The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1900-03-16
THE billings STEAM LAUNDRY.
Description of the Process of Cleaning
CiOt,es-A busy Institution.

CiOthes-A Busy Institution.
1t Ia doubtful II many Of our poopl,
realize the great AMOUNT Of work don,
IN Il laundry, or have the least idea o.
what process clothing goes through "
being olaansod. In response to M invi
tation from Erickson b Scott, pIoprie
tors Of the Billings Steam Laundry, q
Gazette reporter visited their establish
ment a few days ago and vas shown thu
entire work.
Clothes first enter the Office, where
they are checked. Then they are sent
to the large room, where they are i'm.
mediately put through a process OF dis
Infection. which does away with all
possibility Of carrying disease germs.
Hero they are checked In with a special
check, numbered and listed according
to place. After this they are sent "a
the two washers at the rear. These
washers have a capacity Of seventy five
shirts each. They are so arranged III
mechanism that the clothes are not
rubbed, but are cleaned by the rapid
revolution Of the washers. No frio.
ton to the clothes Is caused and this Ia
a great saving to the garments. The
clothes are then placed Into u centrifu.
sul w1inGer. with n steel basket, which
IL speeded up to $500 revolutions TO
the minute. By the speed a vacuum
is caased, thus sucking the water and
moister from the clothes
The dry room, which Ia heated from
steam coils, Ia the next process for the
clothes, which IRE placed ~ long frame
slides. After leaving this the clothes
nfe separated and put through different
processes. A large steel mangio irons
all the fiat work, such as sheets, etc.
The goods ale first moistened and then
run through, the manglo being a large
steam heated-roller, underneath Of
which are heavy padded rollers. The
collars, cuffs and shirts, after being
starohed, are sent to the dry room until
ready. Then they are dampened and
put under d press and then arc ready
for the polishers. The shirts are first
put through what Ia called the bosom
polisher. which makes them shine like
glass. They then 80 to q polisher
which treats the wrist and neck band
In a like manner setting the latter to a
proper angle 81 that II may not cause
any annoyance to the neck Of the wear
er. This IL a new addition TO the laun.
dry. These polishers are heated by gas.
oline, which runs through a process Of
v%apor.zing. The shirts are then passed
to ironing boards, presided over by
hand workers, where they are anished,
aud then to the assortment room. The
collars and cuffs come from the first
polisher perfectly straight, going then
to the smoother where all rough edges
are taken Off. Afterward they are
placed Oh the turner, which gives them
tho correct shape for wearing, aud II Il
u fn-down or turn corner, are put on
the folder. These pieces OF machinery
are Of the latest make and have just
been put in tho laundry. Collars and
cuffs are now ready for the asserting
room. II may be somewhat surprising
to know that collars have to be handled
twenty-five different times from the
time they enter the laundry until they
are ready for delivery,
The laundry manufacturers Its own
soap, with the exception OF q special
brand used for fannels. The former
IL made from strictly pure tallow, ~
dered In Billings, and goes through a
process consuming thirty days In Its
manufacture. No acids Of any kind
are used IN the laundry, II being strict.
~ prohibited BY the propIietors. The
starch used IL No, ! thin boiling wheat,
One can not help hut wcndeI that
more mistakes or Losses Of wearing APP
parel do not occur In such a place,
The assortment room Ia u place Of care.
full work. The lists are taken there
from the Office. The clothes are ar
ranged alphabetically and then 40
through a double checking process,
which reduces the loss to a minimum,
u being estimated that not u In a
thousand pieces are lost, They are then
assorted aud piled away ready for de-
livery.
The business Of the Billings Steam
Laundry haR increased over 40 per cent
since the change IN the ownership two
months ago, aud the addition Of more
new machinery Ii contemplated in order
TO handle the business, The number
Of people employed IL twelve, but this
will have 10 DO augmented shortly,
This IL an institution which should
have tho united support OF our people.
II il batter prepared than ever to give
itT patrons satisfaction,
Agencies have been established in
Me following outside towns, from
which large shipments are received
every week
Miles City Ed, Arnold agent,
Forsythe, %, u, Lane, agent,
Red Lodge, -Chas, Xhtilla and v,
u Meserslagents,
Hrideer. -C, ,Nmples, agent,
Carbona9o,- ~ W. koetzinstine,
agent,
Gebo,-A,I Frial. agent,
Joliet. -16Iiet Trading