Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1889-01-03
CHINESE LAUNDRYMEN.
WONG CHIN FOO TELLS OF THE
BUSINESS IN NEW YORK.

BUSINESS IN NEW YORK.
The Almond Eyed Journalist Shows How
His Countrymen Are Set Up Financially.
The Mysteries of the whey or Syndi.
cate-The Laundryrnen's Law.
The question has frequently been asked
by Americans, "Do these Cinnamon wash
clothes in China? How is it that nearly
all who come here enter the laundry busi-
ness? Do they love it?" No, they do not
love it any more than any other kind OF
labor. They did not even know what the
"Melican 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 q
man steps into a woman's occupation he
loses his social standing.
They become laundrymen 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 to do with it. They are
fine cooks, neat and faithful servants.
and above all, very skillful mechanics at
any trade they have a mind to try. In
the western states, where their value is
better understood, they are used in as
many different positions as any other
foreigners, and the laundry business is
occupied only by those who fail to find
other employment.
No OTHER ALTERNATIVE.
But here in New York as yet there Is
no other alternative. Many an able
minded man as well as skillful mechanic
who came to America to better his condi-
tion may be found welding the polishing
irons in a New York Chinese laundry.
1t takes from seventy-five dollars to two
hundred dollars to start one Of these
Chinese wash houses, and the way most
of these laundries are started would give
valuable tips even to an American Wall
street deacon The main expenditure in
a Chinese laundry is stove and trough
for washing. and partitions for dry room
and sleeping apartment, and sign.
AS a rule it requires 800 to open a
laundry in New York. But this amount
is fortune to a newly arrived China
man, and unless he starts Immediately
into the laundry business, he would be-
come burden to some of his friends.
The Chinese immigrant, unlike his Euro
pean compatriots, never comes here unless
he is safely surrounded by friends or
relatives upon his arrival. These imme-
diately initiate him into the mysteries of
| the laundry business. In some friendly
laundry the newcomer is placed under a
six months apprenticeship, beginning at
| the wash tub, until he reaches the ironing
table, and lastly the polishing board.
These apprentices begin with So per week
| and board, and 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 a
place and hangs out his sign. If not, he
goes to one or two friends, and they will
call whey" or syndicate for his benefit
in the following manner
MYSTERIES OF THE WHEY"
Suppose l have an established laundry,
and want to borrow 5000 at certain per
| centum premium, but l cannot find any
one Chinaman who is able to loan me the
amount. l put up notice in Mott
street that upon such and such day
wish to make ttwhey" of twenty men,
who all are supposed to be situated like
myself, each wanting to borrow $500.
When we twenty borrowers all come to-
gether we each put down $40. Then each
one secretly writes upon a slip of paper
the amount of interest he is willing to
give to get the $780, These slips are
carefully sealed and thrown into a bowl
At given time they are opened, and to
the highest bidder goes the 5000, less the
interest, which is invariably deducted
Immediately from the principal.
Frequently as high as 81 is offered for
the use of $40 for single month. In
such cases each Of the nineteen other bor-
rowers gives to the lucky one only Sc
apiece for the $40 apiece which they
make him pay next month. Then the
next highest bidder gets the 5000, less
the interest he offered, and SO on, until
the entire twenty, at twenty different
times, have obtained the use of this $500;
but the one that comes the last, having
offered the least interest of them all,
reaps the harvest of the whey" This
method is adopted by most Chinese laun-
drymen in New York and other large
cities to open new laundries. 1t partakes
of the gaming flavor which is captivating
to every true Celestial.
No Chinaman can transfer his place Of
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 the laun-
drymen's law. made four years ago in
this city. to prevent laundryman from
absconding from his creditors. Upon the
completion of the thirty days creditors
and debtors must meet at the transferred
laundry, and when all of the old debts
are iquidated clear title of the laundry
is given to the new owner.-Wong Chin
Foo in The Cosmopolitan.