Omaha daily bee., 1896-02-09
LABOR WILL HAVE A LAUNDRY
Will Be Co-0perative and for Women
Only.
WHY THE PROJECT HAS BEEN UNDERTAKEN
1t is to Relieve the Female Unem-
pIOyed who Talk of Suicide and
Worse ThinEs-SOIiciting
begins Tomorrow.

| It has been determined that an attempt
shall be made to dissolve what has been
called "the suicide club" This club has mo
organization. Its members have no bond OF
union save the sympathy begotten by want
and on account of unsatisfied want, despair.
Daily circumstances, since the establishment
Of the employment bureau in connection with
the Labor Temple scheme, have attested not
only the fact that thousands of men and
heads of families are at the extremity Of
subsistence, but what more creates COM
passion, that hundreds of women are in the
same respect in such sore straits that many
declare 1t is a choice between starvation and
self destruction or the getting Of bread by
the barter of their honor.
One said the other day: "If l can't get
work, soon. will go down and live as those
In the burnt district do" and some have
said that rather than live longer as they
are, they would quit living at all.
On this desperate account 1t has been de-
cided that something be done especially for
the women and girls who are out OF work.
Since General Kelly came to the city the
situation has been discussed, not more
earnestly. but with more hope than before
and a remedial course agreed on. CO.
operative laundry will be established unless
eral Kelly fail. II established, 1t will be
the first cooperative labor institution in the
city and It Is designed that 1t shall be eX-
clusively, in its operation, for women and
girls without other employment and without
prospect of obtaining any.
General Kelly has had some experience
in this regard and will remain In Omaha
for the next sixty days to labor in further
ence OF the undertaking. He was one of the
promoters of a like institution in Oakland.
Cal, and will use here the same methods
that proved to be so successful there.
"A building suitable both in itself and in its
location will be first secured, either free Of
rent or by rent. Then equipment will be
sought. and II Is believed that this. and
possibly the use' of the building, will be
donated or furnished at small cost. No at
tempt Will be made to put In expensive ma
chinery. The washing will be tub washing,
but some lumber must be had and a steam
boiler, and the fitting up Of the room will
be by the labor OF unemployed men.
As at Oakland, the workers every Satur-
day night, after deductions for expenses and
10 per cent for a contingent fund, will divide
among them the receipts pro rata according
to the time put In at labor No one will
be paid at a higher rate than another, the
manager receiving the same per hour as
those In the wash rooms. The laborers will
be worked In shifts. one company few
days or week, then another, and SO on,
the aim being constantly to relieve those
most In need OF relief.
General Kelly says that at Oakland the
recompense averaged about $S per week,
and the general popularity OF the enter
prise was shown by the fact that on the
first day work was solicited, one party Sc
cured orders for $50
The work of establishing the laundry will
be commenced tomorrow.