THE RAGMAN: Fred Cramer of Bradford tells us the “ragman” we had
asked about was Jake Lovets who had a junkyard on Pearl Street.

Fred, who lived on Interstate Parkway, tells us the kids would
gather up pieces of cloth from various locations when they knew
Jake would be making his regular visit to the neighborhood. If they
had sufficient supply, they get enough to go to the Grand Theater –
which cost 8-10 cents at that time.

Jake had an old flatbed truck to gather up rags and other
“junk.” The boys would gather things like old burlap bags and any
other pieces of cloth found around the house. “You didn’t throw
things away,” Fred tells us.

We have pondered the role of the ragman in the old days –
particularly since the economy is reeling right now – and think he
must have been the original “recycler” (as all junkmen are). Those
were the days, of course, when people wasted absolutely nothing as
opposed to today’s so-called “disposable society.”

We’ve been told that people would buy rags from the ragman to
make things such as quilts and clothing. However, we must admit we
are having a hard time grasping this whole notion which obviously
grew out of really tough times.

We hope this country doesn’t see a return of those days but, by
all accounts, we certainly need to be more resourceful with many of
the items we take for granted. Or, as a relative used to say,
“Waste not; want not.” How very much we throw away in this society!
Our ancestors would be ashamed.

Enough preaching.

We still want to know more about these so-called “ragmen.”
Please write or call with information.

OH, ZIPPO: Speaking of “disposable” … Judith dePonceau of
Dover-Foxcroft, Maine, writes: “I don’t watch for Zippo references,
but I was struck by one in Sunday’s New York Times. Zippo is used
in a sad metaphor in a story about aging day laborers in Japan who
have become expendable. One of the workers, a Mr. Ikeda, says that
the men are like cigarette lighters that cost 100 yen, or less than
a dollar.”

” ‘It’s painful to throw away a Zippo or a Dunhill lighter even
if it doesn’t light properly anymore,’ he said. ‘But 100-yen
lighters you just throw away. That’s what we are.’ “