The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-08-18
BROOKLYN LAUNDRIES.
CONVERSATION WITH JOHN CHI
NAmAN" As TO TIE BUSINESS.


sfsan work-Hsat Of the Drying Room.
vtast to . Steam Laundry Machine
WORK.
Cnsncing one day to be passing Chinese
lsundry which he'd the name James /. Yu on
the door, the thought suggested itse to the
scribe to step in and nee how the laundry
business is carried on.
Hello aid the reporter, chow is bust
nesi"
"Oh, business no good. People all gone TO
country; no make much now
"WiIl you tell me how mucb Won average
Ola week and bow much you pay your assist
antln
make about SIS a week in winter, some
times W or <25. Pay him ibis assstanD SO
aweek- Then have to pay $50 month for
mouse, ana coal and wood, light and rice,
vegetables andmeat cost"
VIII you let me sec the back roomi
YES let you see, but no stay long here
now; want you 60 home"
The reporter started back into the kitchen,
which was 10 hot that nobody but China
man could stand II any longer than five min
utes There was nothing in it but few
pans, u rack, table, two chairs and q redhot
stove Between the store and the kitchen, in
sort Oh passageway, were two hunks very
much ON the plan Of stateroom berths, one
over tho other.
Cinnamon, generally speaking, live on rice
and vegctables-very little meat They eat
tie rice with chop sticks, and when eating
tfey never sit on chair properly, but place
TIER feet on the chair and assume a sort Of
doubled up position. In writing they use
long reed with camel's hair stuck in one end
in tho shape of brush This instrument il
called a IBID"
do you so to Sunday sch6olr asked tue
reporter
"Yes. go to Methodist Sunday school in
Atlantic street. No burn joss stick no
moro, no worship him no more Now you
60 homer said he suddenly
walking up Fulton street the reporter
camo to laundry kept by native. Would
she give any information
"Oh, certainly; with pleasure"
viii you tell me how long you have been
In this business, and il it paysf
well, I've been In it about three or four
years now. AS to its paying, think it does.
maimge to make good living out of it, be-
sido giving employment TO eight women, not
counting two girls who stand behind the
counter TO do up the clothes and wait on the
customers. And it is all hand work. too"
DO you not find it very warm in the sum
mcrr'
"Oh, yes, 1t Is warm all the time, winter
and summer, in the drying ROOM" here she
showed small room in the back of the store
and opening the door, said This is tho dry
ing room. As you can sec we have "a stove
red hot all the time, and this room is lined
with sheet iron, SO that there is no danger
from 1t as1 all the heat remains within"
DO you think this business is injurious to
healthf'
Not a bit Of 1t. 1t would bo probable if
VIC had to be over that hot stove all day. but
you SEQ have another stove going down in
The kitchen, and that is where The irons are
heated. or course, il is hot, but not nearly
70 bet as tho drying room"
What do you think of the steam aun.
iriesf'
~ don't think much of them, to tell the
ruth. suppose 1t lightens the labor good
ieal to have rollers to iron with bv-- cut 90
,ople- 10 the sprQhabiIlties of. .wsteam,
,ut then you'll find that the collars and cuffs
md other things will eventually be worn out
'efore their time by that system"
"What do you think of the Chinesel'
1.-THE Chinese, is it2 Well never look at
,hinaman but what he puts me in mind Of
ried up monkey. But as for them washing
nd ironing any Christians garments, tell
on If l never had anything washed |
wouldn't get Chinaman to do it. Fudge, 1
ant bear them"
The next visit was to steam laundry.
do you employ many handsf'
"Well, between twenty and thirty, think.
md would not be surprised but what next n
inter we will have to employ more, as this
ind Of work is constantly increasing. b
'eople don't care to have their white goods \
one at home. Whether it is because they
re not done up nice enough for them, don't
now, but in nine cases out of ten you will
nd that all tho white goods find their way II
, the different laundries in the city" !"
"What do you mean by white goodsi'
"Oh, collars, cuffs. shirts, ladies collars,
,irts. etc. or course, we do more of a bust "
ess in mems collars, cuffs and shirts than .. ~
uything else" -,
"In your opinion, does it injure clothes ., ~
nv, this steam work. -
"Why, bless your heart, NOS How could =,
Some people have an idea that we merely a
'use the things once or twice in the water,
arch and dry them and then put them
trough the ironing rollers. But we don't
, anything of tho sort. The clothes in this 20
nndry are thoroughly and carefully washed, -
I'd as carefully finished OFF before they Oh
ave our hands"
"How many drying rooms have your %
I'VE have only one drying room. but it Il,
'ntains no less than five medium sized ta
owes, and it extends nearly the full length
tho cellar. Do you know l think we have
70 best drying room in the cityf Why if you PI
It new shirt in there, in Eve minutes after
NJ put it in you can take it out bone dry"
"How does hand work compare with this
cam work. sii
"Well, I don't pretend to know half as ca
UGH a. some people, but my opinion is that
hen machine can tighten the labor, why -,
y use the machine by all means, no mat po
r what the motive power. AS for hand .sg
u. wall it,Q N wa1i aunuCb in ire WOW lnt III