The morning call., 1893-07-15
The Big Steam Concerns
Are Perfect.
MODELS OF CLEANLINESS.
Contrast Between the Laundries
Visited and the Filthy Chinese
Concerns.

OF each and every individual reader who
has his or her washing done by Chinese
Every one of the laundries visited was
found in such filthy condition as to be
deemed menace to the health of the COM
munty. Not one had a proper system of
sewerage, and some had no sewer connec-
ton at all. The Mushrooms in each wore
filthy. the floors being literally covered
with Shiny paste that emitted an un-
bearable stencil. Add to this the peculiar
methods Of laundrying the clothes which
the Chinese term washing, but the proper
appellation of which should be disease
germ producing" and you have not very
agreeable subject to contemplate. But
why any American should patronize such
filthy concerns aud run the risk of catch
ing disease is incomprehensible. since we
have in this city some Of the cleanest and
best equipped steam laundries in the
United States. Yesterday a MORNING
CALL reporter visited a number of the
leading steam laundries, ana his expert
ences afford pleasing contrast with the
report published last week of the diney,
pestilence- breeding Chinese concerns.
The first place visited was the United
States Laundry, situated at 5000, Boil and
3013 Sixteenth street. near Valencia. This
is four-story brick structure 60X60, having
one OF the best laundry plants in the
Northwest. and gives employment to 200
persons. most of whom live in the neigh
bOrhood of the laundry. The building was
constructed with view to light and ven
tilation, the ceiling being high and each
floor lighted up by Number Of large win
dows OIL both sides and in front and rear.
There are two sewers underneath the
building, with which sufficient drain pipes
are connected to keep the house ia good
sanitary condition.
The first floor is the washroom and is
equipped with hlgh-speed horizontal en-
gines, rotary washers ard hydro-oxtrac-
tors. The second floor is the ironing
room, and In it forty girls were employed
in ironing clothes by hand, while num-
Der OF others operated steam-heated IRON
ing-machines. The third floor has a ra-
dial steam heated drying-room and apart
ments in which are machines for starch.
ing and mangling. The fourth floor is
used for distri buting. and, like the rest Of
the building, was remarkable alike for the
taste and cleanliness OF the employees and
the systematic manner in which they did
their work.
The methods employed in handling
clothes in the laundry are as follows:
First, segregated and marked: then as
sorted according to quality, fabric and
color. Next they 60 through the process
of washing. after which they are partly
dried by centrifugal wrin gers. Articles
requiring starch are starched and taken
from the wa ShroOm to the drylng-room, and
from there to the damplng and ironing
machines, and from there 30 the distrib-
utlng-room. A large part of the ironing.
though, is done by hand.
The United States Laundry has worked
Its way to the front by sheer force OF
merit, and having the confidence Of the
public its business is increasing every day.
The next laundry visited was the
Parisien Steam Laundry, established in
1877 and located for the past six years at
the corner of Twenty min tn and Dolores
streets. 1t is a two-story building re-
Gently constructed. with frontage OF 80
teet Oh Twenty-ninth street and Extend
ing back ia feet along Dolores street.
The laundry is divided into two compart-
ments, one of which is used for a wash
room and is equipped with a flrst-class
laundry plant, comprising engine, rotary
washers, starching- machines, centrifugal
wringer anu mangIe. etc. The other COM
partment is used for ironing and distrib-
utlng, and the whole building was remark
ably clean. The laundry is we'll lighted
and well ventilated and has efficient
sewerage connections. A Board of
Health officer inspected the building and
made a favorable report of its sanitary
condition. At the time the engine and
other machinery was being put in the
Fire Department also made favorable
report in regard to the stability of the
structure.
The proprietor is skilled laundryman
himself and devOtes his whole time to
experimenting the business.
The Partisan Laundry gives employment
to twenty-five persons, but the force will
he increased in the near future, as the
character of the work done is bringing the
laundry before the favorable notice OF the
public.
The Standard Laundry. situated at 954
Howard street, was next seen. The build
ing extends from Howard street to Nato-
MA, the laundry proper being on the latter
street. 1t is q two-stOry structure, 50x16O
feet, with ceilings 16 feet high. we'll lighted
and we'll ventilated. and was constructed
specially for laundry purposes. Before
the laundry was opened the proprietors
bad sewer laid underneath the center of
the building. with which pipes are con-
nected sufficient for drainage require
ments. The first floor is used as wash
room, starching-room, dying-room AMI
marking-room. The second floor is used
for managing, ironing and distributing
purposes. Both floors are equipped with
the best machinery required to run first
class steam laundry. In this laundry fan
nels are washed by hand to prevent
shrinkage. and children's and women's
garments are ironed by hand. Shirt bos-
oms and all fiat work are done by steam
heated ironing machines.
Twenty-Five persons are employed at
present in the Standard Laundry, but the
superior work which it has been doing is
resulting In largely increasing patron.
age. which necessarily will require that a
larger force be employed.
One of the best known and most popular
lanndries in San Francisco. the Lick, Sit
ated at 9 Lick place. was next visited.
This laundry is favOra bly, located, being in
the center of the business part oil the city.
and has the finest class of work, its custom
being mostly with residents of the large
hotels and private houses. 1t does not
reach out for cheap business, as it can
scarcely accommodate the number of its
present patrons. The building, from a
hygienic point of view, is perfect in every
detail and is equipped with the best ma
chlnery for a complete laundry outfit.
Want Of space precludes further descrip-
ton of the place more than to Estate that
the larger part Of the ironing is done by
hand.
Twenty-Five persons are employed in the
laundry at present. but the force will have
to be increased if the management will
accept all the busn ess offeredx