ferry. The members brought their familiés with them, each one of which had, bofore setting out, provided themselves with their own previs- ions and lager bier-—an indispensable requisite in all Ger- man merry inskings, THE RAG PEDLARS. These may be divided into three classes: those who go round the city with @ cart and bells; then the country pedlars, who take a more extensive field for thoir opora- tions, and who have a larger capital for their business; and, lastly, those who peddle china ornaments for rags and old clothes. The country pedlars have two or more carts and horses, and extend their expeditions as far as a hun- dred miles from the city. They set out with a load of tim ware, and, stopping at farmers’ houses, they exchange them for the rags, of which tho careful and saving house- wife always has & heap ready, in anticipation of their visit. Some buy the rags, and when they have a full load return with it to this city or Philadelphia, where they dispose of it to the paper makers, or wholesale rag m ants. New Jersey is their favorite State, and there are « considerable number of them living in Newark. Their horses cost from twenty-five to one hundred aad fifty dollars, and their carts are variously estimated at from twenty to weventy -Gve dollars. The city pediars, or, a4 they are sometimes called, bellmen, from the bells which are always attached to their carts, may be subdivided into two classes—those who own horses and those whe draw their own carts. These men, in addition to rags, buy old metal of all kinds, and in fact anything on whick they can make a profit, from an old stove te an old pair of overalls, Thoy buy principally from housekeepers, and make # large per cent- age on their purchases, sometimes as much as two or- three hundred per cent. It is amusing to see thd bard Lacguins they make, and the maneuvreing way in whicu Ley transact their business. If you were to believe thom the price they pay for the rags or old metal is ruiuing (hem. ‘This process of destruction goes on every day; but, strange to say, the pediar thrives and becomes wealthy upon it. These pedlers are generally the possessors of a junkshop. ‘The pedlara who exchange china ornamonts for rags aro not so numerous as the bellmen, who have toa great ex- ent monopolized their business within the last eight or ‘tom years. THE DOGS OF THE CHIFFONNIERS. , ‘There are very fo of our New York readers who have not seen, at one time or another, # rag picker’s dog em- ployed in company with his owner in drawing the hand- cart which contains the rags. They are literally beasts of burthen, and their labor is of the hardest kind. From five or six in the morning till four or five in the afternoon they are yoked to these carts, and it is astonishing what fatigue they canendure, When the load is too heavy two are always employed, and these, with a boy or man, will make the tour of nearly half the city in quest of rags or bones. The chiffonnier’s dog is fed on the refuse meat and offal of slaughter houses; but this is not sparingly distributed, as is evideat from the general plump appear- ance of the animal. The dogs are almost invariably reared by their owners, and have to underge a course of training before they wre placed under a cart. A new dog, when yoked for the first time, exhibits all the obstinacy of a mule, and it takes two or three days and sometimes a week before he can be thoroughly trained. Whea he gets om the harness he will plunge aad bolt in his en- deavors to get out of it. Frequent applications of the whip always succeed in taming him, and in a few days he learns to endure the yoke. It 1s a dilticalt task, how- ever, to entirely subdue the instincts of the animal, and occasionally, when he sees a group of dogs enjoying thein- selves in the most unrestrained liberty, he will persist in forgetting his condition and attempt to join them. Alter a month or two of hard work he becomes quite sober and serious, resigns himself to his fate, and passes by all other dogs with the most stoical indille- gs employed by the rag pickers are a cross of the or Newfoundland, and some other breeds. There re also a considerable number of curs among them; but they are not se strong or so weil adapted to the work as either of those breeds we have named. The constant drawing of the carts increases their natural strength of muscle to an astonishing degr Many instances are related of their sagacity, and certainly, if all that ix told of them be true, they appear to possess that quality in no ordinary degree. We were informed that some will, if their owners are not punctual to the hour at which their day’s work commences, go to the door and bark until they have roused them from their shunabers. We heard another story of a dog, which, instead of going to his kennel to rest after the labors of the day, would betake himself to the streets, after his master had gone to bed, and pick up whatever rags he could find. In the morning, says our informant, he would have » large Leap collected, ‘This was an invaluable dog; but this story is too like some we have read in Baron Munchau- seu’s wonderful adventures to be true, It must, there- fore, be received with some allewance, for we are incline to think that the rag pickers are occasionally fond of ex- aggeration. 4 SKRTOH FSOM BEAL LIFE. We believe there is nota human bving in existence whose life is utterly devoid of interest. “ihe history of a poor match girl, a strees sweeper, or a rag picker—hum- ble und degrading as some regard the varius occupations in which they eke out @ subsistence—would furnish inci- dents for a story as interesting as any over written. It is the truthful character of jvickens’ novels, and their faith- ful portraiture of the seenes, actions, events and persons of the world in which we move that give them the pecu- liar charm they possess. He Las done what no authors before him thought of, if we except Scott anda few others; he las gone down into the lowest classes of s0- civty, and presented their real condition to the world, embellished, itis true, with the pootry of a glowing and powerlul imagination, Lut still so true to nature that wo must recognise his portraits as real, It has beon our particular desire in our sketches ef the industrial classes to avid as much as porsible auything that mgt have tue appearance of sand cir stigations inv what is cailed lancy sketching, and to relate fac cumstances as we dud them. La our i the condition of the rag pickers, we have therefore con- tented our with a simple description of what wo two grand children, ene abeut four and the other about six years old, se that you see there are seven of us altogether to feed, and God knows that’s a hard job. Two of my daughters are engaged at some kind of needlework, but it pays very poorly, and the other is employed at home, but she goes out whenever she can get a day's washing to de. My grandchildren are too young to do anything yet.”’ “ Your danghters would not be able to support you out of their own earnings,” we suggested, “No, sir; they are trying to get slong as well as they can, and they have to work hard to support themselves nd the rest of the family, Anything that I make, though ever so little, helps us along.” What do you pay a month for your reat?” “Five dollars tor two rooms, which we have to pay in sdvance always, for fear of being turned out, for our landlord is very strict. When there isn’t a flush of work for my daughters we tind it very hard to raise enough to pay the rent. When we arrived im this country, about three years ago, one of my daughters was engaged as a nurse in a family, and got twelve dollars @ month, while the other went out to service, and earned five or six dollars @ month. We found it casier to manage then, for things was not so dear, and then there was not so many of us at home te support. Now, they are all at home, and of course there are more mouths to Gill. “What induced you to take to rag picking for a living?” “I saw some women at it, and I thought that they must be making more than if they were picking up sticks. Besides, I heard that it paid better, from one of the rag pickers, and I concluded it was better to goatit, The most of what I pick up is paper, but I take all that I can get, except bones. If 1 come across old iron, ropes, or anything of that sort, I always put it im my bag.” ‘What time in the morning do you begin your work?” “J generally am awake about three or four o'clock, Luts as that is too early te go to wok « Llie awake in bed till five or six, when daylight bogin: io break, and then I start. If I did not lie awake till that time, but fell asleep, I would be afraid, you seo, of sleep- ing too late, and losing the whole morning.”” “Besides the raga and papers that I pick up in the among the sweepings of stores, which are gonerally kept for me by the persons who sweep out, and who know me. Sometimes when I happen to be too late, I don’t get the paper because they cun’t keep them for me till I come around again, though some of them do, And then you ace if I was late, I would lose my chance at the pickings im the streets besides, for they are taken up at once by other ragpickers. The only streets I travel through is the Bowery and Chatham, from Hester down to the Park, where my journey ends.”’ “ About what time do you get through your morning's work f”” “Nine or ten o'clock, when I sell all the papers I have gathered, and get some breakfast, which is generally a piece of breadandsome milk. When I have done that, I go down to the docks about Washington Market, where I pick up rags and paper and anything else I may find ly- ing about the streets.” “Do you ever happen to find any money when you are engaged at this work ?”” “Sometime, but it is very seldom. Now, yesterday I found a three cent piece, and one day I was lucky enongh to find two sixpences, But it is not often that happens. Another day I found a lot of knives, wrapped up in @ pa- per parcel, which I picked among the sweepings of a store. | I knew from the weight that it could not be papor only, and I was right, for when I opened it I found a lot of knives. I then took them into the store and gave them | to the boy himself, and not the owner, because I knew if Igave them to him that the boy would be blamed for his carelessness, and I should not like that, as he was always very good to me, and kept the paper for me whon I couldn't get around, and indeed the owner of the sto was very good to me himself, aud often gave me som thing to help me along.’? “What tine do you go home im the evening ?"” “] stop picking up about four or five o’clock in the a ternoon, and when I have sold all that’s in my bag I go home, Between what I pick up in the morning and in the afternoon I sometimes make three or four shillings a day; but there are some days, you see, when I can’t make more than half of that.”” “How do you manage to get along in the winter 2” “Indeed, very poorly; for you see I am so old, and I can't stand the cold weather so well as other rag pickers, and then it is so dark early in the morning that I can't sce so well; besides, if I fell upon the ice I might brea. ‘cme of my limbs.” “ Besides what you pick up in the streets, don’t you get something else to assist you, from charitable people ?”’ “Not very often. The other day a poor woman who was begging cojd victuals in the streets stopped me and gave me some; and there is a woman down at the market who keeps an apple stand, and she called me over to her wo or three times, and asked me if I was’nt hungry, and when I told her that I was she gave me some cakes. There s another apple woman near the same place, who was very good tome too; and as I was passing dewn Chatham street one morning, some time ago, a woman came to me out of house and gave me some bread and meat.” Hore the poor old creature proceeded to enumerate various acts of charity which he had received from differ- ent persons, the majority of whom, it is particularly deserving of mention, were poor, straggling like himself for a subsistence. Verifying the words of the poet, that, 6 poor man’alone, When he bears the poor groan, Of his morsel » morsel will give He had also been subject to a great deal of an- noyance from the rowdies about the market, and on one occasion he was thrown into the gutter, where he lay, unable to help himself, till he was picked up’ by a young boy, who cleaned the dirt off his clothes and gave him ten cents, Of this hind act he seemed to havea proper appreciation. “He was a fine boy,”’ said he, “and I think he could badly afford to give me so much money, for I am #ure, by his appearance, he had to work hard for it.”” ‘How are you paid for the paper and rags which you find in the streets ?”” “Well, that depends upon the kind of rags and paper. They give me two cents # pound for colored ones, and five cents for alll can get that is elean and white. Sometimes I wash the rags and hang them up in the basement of the house where I live to dry, and then take them to the rag store, I only get a cent anda quarter a pound for the puper I find in the streets, because it is gonerally dirty saw. We have gone among them, seen their man- ner of life, and have thus been enabled to present vheir lition to the public. We have heard their from their own lips, wad give it as they related it. pome of them, indeed we may say the majority, have no ¢ of the busy world about thei, exceptas it may be cu A with their business, and yet they appear to enjoy life as much if not more than those who are sur- rounded with all the appliances that wealth can com- mand, We bad a strong proof of this in the person of = poor old rag picker whom we met in the course of our hyestigations. Le told us his story, whicn, as our cavers will see, was not of the most cheering haracter; stil he appeared to be contented witu bis lot, and never railed at that fortune which had placed hima at the very lowest point in the social scale. We give his account of Limeelt as hy related it to us, in eply to cur inquiries. In answerto our questiun as to when he commenced picking up rags in the streets, ie aid — “1am not exactly certain, but, a4 near ay I can remem- ber, it is about a yoar anda half. Before that [ used to pick up wood at fires, and at buildings when they would be twking them down, ‘This wood 1 sold by tv basket, but 1 wasn’t able to make more than sixpence or eight pence @ day at tho most, while there were many days L jdn't earn anything at all tit.’ “Tsuppose you found rag-picking more profitable than co} th “Ob, a great deal, for the sticks were not always to be had. Lesies, there were w gr it who were more active and ste i hud very livtle’chance among . aud then 1 had inaay others engaged at nye than mysel, and I found it ve very © yet cured, for i have w hard to support sore foot whieh J have neve walk on it all the time. No, i been , Law not able lo God heljy we 5 i L wits snare travel like ou every day | find it narder to got along.” pics chs,’ ue sail, alver w brief pause, “1 was not strong enougu to carry away the big limber, and Had 40 66 content wilh the euips and staaller at would be leit by obuers. Then, you know, @ Lof the wood Tgathered i used to bring home with me for being.’ “What wae the largest amount you could wake at this hind of work we inguir Well, that depended upon the weather and other things; bub anyhow, the moot] could make was half a Nar & week, and il was v seldoy | got that, Sul at helped the family along, and it was bettor than bing.’’ How many persons are there in your family ? “Wel let me seo," mid the okt man counting, is myself and wifo, that's two; and there are my three ‘There and is made up of every kind. The woollen rags are of no use to me, for you see they cannot make paper of them ; but some of the other ragpickers get woollen rags; but I never could Sind out where they sold them.’ “ What do you get fer the old iron “To some places I get more tharfin others. Sore shops give mea cent a pound, but others don’t give me more than half cent, I would rather have the paper, although I take everything [ean get ” © Do you ever expect to make a fortune by ragpicking ?” “A fortune!’ said the old man smiling; “if I can only make any kind of a living it iy all 1 want. We inust try and keop the life in our bodies, and that is just about all we ean do. The winter will seon be on us, and we will ind it pretty hard to make out.”’ Here our conversation with the olf ragpicker ended. It opened a new phase of humag life to our view, and we have no. doubt will startle the humane feelings of m: of our readers. We are glad to say, however, that hi aw isolated cave, ahd that perhaps not more than one out of every nine or ten is reduced to such destitution, Com- pared with the poor carn a living by tl their condition is certainly aa They as we stated el money, and th enviable ne, ebance of makin respects it may be more lucrative than many whi pectable. As we } we think it b relating “4 have, where, a r oceupation, though in ned repulsive, is yot are considered more res- given the bright side of the picture just to illustrate its worse features by tory of a Ra ” many Superior Court..General Term, Chief Justice Cakley and Hon. Judges Duer, Campbell, Roaworth, and Fammet prostding. Oct. 3.—Mr. bd. © meeting held on th m the mf vk was then directed by the Court to read tho owing — seas, singe the baweor nveveign Kuler of the world eau brothe ars was th xn long life ¢ von the Pon his virtues; this court it has pleased the po ior more than tw ,and who, d , both at the Rar nent for his learning, atthe age of with thé ardor of youth, and with the leet, which murked ‘his professional ea- le life, and who, os heir toa distinguished ng of the law not only sustained but in its lustre, presoating the extraordinary instance of carrying down through hi ay himvelta great legal reputation fora hundred st iv court, over which he ch was wo long tho field of his #, desires to vecord its grief for ni iby profound eeapeet for his memory. » Court dees, Usorefore, order this testimonial to be entered on its minutes; and, of its own motion, does now mijowrn to unite with the other Courts of this city, and wan eccompaniod by @ band. Las Cnughlors—all grown op women—thet makes firg, ond nay with the mcmbers of the Bar, for the purpose of slopting such measures as may be expodiont to pay % more general teibute ta his memory Our London Correspondence. ‘ALBEMARLE STRMMT, PICCADILLY, | snot September 20, 1863. } Frather Details of the Action of Queen Victoria's Fire Company—The British Annexation of Pe- gu—Famine im the Prevince—London te Gossip, §c., &e. . As you will have received all the Continental news and gleanings by the same steamer which takes this, I wilt not write anything about the still unsettled Eastern ques- tion. All admirers of regal feats of daring read what follows, then revolutionize the glorious republic, and start right eif with a cumbersome and expensive monarchy, Fire at Balmoral—little Victoria’s Highland home, On Friday afternoon one of the cottages occupied by the ma- sons engaged at the new palace of Balmoral was discoy- ered to be on fire; and being almost adjoining the kingly roof the momentary alarm can more easily be conceived than described, particularly after the recent narrow ea- cape at Windsor Castle, when a fire took place ina suité of apartments next to the dormitories of Kngland’s high born babes, and positively consumed the very dining-room in which her Majesty and party had fod that identical — evening. In ashort time a number of persons were om the spot, the royal family being not only present but ae- tively engaged in efforts to extinguish the flames. The Aberdeen Herald, (whose editor must, I should imagine, like our Premier, be in his dotage,) says:—“We are as- sured by @ spectator that when @ line of mon was formed to convey water, (you'll guess what is coming,) to the burning pile from the river, [burning pile! a hut about the size of a summer house, or any other gardes erection of similar dimensions!] Prince Albert at once took » ‘posi- tion, and continued working steadily throughout, shoulder to shoulder with a sturdy Highlandman. The Prince of Wales and Prince Albert were also actively engaged, [ileaven save the mark! doing what?] whilst her Britan- nic Majesty, with her drapery gracofully suspended, # cod ankle deep in the water, and gave such di- rections as sho thought would tend to assuage he fire, seemingly deeply interested by the efforts of the men to save their glothes chests, in which many of them Lad considerable fums of money.’ The fire id supposed to bave originated by a spark geting among somo brush- wood in one of the cottages where a woman was baking, and as they were all composed of timber the flames were speedily beyond the power of control. No damage has been done to the new buildings. Beat this, if you can; und let me know per next mail if your President or any of his progeny ever assisted to put a fireout! After such re- gal prowess as this our over-taxed community should not begrudge a few thousands, more or lesa, to render her Majesty's numerous palaces habitable, or £80,000 to tinker up, alter, and lengthen the royal “ Victoria and Albert yacht” some sixty-five to seventy fect—should they? Confound that echo, for still it answers—They shouldt The last two mails from Rangoon have brought us la- mentable accounts of the mixery and destitution of the entire population of Pegu. ‘There is a famine in the land. Rice, the staple production of the country, and uj which its inhabitants are as much dependant for exiat- ence as the Irish were upon potatoes before the famine of 1846, is 20 excessively dear that it is beyond the means of any but the richest to purchase enough to keep boily and soul together. A small basketful, which at Calcutta is sold for about a shilling, there costs sixteon t A letter from Prome, of the 1ith July, states:—‘ Some hundreds of families came in from the jungles about » week or two ago ina state of starvation indescribable— forty of them died in one night.” A neat, liberal sab- scription, amounting to 600rs. was raised’ among the officers at that station, (three American ships in the vi- cinage contributed their quota,) and many starving peo- ple were relieved; but, though the subscription was » most umane and munificent one, it may be asked what, unless a miracle could be performed, is so liltle among so many? By the last accounts the scarcity had been only in the most partial manner alleviated by the arrivals of rice from Calcutta; but there were sixteen to twenty vessela loading grain on the Ist inst., of an average tonnage of 500 tons, and of which, it is believed, some have ale left for Rangoon. In the meantime, ‘the whole country overrun with bands of dacoits. The river is so infested with them that no merchant will venture up; and it is said that even the commissariat, with a strong guard, dreads the passage. The last received Rangoon Chronicle is full of nothing else but inurders, dacoities, starvation and cholera. Considering the empty state of the town during the present magnificent weather, (for be it known that we are now daily indulged with a clear atmosphere apd # bright blue sky,) it is, indeed, a inatter of wordoraa tS where all the fashionable and well-dressed people camo from who last night decorated the private boxes, stalls, dress cir- cle and boxes of Drury Lane theatre. As for the pit and galleries, sardines in their hermetically sealed cases are comparative comfort to the densely packed crowd who last night stuffed them—for stufling is the only term likely to give the slightest notion of how they were filled. ar. E. T Smith, the indefatigable and liberal i is ever on the qui vive to furnish a good bill of fare, and last night a new play, in five acts, entitled “The Be- trothal,” from the pen’ of George 'H. Boker, Ksq., am American citizen, and the author of “Anne Boleyn,” and ther play # and works. It is my belief, though I’ know ot what has put it in my head, that. this play has been roduced in the United States,’ and consequently I shalk retrain from a notice of the plot, and confine myself to cme few observations about the actora and the mire en sere.” Messrs. Gustavus V, Brooke and EK. L. Davenport were the stars of the occasion. Mr. G. V. Brooke played che part of Marsio excellently; though, truth to tell, in his usual and disagreeable ‘style of sudden change’ of cice. Thix level speaking is by far the bost part of eiformance, und he would really be a first rate actor © would eschew such clap-trap effects with his voice. His supposed death scene wax painfully elfective, theagh rewendously applauded. Mr. E. L. Davenport, aa Salva- cri, did all that could be done with so poor « part; the other artists did their best. Mr. Sims Reeves, our great English tenor, has turned his Birmingham operatic speculation to a tory account. ‘The profits on the six night bui then, Mr. and Mrs. Reeves are great favorites at Bir- mingham. Mr. Jamos Anderson is still starring it to be- tween four and five thousand persons nightly, at the largest theatre in London, the Royal Standard. ‘Thoatel- cal news is generally nowhere. DON CASAB. Marine Court. Before Judge Phillips. Oct. 3.—Jony F. Gakakp nb orners vs. Mosma L. Buaow AND Josep W. StaGG—ACTion FOR LibRL AGAINST THe New York Svv.—This was an action brought against the de- fendants for having published an advertisement in the Sun detrimental to the characters of the mombers of Hose Company No. 12. In the Sun of the 18th of Decem- ber last appeared the following advortisement:— Finemen.—A Stvoutan Case or Remorse 0: acienck—One Cent RewARD rOR THE ThinvEs.—A few days since a hat was stolen from mo by some of the members of No. 12 Hose Company, and, not being much in neod of it, I relinguished all claims to’ it, when, lo and behold, it a) peared hung up 1p front of 23d Hose cai Thowsa, led with the brains of the penitent thieves. ‘They having nothing fur- ther to offer in atomement for the crime, I forgive thom the offence and advise them to call and take them away, as I ap- prehend from their subsequont acts that they now fully re- Alize their loss. JOSEPH W. STAGG: The counsel for the plaintiffs claimed for his clients = judgment against the defendants to the full amownt Or the jurisdiction of the court, ($500,) for the defendants ing wrongfully imputed a criminal olfence to the said plaintifts, and holding them up to undeserved public ridicule and contempt, Mr. Stagg, the author of the al- leged libel, made no defence whatever. Mr. Beach (use publisher of the heat dhe ouly defence was that he was entirely ignorant of its nature until his attention was called to it’by the plaintiff's attorney, and likewise that, he was under the belief that an action fer libel could not be brought for a publication concerning a number of persons. ‘The Judge charged the jury in this case at some length, explaining to them the law in regard to libel. He raid —“Though a publication against the whole community, or all ecclesiastics, would not be = libel, yet if it be against the Pishops, or particular clase of men, it will be libellous, Any person who can show roof that he'was one of the persons intended to be de- famed may maintain an action.”’ 5th Johnson's reports 218. Again, from 4th Sandford, page 130 — fendant, as proprietor of a paper, is responsible for whiat- ever appears in his columns, and it is unnecessary to show that he knew of the publication or authorized it. The jury then retired, and after some consideration rendered = verdict for the plaintiff of $75 and costs, Before Judge Met VoRGs Botris vs. Draw & NzWiox.—Ubis was an action gainst defendants, owners of tho steamboat Kinpire, ws ommon carriers, for goods damaged on their way from. roy, or after thelz arrival here, before thoy were deliver- «4 to plaintiff. ‘The defendants plead that a fraud had beet perpetra- ted on them by the person at ‘Troy who shipped the pote, in representing that the box contained nothing but pty boxes; that freight was only charged and received. it that rate.’ Whereas, if they had beon informed of the fact of the box containing valuable silk and velvet goods it would make a difference ax to the rate of freight to be charged, and as to the care of the goods, ‘The Court sus- tuined ihis viow of the case, and gavo judgmont for de- fendants, with costa, Hovinanr v3. Panket.—This was an action to recover amount of note made and endorsed by defendant. Fay- ment is resisted on the ground that after the note was mare defendant gave the nota to a Mr. Webor to give it to a Mr. Schmidt. Schmidt denies over receiving it and for- vid defendant to pay. The Judge refused to receive the evidence, and directed the jury that the plaintid was entitled ‘to recover, having paid a considoration for the note, and he not being a party to any traxsection be- tween defendant and any other person, untess notice ie traced home to them, Verdict for plaintiff, 865 64, Revienronp against Avmatmos.—Thie was.an action te recover $150 on a note made Ly defendant in 1845, with i ‘The defendant pleada the statute of and an offset for moneys due frou the former husband of plointul’s wife, who was defendant’s brother, ‘The plaintif’ proved that defendant was absent in Cali fornia some nm mouths, and insisted that the tute of limitations did net run during that time. Thegle- fendant then offered to call the wie of the plaintiil ag a witness to prove his offset. ‘The Judge refused to regive the evidence, on the ground that 2 husband or wife eminet be a witness for or against the otter in wily civil ag tion. A contrary rule, would to a breach of that con¥ dence which should exist between parties in (hat relatiow Judgment for plaintitt for $222 Jy and $14 a owance and cos! Before Jade Oct, 4.—-Winrs v8, SANDERYO! ‘This was an action to rec: ver for personal injuy ios suffered by plaintiff un excavation oa defendant's pr es, emily h eveet, noar Zon¥u avenue, om the evening of the "91h of Anguat last. Jefenca, that ordinary eare and diligens.e was used by defendant. Verdict for pluinanty $50, which doow nol cover costs, Carthy. Tao Froit Caor at MaLagh—Accomnts from Malaga of the 7th ult. state that Keavy rains fell on the lst, 2d and Oth, which had very gresity injured or de stroyed the raisins which were ip ‘progiss of ousing. The ripching of the remainder o€ Use ¢rop would Wo olan from “he same cama, ~-CAUTION 0 CONT RactORa.-«- - > FR eS -Sees bie Te s*