Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-09-02
CHINESE LAUNDRYMEN.
WONG CHIN FOO TELLS OF The
BUSINESS IN NEW YORK.

| The Almond Eyed Journalist Shows How
| His CountryIncn Are Set Up Financially.
Tie Mysteries OF the whey" or Syndi.
cate-The Laandrynen's Law.
The question has frequently been asked
by Americans, DO these Cinnamon wash
clothes in Ch;n2s How is il that nearly
all who come here enter the laundry bust
ness? Do they love its' No. they do not
love it any more than any other kind OF
labor. They did not even know what the
Mclean mans" shirt looked like. much
less how to dress one. before they came
to America Laundry work in China is
invariably done By women, and when .
man steps into woTnan's occupation hs
loses his social standing.
They become lsundryrnen here simply
because there is no other occupation by
which they can make money as surely
and quickly. The prejudice against tho
race has much 30 DO with 1t. They ara
fine COOKS. neat and faithful servants.
and above all. very sAillful mechanics ut
any trade they have mind to try. IN
the western states, where their valne Is
better understood, they are used in az
many different positions as any other
foreigners, and tho laundry business is
occupied only by those who fail 10 find
other employment
no OTHER ALTERNATIVE
But here in New York as vet there Is
no other alternative. Many an able
minded man as well as skiliful mechanic
who came to America TO better his condi-
ton may be found welding the polishing
irons in q New York Chinese laundry.
1t takes from seventy five dollars 10 two
hundred dollars to start one Of tkeSc
Chinese wash houses. and the way most
of these launaries are started would give
valuable tips even TO an American Wall
street deacon. The main expenditure in
a Chinese laundry is a stove and D trough
for washing, and partitions for dry room
and sleeping apartment. and sign.
rs q rule il requires 500 TO open q
laundry in New York But this amount
is fortune TO n ncwly arrived China
nan. and unless he starts immediately
into the laundry business, he would be-
come burden 10 some of his friends.
The Chinese immigrant, unlike his Euro
rean compatriots, never comes here unless
he is safely surrounded by friends or
relatives upon his arrival. These imme-
diately initiate MIN INTO the mysteries Of
the laundry business. In some friendly
laundry the newcomer Is placed under a
six months apprenticeship beginning st
the wash tub, until he reaches the ironing
table, and lastly the polishing board.
These apprentices begin with SO per week
and board and a gradual addition Of 81
per week after the first months. until they
are able to take charge of a laundry them
selves. Then If he has money he hires n
place and hangs out his sign IL not. he
goes TO one or two friends, and they viii
call whey" or syndicate for his benefit
Ii the following manner.
MYSTERIES OF THE WHEY"
Suppose | have an established laundry,
and want to borrow 5000 at a certain per
centum premium, but | cannot find any
one Chinaman who is able 10 loan me the
amount. | put up notice IN Mott
street that upon such and such n day |
wish to make whey" of twenty men.
who all are supposed 10 DO situated Hike
myself. each wanting to borrow 5000.
When we twenty borrowers ell come TO.
Gcther we each put down so. Then each
one secretly writes upon a slip Of paper
the amount of interest be is willing 10
give to get the $20o These slips arc
carefully sealed and thrown into bowl.
At given time they are opened. and to
the highest bidder goes the 500, less the
interest, which Is invariably deducted
Immediately from the principal.
Frequently as high as 81 is offered for
the use of $40 for n single month. In
such cases each Of The nineteen other boz
rowers gives TO the lucky one only 50
apiece fer the $40 apiece which they
make him pay next month. Then the
next highest bidder gets tho 500. less
the interest lie offered, and so on. until
the entire twenty, at twenty different
times, have obtained tho use Of this 500,
but the one that comes the last, having
offered tho least interest Of them All.
reaps the harvest of tho whey" This
method is adopted By most Chinese laun-
drymen IN New York and other largo
cities TO open new lauudries II partalyes
Of the gaming favor which IL captivating
to every truo Celestial
No Chinaman can transfer his place ~
business into the hands Of another with
out at least thirty DAYS notice IN China
town, on Mott street. and the buyer is
not required to pay him more than half
Of the purchase money until the legal
thirty days are past. This is tho laGn-
dFYmon's law, made four years ago in
this city, TO prevent q laupdrymsn from
absconding from his creditors Upon tho
completion OF tho thirty days creditors
and debtors must meet Of the transferred
laundry, ard when Ill Of tho oh dobts
are iquidated clear title Of the laundry
Is given 10 the new owner.--Nong CHA
Foo in The Cosmopolitan
The Hotel Eegister Must Go.