The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1897-10-16
WASHING BY MACHINERY
THE MODERN LAUNDRY HAS BECOME
A BIG INSTITUTION. .:

Turned Out In a Day-How the Work
Is Done-Eegular and Transient Trade
A few years ago nearly every city
vas studded with little Chinese laun.
lries, where the proprietor exchanged
small piece Of paper containing some
unknown hieroglyphics for each bun
lie as it was brought in. They -four
shed for while, but the shrewd
Yankee went them one better by
'sHding for and delivering the pack
,ges and then the iNT1ntions in ma
:hinery for simplifying the work began
TO multiply to such an extent that it
was almost unnecessary to do any
hand work. Gradually the "washee,
vas bee man. found business slipping
way from him and started an opium
ioint as an adjunct. Then the latter
became the whole thing, and the laun-
Try only blind, but the celestials
iound themselves closed up by the
police, and they are now almost q
thing of the past.
The amount of clean clothes turned
out by laundry is astonishing, and a
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
ago two collars and pair of cuffs,
with other articles in proportion.
There are two classes Of trade, regu-
lar and transient, and 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 it d certain day every
week. Some make q list of what they
send, while others just4hundle every
thing together. depending upon the
laundry to do the rest. The members
Of that class never complain if they
think there is collar missing, and
they seldom have cause to think 50,
The transient class of customers com
prlses all kinds Of people. from the
fnnicky individuals who are never
suited and change places nearly every
week, to the clerk, who runs in with
bis 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 and pair of cuffs. Those
who bring their laundry to the office
make out list, Of what the bundle
contains and mark down the day on
which it is wanted.. Then they can
have it delivered, or call for it, as best
suits their convenience. Many fam
lilies have their entire washing done at
the laundry, low rate being made for
plain pieces, and they thus avoid the
necessity Of employing q washerwo-
man and adding confusion to the kit.
chen.
Experience has shown that q COM
bination 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 q different
mark in order that the different. arti
Giles may be gathered again for deliv.
cry. 1.-The marker also has to count the
different articles and compare them
with the list to see that the latter is
correct. The clothes are then bundled
into baskets and taken to lie wash
room to be placed in the washers,
which are long wooden cylinders con-
nected with shaft that rotates back
wards and forwards to keep the
clothes in constant motion so that the
soap and hot water may reach every
part In twenty min ties they are
ready to be taken out. They are then
placed in wringer, huge basin with
IN opening at the top and pipe lead
Ing from the bottom. In it 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 div
room, large cupboard fitted with
racks which slide in and out. Coils
OF pipe furnish the heat.
All the plain clothes are dried on
mansle, a big hollow cylinder, which
Is heated and reyolves continually. A
girl stands on one side spreading the
clothes on it, and after a revolution CT
two they are taken off at the opposite
side. From the dry room the clothes
go to the starching machine, and are
hen ready to be ironed. All cuffs,
collars and the bosoms of shirts are
roned by machine, but the bodies of
ne shirts are done by hand to prevent
he wear and tear that cannot be
lvolded by using a machine. Ladies'
inery is entirely done BY hand, and
IL goods that might be liable to in
ury unless handled with great care
Tor asserting, pigeon hole case is
lsed, one for each bundle. The COL
ars and cuffs are first assorted on a
able, and then placed in the pigeon
loles. Each lot is then compared with
he list that came with it, and if found
orrect is tied up and sent down to the '