The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1897-11-02
WASHING BY MACHINERY
THE MODERN LAUNDRY HAS BECOME
A BIG INSTITUTION.

iS" years ago nearly every city
was studded with little Chinese laun.
dries, where the proprietor exchanged
n small piece of paper containing some
unknown hieroglyphics for each bun.
die as 1T was brought in. They flour.
lshed for while, but the shrewd
Yankee went them one better by
sending for and delivering the pack.
ages and then the inventions in ma
chlnery for simplifying the work began
to multiply to such an extent that il
was almost unnecessary to do any
hand work. Gradually the "washee,
washee man" found business slipping
away from him aud started an opium
Joint as an adjunct. Then the latter
became the whole thing, and the laun-
dry only blind, but the celestials
found themselves closed up by the
police, and they are now almost a
thing of the past
The amount of clean clothes turpad
out by laundry is astonishing, and n
visit to one of them on a busy dav
would cause one to think that every
family in the city was having its wash
ing done. One well-known laundry
handles no less than 1000 shirts every
week and each one of them will aver
age two collars and pair of cuffs.
with other articles in proportion.
There are two classes of trade. regu-
lar and transient, apd it is the former
that the laundry seeks to especially
please. All they have to do is to get
Their laundry ready and the wagon
calls for 1t on certain day every
week. Some make list of what thew
send, while Others just bundle every-
thlnS together, depending upon the
laundry to do the rest The members
OF that class never complain if they
think there is Il collar missing. and
they seldom have cause to think so
Inc transient class of customers com
prlses all kinds of people, from the
hnnicky individuals who are never
suited and change places nearly every
week, to the clerk, who runs in with
his shirt and collars on his way to
work. The young lady behind the
counter would be discharged if she
smiled when customer handed her
two collars aud pair of cuffs. Those
who bring their laundry to the office
make ont list of what the bundle
contains and mark down the dav ON
which 1t il wanted Then thew can
have 1t delivered, or call for it. as best
suits their convenience Many fam
lies have their entire washing done nj
the laundry, low rate being made for
plain pieces, and they thus avoid the
necessity of employing a washerwo-
man and adding confusion to the kit
chen.
Experience has shown that a com
bInatlon of machine and hand does the
best work and is less injurious to the
clothes, so that it is used in almost all
the large laundries. When the clothes
are received they first go to the marker.
as each customer must have different
mark in order that the different arti-
cles may be gathered again for deliv-
cry. The marker also has to count the
different articles and compare them
with the list to see that the latter &c
correct. The clothes are then bundled
INTO baskets and taken to the wash
room to be placed in the washers
which are long wooden cylinders con
nected with shaft that rotates bnck-
wards and forwards to keen the
clothes I'm constant motion so that the
soap and hot water may reach every
part. In twenty minutes thew are
ready to he taken out They are then
placed In wringer, huge basin with
an opening at the top and a pine lead
ing from the bottom In if fits an
other basin with perforated sides which
revolves at a high rate of speed and
forces the water through the holes
From there they are taken to the drv
room, large cupboard fitted with
racks which slide in and ont. Coils
of pipe furnish the heat.
All the plain clothes are dried ON q
mangle, big hollow cylinder. which
Is heated and revolves continually
girl stands on one side spreading the
clothes ON it, and after q revolution or
two they are taken off Mt the opposito
side From the dry room the clothes
90 to the starching machine. and are
then ready to be iroued. All cuffs.
collars aud the bosoms of shirts are
ironed by machine, but the bodies Of
the shirts are done by hand 10 prevent
the wear and tear that cannot he
avoided by using u machine. Ladies'
hncry is entirely done by hand. and
aIl goods that might he liable Tn i'm
jury unless handled with great care
For asserting, pigeon hole case is
used, one for elch bundle. The col
lars and cuffs are first assorted ON a
table, and theu placed i'm the pigeon
holes Each Lofts then compared with
the list that came with 1T. aud if found
correct is tied mp and sent down TO the
Office either for delivery or TO be held
until called for.
One feature of lauudries that is NOT
well known is the repair departments
whore all missing buttons are sewed
ON and rents repaired without cost 10
patrons Regular customers have
thor shirts carefully looked after and
new neck and wrist bands sewed ON
when necessary NJ nominal cost
With all the care exercised kicks will
come, especially about clothes being
lost, and 1T Us au easy matter for the
unscrupulous individual 10 get an OK
ira pair Of collars aud cuffs bv claim.
ing that his laundry was short When
% customer insists his word is never
disputed, though it may he known
that he is wrong, and the goods are
replaced To those who can afford
the means the laundry is indispenea-
bile, doing the work much better tbou