Daily Yellowstone journal., 1889-12-17
co-o-sEATlvE lAUNDRIEs.
An Exper 'sent In New York Which De-
m Iastrates the Possibilities.

mpastrates the Possibilities.
A student of sociology who had
spent the best years of his life in en-
~deavorIng to find the correct answer
in the great catechism of life to the
question. What is my duty toward
my neighbor-when he is very poori'
declared 1t the close of much time
giveE to books on the subject in sew
eral languages that the one practical
treatise he knew-the only one that
threw real light on the matter-was
the work Of the famous Mr.. Dick. Ii
will be remembered that when David
Copperticld had, during the process of
his journey 10 Miss TrotNood, reduced
himself 10 the condition character
izlDg the generic poor, even that strong
minded lady was unable Ia cope with
the problem, and appealed TO Mr.. Dick
for assistance. That worthy person,
with a promptitude which proves be-
yond a doubt that lie must previously
have given much secret consideration
10 the question, replied s~uccinctly,
but suggestively, Wash hint" This
feat successfully accomplished. Mr..
Disk furthc' counscled, Feed himl'
and his immortal treatise on "Nhnt
shall we do with the poorl' was so
completed aud rounded that later
social economists have only been able
To expand and annotate it; for, washed
and feed, the problem of David was
solved.
Summer baths alongt the river fronts
are provided here in New York and
In almost all large cities with water
facilities; but forat least seven months
in the year a very large portion of our
population never know the luxury of
an entire bath, and have the most
meager opportunities for cleansing
their clothes. In Paris public laun-
dries are provided where the poor a
wash their own clothes. In London
similar laundries are provided, with
drying and ironing rooms attached,
on equally reasonable terms. The
jewellers in the New York tenements
have nothing Of this sort within their
reach, and not only are without any
opportunities for baths, but must de-
pend for laundry purposes upon the
common hydrant ia the hall or in the
courtyard - frequently frozen and
must furnish the heat 70 make this
water available for washing.
This problem Of the possibilities OF
cooperative cleanliness has been 20 a
certain extent solved in the building
put up by the Improved Dwelling as.
ISOLATION in 1881. Bayard Cutting was
made president of the association, and
Cornelius Vanderbilt contributed
largely. Seven other millionaires took
part in the experiment, aud half Of
the block bctyeen Seventy-frst and
Seventy-second streets, iacingon First
avenue, was purchased. a building
six stories high, entirely lreproof,
and so arranged around a great inter-
ior court that every room had "A large
window opening 10 the sun, was then
erected. The apartments are ample in
size, containing from three 10 four
good sized rooms, with closets. These
rent from 1925 TO Sl3 a month, and
have water, a coal and garbage eleva-
vator and an aih chute.
On the ground floor in each of the
four divisions is "A large bathroom di-
vided into closets, each containing a
zinc lined tub quite as good as those
In the private homes Of wealth. These
have both hot and cold water, and
r open 10 the women and children
from 10 10 8, and 20 the men from 5 10
z. They are quite free, the only rule
being that every one, after using a
tub, must wash il carefully, and pro
vide his w soap and towels. lntwo
of the houses arc general laundrics on
the first floor, and from these the
clothes are dried in the court, while
the other two have theirs ON the top
floor and utilize the roof for drying,
thus giving ample room 10 all. These
laundries contain stationary tubs and
an excellent arrangement for the in
lection Of steam instead Of hot water,
by which the clothes can DO boiled in
the tub itself. Upon payment of the
rent the tenant receives four tickets
which entitle him 10 entrance TO the
laundry u day in each week, either
Monday, Tuesday, or "Wednesday, al
he may prefer.
The cost Of supporting these laun-
dries is not great; the coal required
for pumping water throughout the en-
tire establishment, for heating water
for the baths and laundries, aud heat
ino fba ballo amounts IN oply uina