Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-05-31
Washing and Ironing by Wholesale.

1t Is undeniably cheaper to wash large
quantlty OF clothes In one place than several
small quantities In several places, and If no
laundry work were done in dwelling houses, it
would be possible to have 1t performed else
where at an expense no greater than that now
while the owner Of the laundry would make a
handsome profit In consequence OF the saving
erected by improved methods; but the fact that
done at home makes the demand for laundry
work comparatively small, and necessitates a
heavier charge than will be made in the good
tine coming, when ''set tubs" will be clasSed
among ancient nu1SanceS instead of modern
improvements.
There are no set tubs In steam laundry,
and, In fact, no tubs of any kind The bundles
OF clothes are opened as soon as they arrive
carefully examined to see If their contents
agree with the senders' list, marked with
Lumber and sent to the washing machine.
machine to be pulled and twisted and tied up in
knots for an hour, and to come out again with
out having single soiled place properly rub
t fed ana then sent to be bleached In something
pc Is wrong. as she usually is, being member
OF the empirical school OF philosophers. The
clothes are neither pulled nor twisted, but
five times, and then, by an ingenious bit of me-
chanlSm, turns i've times In the contrary d.
rect1on, repeatedly drenching the clothes that
IL contains with sudS that Is almost, but not
quite boiling. There are no dashers, wheels
or rods against which the clothes can be torn.
no furious boiling to make them turn yellow,
pack them into hard masses almost 1mperylous
to water. Out OF this hot bath the Clothes are
drawn and sent to the wrlnger not to be pulled
between rollers, and robbed OF all their but
tons, but to be put into an open-work basket
and whirled about at the rate of 400 revolu-
IONS minute, the water flying out through
me Sues OF inc basket, and the Clothes in their
most dry. A rinsing and second wringing fit
them Tor the drytng-rOOm, In which they STAY
eignI mlnutes: ANY garments which, when ex-
so soiled that the sudS has not cleansed them
are sent to be bleached and afterward Submit
ted TO a thorough bath In pure water: as a rule.
1atner less than one piece in a hundred is in
ciu0e0 among the "WaShOver5'' as the bleached
pieces are called, and those that are sent are
generally so clean that they would be cons'd
ered pasSable II done at home, but the IN ln-
ayers OF laundIie5 find that nothing short of mis-
ideas of perfection will satisfy customer.
The ironing rooms contain nothing especially
curious except the mangles. The machine
which will iron shirt has yet to be tnyentei
and although the task may be lightened by
carefully shaped boards and convenient heaters
ana aitnOugh the temperature OF the room may
o oe lowered by placing the stove in ventilated
laundry as It Is elsewhere. That it Is not very
unhealthy, the appearance of the girls engaged
IN IL gives ample evidence, most OF them being
ercloth1ng and pillow shams are also froned
Dy hand, and curtains are pinned on a large
frame while damp and dried in the sun: bit
Guns, towels, handkerchief5, sheets and pillow
cases are put through the mangles, in which
steam plays the part of Mantalini. while a
pretty girl takes the place of his shrewish wife.
Two rollers covered with felt and cotton SUI
cessiyely press the articles to be smoothed mon
large heated roller and drop them upon a
shelf beneath, whence they are taken and again
submitted TO the rollers, the whole process be-
ironed In two minutes and a quarter; for towels
and plain unstarched articles another mangle
Is used, which dries as well as smOoths them.
the swift fingers of aigirl.-( Boston Tronscr;n,