Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 35, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 February 1914 — TALLES of GOTHAM AND OTHER CITIES [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

TALLES of GOTHAM AND OTHER CITIES

Makes a Living Buying Old Rugs From Dentists

NEW YORK. —“There is at least one man in New York who makes his living by buying worn-out rugs from dental offices,” said a New York dentist the other day... “I never heard of a business of this nature until last month, al-

though I have been in the dentistry lor 20 years. But last month a friend of mine dropped in while I was examining the rug in my operating room. It was looking pretty shabby, I found, and 1 was figuring what kind of a new rug I’d get “ Til have to throw' this old rug away,' 1 said to my friend.” “ ‘Throw it away ? What will you do that for? Why don’t you sell it?’ he asked. ‘“Sell it?’ said 1. There’s no one who would give me anything for that worn-out old trash.’ “ ‘l’ll send you a man who’ll buy it pretty quick,’ was the reply. “I thought my friend was joking, but next day a man arrived first thing in the morning. “ ‘Where’s that rug you wanted to sell?* he inquired.

“I showed him. He pulled out a magnifying glass right away and got down cm his hands and knees. He started at one corner of the rug and worked inch by inch over the whole surface, scrutinizing it with the most intense care. “1 saw immediately what he was alter. He was estimating the value of the minute particles of gold and platinum which had fallen on the rug in the form of dust from my hands when I was standing by the operating chair grinding various bits of work so as to make them a perfect fit. I would not have supposed this dust to be sufficient to be commercially considered, but I was wrong. ■ ■ “The man finally got up. “How much do you want for the rug?** he asked. “I thought I would try a straight shot, without having any idea of the value, and so I said: ‘Oh, SSO, t should think.’ “To my surprise the rug trader did not express indignation. He merely •aid that was too high. We did some negotiating, and finally he gave me $33 »nd took the rug. 1 thought that was the easiest money I ever got, for I intended to have the old rug thrown on the dump pile. “I found later that this man does a good business by buying dilapidated rugs from dentists- He cuts the rugs into small squares and burns them in a machine, which catches the gold and platinum dust.”